How to avoid a Chinese gybe when sailing downwind

In the first video, professional sailor and coach Pip Hare guides you through how to deal with a Chinese gybe. To get the best out of this series,take a look at the detailed feature in the February issue.

[tomriley]

Very impressed with the "controlled" chinese gype - for the camera! Doing all that solo whilst racing must be crazy.

[rayharkins]

So much to learn and remember. I thought you just put the sails up and kicked back relaxing while the wind did the rest. This sailing when done properly and be exhaustive. thanks for the videos...

[panther]

I'm just beginning to learn how to sail. Seeing the boat lean into the wind just looks so weird. So much to learn... These are very useful short videos...

[Coyotehello]

The best advice I received when I started sailing (or actually racing) was to 'keep the boat under the spi -we call it a kite_'. once you master that then you can 'push' the limit by trimming for speed while instinctively knowing how to get back in the safe zone.

[ShroomKeppie]

Nice lesson. Did have to chuckle a bit when she said "...caused by excess heel to windward, or excess heel to leeward..." Yep, I guess that covers it! ;-)

[thething]

The term Chinese Gybe comes from the Chinese sailing vessels called "Junks" The way these boats where rigged made them very prone to this unexpected maneuver, hence the "common" term "Chinese Gybe".

The difference between a Chinese Gybe and a broach is that instead of the boat being dragged to lee as with the Chinese gybe, there is sudden shift in the wind direction that backsides the sails, the main boom and foresail (spinnaker or not)  go crashing to the opposite tac under high power and yank the stern of the boat out of the water entirely. This would be considered an extreme accidental gybe. (which results in a broach) and usually the lose of the mast if the winds are high enough.

[solidinfinitygym]

Would be very useful to also explain how to steer the boat under the kite.

[brucesinclair]

I mainly only sail single handed, when I do I drop the main and sail spinaker only. This makes it so simple, one sail to look after. No possiblity of a gybe, or damage to the yacht.

[bobgaysummerland]

My fix has always been to leave the spinnaker below decks in a nice bad. They make a great mattress.

[mbur]

Remarkably good production for a 10 year old video!

[pauljnolan]

I am surprised at the lack of emphasis on spinnaker trim. When you're running in heavy air DO NOT ease the spinnaker sheet to the point that the 'chute is to weather of the forestay. Keep it strapped in. In heavy air the centerline of the 'chute should always be to leeward of the forestay. This is especially important in IOR boats with their narrow sterns. In modern boats for peaceful downwind sleighrides put a dinghy sailor on the helm and a smart, very conservative crewman on the spinnaker sheet.

[danielmay]

Only one thing I didn't understand. I though pulling the kicker during downwind sailing depoweres the main, not powers it? Or is this a special case because the main goes all floppy when the boat turns to port on it's own?

[neilirvine]

Feel free to call it a "crash gybe"

[louisgjordan]

OK, now that i've learned some vocab, it makes more sense, but, does this also work to correct excessive weather helm.  Isn't excessive weather helm what caused you to go into the XXXXese jybe?

[TroyaE]

You can do all that with a crew of 6.
Avoid spinnakers if you don't have a big crew.
In light airs, perhaps, otherwise they are bad news.

[louisgjordan]

pull the kicker on?  You mean my shoe?   ease the mainsail?  um..what?

[ThompsonBMXbikes]

Not to be confused with a Chinese Fire Drill.

[earlofwickshire]

Now only if they had a video on how to avoid a Chinese driver!

[TroyaE]

The spinnaker is very much a racing sail, or light air cruising sail. It is unforgiving. Avoid it unless in light airs or with a big crew in a race.

[russellcole]

We need to find something to call this other than a "Chinese" jibe, which, much like a "Chinese" fire drill, is insulting to Chinese, if you think about it. Let's call it an American jibe, or, what I always heard it called, an uncontrolled jibe. What? Heading up into a broach makes it "Chinese?"
Russ, Long Beach, California