Women's Snipe Sailing
NOT LIKE JIBING IN OTHER BOATS
Jibes
GOOD TEAMS MAKE JIBES LOOK EASY
For a basic jibe, the skipper starts to turn the boat and as bow comes close to passing directly downwind, the skipper uncleats the jib. The crew, standing in the center of the boat, with the pole line in one hand and the vang in the other, releases the pole and pulls the mainsail across with the boat. The crew launches the pole again. The skipper cleats jib sheet to windward. On windy days, the crew may need to help the skipper re-cleat the windward jib sheet.
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After the boat jibes, the crew crosses to the other side of the boat. The skipper should not cross before the crew, unless it's very windy.
Jibes - Tips for Skippers
THE SKIPPER CAUSES MOST BAD JIBES
The skipper is the primary cause of most bad jibes. Turning too fast, not watching the pole, not trimming the mainsail properly through the jibe, and pulling the jib sheet too much while the crew is trying to launch the pole again, will cause problems.
The skipper needs to watch the pole through the jibe to be sure that the pole comes back enough before the bow passes directly downwind. Not all poles retrieve with the same speed. Poles with new/tighter bungee will retrieve faster. The skipper also needs to have the mainsail trimmed in a little when jibing onto port. If the boom is against the shroud, the shroud will prevent pole from coming back and launch properly. During the jibe, the mainsail should always be trimmed so the pole can slide easily back along the boom.
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If the pole does not come back properly during the jibe (stuck), the pole may be caught on the vang (near the boom), it may be stuck against the shroud. The pole line may also have cleated again or it may have a knot. The pole line can also wrap around the end of the boom. Usually the skipper can see these problems before the crew.
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If the pole is coming back too slowly, usually this means the bungee has lost its elasticity. A short term solution is to pull the bungee from the back of the pole and tie another knot making the bungee line shorter/tighter. Careful not to make it too tight or the pole will be hard to pull out/launch.
Jibes-Tips for Crews
BEND YOUR KNEES & WATCH YOUR FACE
During the downwind, the crew should always inspect the pole launcher line to be sure there are no knots, especially before and after every jibe.
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When jibing from port to starboard, the crew needs duck (move) so the pole does not come back and hit them in the face.
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Crews with long legs can step over the centerboard during the jibe, shorter crews need to move around it.
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The best crews do not allow the pole to come back all the way during the jibe. The pole only needs to come back enough, so as not to get stuck on the forestay. This makes for a faster and easier jibe.
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If the pole does not come back properly during the jibe (stuck), it may be caught on the vang or be stuck against the shroud. The pole line may also have cleated again or it may have a knot. The pole line can also wrap around the end of the boom. Usually the skipper can see these problems before the crew.
The skipper cannot pull on the new windward jib sheet too soon after the jib, it makes it difficult for the crew to pull the pole out.
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On windy days, the crew should wait until the boat is stable before re-launching the pole after a jibe.
Reach to Reach Jibes
STABILTY AND PATIENCE NEEDED
In the Snipe Class, reaching courses are only sailed when the winds is 15 knots or above (planing/surfing conditions). Reaching is a skill and if you can reach well in a Snipe, you will pass boats. Fortunately, Snipes are very stable through jibes in windy conditions.
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The crew should release the pole well before the jibe mark. It helps if the crew pulls the leeward jib sheet while simultaneously releasing the pole line. The crew should stay as far to windward as possible during this time. The crew may need to help the skipper pull the mainsail across during the jibe, but the timing is very important. Don't force the jibe too much.
The crew should move to the windward side as soon as possible during the jibe and trip the jib on the new side, as soon as possible to help stabilize the boat. Moving across the boat is not easy, because the vang and daggerboard will be in your way.
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After the jibe, continue without the pole, until the skipper has the opportunity to head down and the crew can launch the pole again. Be patient after the jibe and wait for the best time to launch the pole. Being out of control with the pole up is not fast.