Natural sailors ?

"Chicken Gybes" (i.e. not gybing!) are actually only "safer" (in the sense of avoiding a capsize not hitting your head  ) in really heavy boats such as Wayfarers, Kestrels etc. that don't continually plane downwind even when its really windy. In any boat that planes, there's a far greater chance of capsizing on the head up before the tack or the bear away after than there would be in just gently flicking the mainsail across at a choice moment.
I do remember once on a really gusty day with a really bad wind against tide chop when I ended up sailing about half a mile beyond the gybe mark waiting for that choice moment though ....... even though it made the second reach nearly a fetch we still overtook plenty of boats who nosedived and capsized by chucking the boat straight round at the mark!!

Originally posted by Guest#260 I have managed to tack the kite on the MPS in about 3 knots of breeze on a odd course ... but any more than that and you'd not make it.

Funny so have I - but that was before I had any idea at all, seemed easier
than getting it down then putting it back up again..

Doddsy should be getting his replacement mast back soon, about ready to
be taking another thrashing from a girlies boat, wont be long before we
head over to Whitstable to see how the inbreds are doing..

Edited by G.R.F

Originally posted by G.R.F but a bit tricky with a spinnaker up..

I've tacked a 38 footer with the spinnaker up. It was an emergency avoidance maneouvre but I don't really recommend it as it took quite some time to disentangle the mess.

in the S gybe you bear away do the gybe then point the back down wind quickly after the gybe to take the power off.gives a nice S shape. it takes the sting out of the gybe and gives you more time to find all the right bits of string.

Originally posted by tickler One third are no hopers but having fun. One third are in the middle. The third third? are competative and trying hard. At the top  are the few boats in with a chance.

Don't think that's actually true. I've seen a number of "no hopers" turn into regular winners over the years, so presumably they were in fact trying all along. Plus everyone is actually in with a chance. With a good start and a couple of lucky windshifts, most of the fleet can manage a win once in a while. It happens.