Backing the jib
Sometimes it just doesn’t seem right to switch on the engine and shatter the peace after a tranquil night on a mooring, says resident cruising expert Clive Loughlin
Why not sail o ? Unless there is a decent tide flowing, a boat will normally lie head-to-wind when at anchor or on a buoy. Being head-to-wind or ‘in-irons’ is not generally considered to be a good point of sail – so how do we sail o in a controlled manner?
Our main should be raised and set ready for action with the mainsheet let right out and kicker released, so it is well and truly depowered.
Unroll a few metres of headsail and have the sheets slack. At this stage not a lot should be happening. Decide which way you want to go when you release the buoy. The main thing is not to hit anything - so go for the safest option and if there is a stream running, ideally head into that so that you have immediate steerage.
It is best to have two trusty crew on the foredeck – one to release the buoy and the other to back the jib – but one person can quite easily do both tasks provided everything is prepared in advance.
If you have decided to go to starboard then the jib will need to be ‘backed’ by grabbing the clew and holding it out to port. First slip the buoy and then immediately back the jib. The bow will be blown away from the buoy and as soon as the boat is getting towards beam on to the wind, the starboard jib sheet can be hauled in together with the mainsheet and suddenly you are sailing.
Whether you are in a river or a bay the chances are there are other craft around, and having just a scrap of jib up will greatly improve forward visibility. The main aim at this stage being to safely depart the mooring area.
Backing the jib is a simple procedure that can often be used in other situations such as leaving a pontoon berth.
It is not at all di cult but it encourages a di erent attitude to sailing, a revised mindset that considers the natural forces and how we can use them to our advantage instead of instinctively reaching for the ignition key.