How to Do a Safety Jibe on a Sailboat

A jibe is a very fast and sometimes violent turn of a sailboat's stern through the wind. Since the wind instantly catches the sails and throws them onto their new tack, the boom, sails and lines can sweep across deck and create a safety hazard. Follow these steps to control the jibe with a safety jibe.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Come to a broad reach. It's best to start the safety jibe process on a broad reach so that you and your crew have as much time as possible to plan and execute the jibe. Come to a broad reach, inform your crew of the jibe and assign each crew member a task or position for the maneuver.

2. Fall off and sheet in. Once your crew is prepared you should begin falling off of the wind and bringing the mainsail to midships. Keep your foresail in place since as you sheet in the mainsail the boat will lose power. Get the boat down wind and the mainsail sheeted until it starts to flutter in the wind.

3. Call and execute the jibe. Take a glance at all of your crew to make sure they are clear of the boom or other swinging objects. Call out the jibe with "Jibe ho!" or something similar. Begin to turn the stern through the wind. If you are on a small boat, like a dinghy or small keelboat, pull the boom by the mainsheet across to the opposite tack before you turn the stern through the wind. On a larger boat simply keep the sail at midships.

4. Change the foresail and ease the main. As the stern of the boat crosses through the wind change the foresail. As you do so continue to head up as you ease the mainsail to an appropriate setting for your new point of sail. Make sure the new sailset is appropriate for the wind direction and speed, take note that all crew members are okay and carry on sailing.

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