Kite Hoists

Bear Away Hoist

This should be your default choice unless the next leg is ENTIRELY on the other gybe  as it is often quicker to hoist  , go low and gybe early than do a gybe hoist.

If setting up early , make sure spi is secure in bag as trawling it into the mark is slow. Equally Bow must then  open the bag completely for a friction free hoist.

Approaching mark check with Tactician , Navigator and Helm that it is safe to hoist pole early.  Bow lifts pole , Pianist pulls on uphaul – and any of the hikers may be able to help.

The hoist may be before the mark is rounded . If so the Trimmers mate must not pull guy back too early until boat is squared off onto run – or in light airs until the apparent wind has come aft as the speed falls. The trick is to pull like hell , WATCHING the pole , and stop when the spi /pole is 1 foot back from the forestay.

Helm calls “Hoist”.  Mast is a blur of flailing arms , Pianist ditto to keep up. Trimmers mate ditto to pull spi to guy end (see above )and then as far back as the wind and course dictate. Spi trimmer already has sheet in hand , sheets on hard for the first 2/3  of the hoist to separate the clews, then dumps it all until it is up, and then pulls on hard til the kite fills . This prevents a twist. As soon as spi is up Mast shouts “Spi Up”.  Genoa trimmer has kept the genny  over-trimmed as we bear away . The Pianist blows the Genny halyard – Bow and Mast go forward and flake the genny , re-reeve the head and secure the sail to the rail. If the genoa might be changed it is flaked and bagged. Trimmers mate pulls the pole back to the appropriate position ,  Spi trimmer trims on,  Main eases sheet ,Sweeper may ease vang , Pianist then eases Main halyard , possibly  the outhaul and then gets to work to flake the spi halyard and tidy up all the rest of the origami.

Gybe Hoist

During the approach Bow raises the inboard end of the pole  , clips the guy through the pole under the genny  , with the kite secured  well forward on the windward rail.

As the boat bears away around the mark, Mast and the Pianist hoist the kite  whilst the  Sweeper and  one of the genoa trimmers fly it using both sheets in much the same way as they do in a gybe , looking forward at the kite and steering it round the forestay in an identical fashion. If its so windy you need to get the runners on you wont be doing a flash hoist like this so they should be  secured forwards.  Main gybes the boom making sure everyone retains a head on their shoulders . Spi trimmer stands on the new windward side and pushes out the windward  sheet. Genoa trimmer gybes the genoa without letting it go forward , oversheeting the new sheet. As the genoa crosses the midline , Mast unclips the uphaul from the mast, Mast and the Pianist pull up the uphaul, Trimmers mate takes up the slack on the guy and Bow helps by pushing the outer  pole end up and back. The Genoa trimmer keeps the genoa  overtrimmed , the  Pianist blows the genoa halyard , Bow and Mast gather the genoa  , and the Helm swoons at the perfection of the team work!

What can go wrong with a crew as good as this?  Well , if the genoa is allowed to ease forward it prevents the spinnaker filling – even worse, if it isn’t gybed across it interferes with the pole and chaos ensues! Pretty well everything else is down to the two trimmers on the sheets and Spi Trimmer acting as a temporary pole – between them they should be able to fly the kite whilst the rest of the crew sort out any cock ups.

Tack Hoists

The preparation for the tack hoist is the same as for a gybe hoist , with Bow raising the inner end of the pole , poking the pole end under the foot of the genoa and reeving the leeward guy into the jaws.  Once again the genoa needs to remain oversheeted whilst bearing away after the tack otherwise it will flog into the area where Bow is trying to push the pole end up- and there will be an almighty tangle.