Terminology question: Gybing

[JohnRPollard]

Zar,

You're right.

But as long as we're discussing jibing/gybing...

Until the advent of hermaphrodite rigs, and later the now-common marconi (fore-and-aft) rig, the maneuver you were executing did not involve any "gybing" booms. So in the days of old square riggers, which merely rotated the yards gently around the mast when switching from one tack to the other, it would not have made sense to call the maneuver "gybing".

That is why, strictly speaking, the maneuver that brings the stern of a sailboat through the eye of the wind is called "wearing" or "wearing ship".

Again, strictly speaking, gybing refers only to the sudden, forceful, side-to-side motion of the boom. As such, the boom "gybes" both when tacking and wearing, although the "gybe" when wearing is usually more violent since the boom sweeps a much wider arc.

Of course, in modern common parlance, most sailors now refer to both the wearing maneuver and the motion of the boom with the single term "gybe." Still, the correct albeit somewhat archaic term is "wearing."

Now go educate that mutinous crew member!

[tdw]

...then again

[AE28]

Unless it's abundantly obvious what I'm talking about when I issue the order to jibe, I also include what I want jibed:
jibe the boat
jibe the jib
jibe the main.
Paul

[zAr]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

Zar,


Again, strictly speaking, gybing refers only to the sudden, forceful, side-to-side motion of the boom. As such, the boom "gybes" both when tacking and wearing, although the "gybe" when wearing is usually more violent since the boom sweeps a much wider arc.

Of course, in modern common parlance, most sailors now refer to both the wearing maneuver and the motion of the boom with the single term "gybe." Still, the correct albeit somewhat archaic term is "wearing."

Now go educate that mutinous crew member!

Goshdarn, I love learning stuff like that! Thank you!

[zAr]

Originally Posted by AE28

Unless it's abundantly obvious what I'm talking about when I issue the order to jibe, I also include what I want jibed:
jibe the boat
jibe the jib
jibe the main.
Paul

That's a good tip. It simplifies things too, probably less overwhelming to inexperienced crew.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by zAr

Goshdarn, I love learning stuff like that! Thank you!

My pleasure. So do I!

We modern sailors tend to forget that this sailing thing had been happening for millenia before anyone ever thought to attach the sail's luff to the mast and secure its foot to a boom. So of course they would not have called the maneuver a "gybe/jibe" since no boom gybed during the process.

Maybe someday the correct term "wearing" will come back into vogue.

[sailordave]

Originally Posted by zAr

So this past weekend with the boat on a broad reach starboard tack I wanted to put the boat on a broad reach port tack.

I (as skipper and helm) explained to my crew what I intended to do, saying I wanted to put us on a broad reach port tack, so let's gybe.

One crew member went...ballistic, saying I'm not using the term correctly, that gybing does not involve a course change, only bringing the boom over to the other side without changing course.

First I think I would have quietly, firmly said, "We can continue this discussion on shore..." And if he still wanted to belabor the point... Tell him to knock it off.

And I doubt he'd sail w/ ME again. Depending on your definition of "ballistic".

Actually I can only think of two people I refuse to sail w/ again...b/c they both were borderline(?) abusive to people.

[jaschrumpf]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

My pleasure. So do I!

We modern sailors tend to forget that this sailing thing had been happening for millenia before anyone ever thought to attach the sail's luff to the mast and secure its foot to a boom. So of course they would not have called the maneuver a "gybe/jibe" since no boom gybed during the process.

Maybe someday the correct term "wearing" will come back into vogue.

Actually, wearing ship was the term for falling off the wind, making a big downwind turn and coming back up on the opposite tack to avoid tacking, which was difficult and hard on the rigging in square-rigged ships. Moving the stern of the ship across the wind was a simple maneuver for those ships -- tacking was the challenge.

The French vernacular when tacking for "helm's a-lee" was "a-Dieu-va," or we go to God, a sentiment Jack Aubrey thought was just so typical of a bunch of foreigners.

[SVAuspicious]

I'm with sailordave. In my mind that crew has demonstrated poor judgment in pursuing a vocabulary discussion at an inappropriate time in an inappropriate manner. Such crew would never be welcome on my boat again.

[w1651]

Make them walk the plank! Arrrrrrrgh !!!