What's your technique for a perfect jybe solo? I'm trying to improve mine and so far the method I describe below seems to be the most efficient. Comments? Anything you do different?
[Most of the time downwind]
- Traveler is centered, main is fairly tight and cleated, the mainsheet loop is pushed under the back beam, out of the way to avoid accidentally uncleating while stepping on it.
- Unless the wind is really light I try to keep the hull flying, even if I have to sit in the middle of the trampoline.
- If not trapezing I throw the tiller extension in the water and let it drag behind. I drive using the tiller bar. The other hand hold the loaded spin sheet. I usually trapeze only if I have to fetch a mark.
- Both daggerboards are fully down unless it is really honking in which case I'm on my way back to the beach and will probably not fly the spi. I need them down to get the hull out of the water and anyway it takes too much time to pull them in and out at the mark. I understand that newer boat designs need to pull them up as the loads downwind may be too much, but I never had problem with the two barn doors I use as daggerboards.
[Prepare for the jybe]
- Get in if you are on the trapeze
- Gather the loose spin sheet in your hand next to the one you already have, put tension on it.
- Watch the water behind you, ideally wait for the end of the next gust to jybe (Maximum speed, but less wind while you jybe, allows you to keep your apparent wind for longer)
[Jybe!]
- Pull hard on the tiller bar, hold it there for a couple of heartbeats to carve a turn. Hold on tight, at 18 knots a quick turn is going to want to send you away from the boat, especially when the hull hits the water!
- When you feel the main is going to pop over let go the active spi sheet, completely let go of the tiller, jump slide or crawl to the other side of the trampoline.
With the spin eased the main is going to force the boat to finish the turn by itself. At this point the only thing you have in your hand is the new spin sheets so it is easier to look forward as you don't have to pass it behind your back
- While you cross the trampoline move the sheet from one hand to the other pulling it a bit as you do so, position yourself at the back corner and sheet in the spi hard on the new tack. Since I gathered the lose spi sheet before the jybe my move from one hull to the other with he sheet in hand already pulled the spi on the new tack, the change of hand also added an arm length, so a good pull from my sitting position is enough to get it really tight.
If you are fast enough the spi goes for one side to the other without flapping except for one loud woosh and set in place without loosing any drive. Aka, all the way through the jybe the apparent wind is coming from the front.
If the spi goes bang instead of woosh when it sets in place you lost too much speedor ou waited too long: you lost your apparent wind advantage.
If you let it flap around, it's even worse, the flow on the spi is completely gone...
- Just as the spi goes woosh grab the tiller to prevent the boat to bear away and continue your jybe until the hull is out of the water.
- That's it you are fully powered on the new tack.
According to my GPS tracks in a good day I can do that move in 3-4 seconds. On a bad day, well, it can become ugly even faster, especially if there are waves, I don't like waves, I'm a pond sailor
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The biggest improvement I ever had was to do quick jybes. Before I was doing long turns to avoid slamming the brakes when you pull to hard on the rudders. It was followed by a S when the boom goes over your head to keep the two hulls in the water, adding buoyancy. That's fine for cruising, but if you're racing you want to jybe *now*, doing the S maneuver is safer but is, I feel, a waste of time if you are going fast enough.
I hadn't thought to gather up the loose spi sheet. That will save a good bit of floundering.