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.
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.
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.
|
- GBR 8408
