jibsheets while spinnaker''s up

[dpboatnut]

I''m often the default foredeck crew on both a friend''s Ericson35 (dip pole jibes) and on my Cascade29 (end for end jibes). With no experience on "real" raceboats, I''ve been figuring things out by thinking and reading and trying, with reasonable success. Expectations aren''t too high for either boat, so I''m usually not the cause of our dfl finishes.

On a few recent outings, following a successful spinnaker set, we dropped the hank-on jib but left it hanked and bundled into the pulpit with a bungee, and left the jib sheets attached and run thru their blocks to the cockpit. Following a jibe, it came time to raise the jib and douse the spinnaker. It seems I keep getting the foreguy over the new active jib sheet. Or, put another way, the foreguy (with its attachment well forward on the foredeck of both boats) is not lead behind the lazy jibsheet at setup time. Is that the problem?

Does anybody un-reeve the sheets and stack them up with the jib in the pulpit, until the tack is known for the next jib set?

This problem comes up when the dousing jibe is different than the hoisting jibe, and I think I''ve figured out the mechanics of how it happens. I''m just wondering what others do with those pesky sheets between jib sets.

Or do I just need to drag that lazy sheet forward of the foreguy before attaching it to the pole? (I usually leave the foreguy attached with light tension whlie the pole''s stored on deck- stops the pole rattling).

Thanks!

[paulk]

Whatever works for you. Everyone has a different method based on the equipment and crew they have.

[couzensj]

Pole dip jibe:
It sounds like the jib sheet that is over the pole and infront of the topping lift (pole lift) is falling off the front end of the pole during the jib when the pole is dipped around the headstay. The pole goes up on the other side but the sheet is now on the deck and under the pole instead of over it. Just doublecheck to make sure the jib sheet stays on the pole as you originally rigged it.

After we hoist the spinnaker we drop the jib leaving the head in the track just above the prefeeder - we don''t do anything with the jib sheets. However, if the headsail is on the starboard side and we want to raise it up on the port side we tie the two sheets together and pull the sheet over the pole infront of the topping lift and back into the lead block on the port side. This is done by removing the two jib sheets attached at the clew of the jib and tieing them together so we can pull the sheet over the pole. Once the sheet is over the pole we disconnect the two sheets tied together to the clew of the jib. Then all we have to do is raise the jib, drop the spinnaker, dip the pole and move the topping lift back to the mast. We do not remove the topping lift but instead leave enought slack so the slack will reach back to the mast where it is looped over the drum on the mast winch and out of the way for a tack. Then the foredeck is ready to tack if necessary.

End to end jib:
Jib sheets shouldn''t be an issue if you are doing the end to end while standing at the mast.

Good Luck.

[dpboatnut]

I''m getting the picture. I had never given the jibsheets much thought, and if you always drop the spinnaker, clean up, then raise the jib, it''s no problem. Now that we''re trying to avoid going bald-headed, I''ve got to get my act together.

I had always rigged the pole basically over the lazy jib sheet, because its easiest to just ignore it. For the dip pole jibe as you describe, wouldn''t it work to instead of trying to keep the sheet on top of the pole (and bridle), keep it on deck but foreward of the foreguy? I''m trying to think of how that would interfere, and it seems it wouldn''t, assuming the jib is always raised on the opposite side as the pole. It seems my biggest screw up was letting the lazy jib sheet cross behind the foreguy while rigging the pole before the hoist. I''ll try avoiding that and see if things work out.

It''s always such a pain to mentally rewind the scenarios on the water with a bewildered crew and lots of nylon floating around! Thinking it through with some decent advice helps me get my head wrapped around the problem.

Thanks!

[couzensj]

I should have asked in the beginning but I had assumed that you didn''t have a roller furling jib.

With a roller furling jib you shouldn''t have to worry about keeping the jib sheet over the pole during the gibe- just keep enough slack in the jib sheets so you can do your pole dip without interfering with the jib sheets.

[RichDVM]

A late message reply, but we do well by flying poleless just before takedown with a crew member manually stabilizing the guy until we drop. We get away with this by arranging a near dead down wind approach with 15 sec to the leeward mark. We also only race on lakes so we aren''t dealing with wave motion. Logically, if you''re doing a reaching takedown you won''t have any problems with sheets until you have to tack and have the sheet stuck under the pole....been there... just pay attention.

[ccboston]

It''s all about leaving yourself options.

You never know when something is going to foul up and require a last minute tack right before the set, or a quick tack right after the takedown. And you don''t want to be the person making that impossible. Hence, it''s really important to keep the Genoa sheets forward of the pole topping lift.

Assuming a "standard" starboard tack bear away set, a dip pole gybe onto port, and a takedown rounding staying on port tack, the trick is set up with the lazy (starboard) Genoa sheet lying on top of the end of the pole outboard of the topping lift attachment point. Then, at the gybe, that Genoa sheet falls off the end of the pole, but you lift the new (port) one on:

Prepare for the gybe: Loads of slack in the port Genoa sheet, which you grip in the crook of your left elbow. Port Spinnaker guy in you left hand, thumb pointing toward the clew of the sail. This is important because you''ll find yourself in the heat of the action holding some loose bight of line that leads God-knows-where, and you want to remember which way to snap it in to the pole end without having to stop and gander around. This hand also grips the bow pulpit for balance, unless you''re lucky enough to be an actual monkey, in which case you can just wrap your tail around the headstay.

After the trip, your right hand reaches for the end of the pole as it comes smoothly toward you under the expert control of your skilled mast/pit crew. (Translation: Right forearm warding off the end of the pole so you don''t get your face smashed in.)

At the trip, The spinnaker clew rises up and away, and the starboard Genoa sheet falls off the end of the pole. Or not, you don''t care.

Grab that pole end, and raise your left arm high enough so that the pole passes under the Genoa sheet that''s in the crook of your elbow, or that has slid onto your shoulder depending upon how high you raised your arm. Bring your left hand down, snap the port spinnaker guy into the pole end with your thumb pointing forward, shove the pole forward with all your might and interrupt that annoying screaming sound coming from aft by shouting "Made!"

Now walk the clew of the Genoa forward of the foreguy attachment point and haul it back on the starboard side of the boat, without detaching anything.

At this point you''re free and clear to hoist the Genoa on port tack, and also, as soon as the chute has been tripped, to tack it or gybe it over the pole if needed, leaving detaching lines and cleaning up for later.