Sailboat Racing Adventures

Raising the Jib

• Bow releases bungee cords holding the jib down on the foredeck
• Cockpit locks jib halyard clutch down
• Helm brings the boat up in to the wind
• Cockpit pulls jib halyard and bow jumps halyard at the mast to raise the jib
• Once pit feels tension on halyard put 2-3 wraps on winch, hands tail to one of the trimmers,  and using the winch continue raising the jib to the desired halyard tension.
• The desired halyard tension will depend on the current wind conditions, generally the more the wind the more the tension. Be sure you ask the skipper or tactician how tight they want it.
• Once the jib is all the way up pit shouts “made”
• Leeward trimmer pulls in jib sheet and winches sheet in to the satisfaction of the skipper/tactician while windward trimmer tails.

The entire maneouver should be completed quickly and efficiently to avoid undue flogging of the jib, which dramatically shortens the life of the jib.