The pit person is in the middle of the boat controlling halyards, raising the jib, controlling the pole topping lift, downhaul and switching spinnaker sheet twings during gybe.
Approaching the windward mark
Make sure the pole downhaul is in its preset position, use the marks on the lines. Make sure the spinnaker twings are pre set for whichever set we are doing. Flake the jib halyard and make sure it is free to run out.
Bear-away set
Once on starboard tack the next call will be for "Pole Up". Once the foredeck has unclipped the pole from the mast and clipped in the guy trim about 2-3 feet of topping lift to keep the pole going out level. Use the topping lift to set the pole parallel to the deck, look forward for any problems with pole going up and be prepared to lower a little if necessary. In heavy air (20 kts +), once "Hoist" is called, tail the spinnaker halyard with one wrap on a winch until the chute is all the way up. In lighter air tailing is not necessary....Go to clean up.
Jibe set
As the boat bears away around the mark, tail the spinnaker halyard if in heavy air. As soon as the jib has gybed and the foredeck has unclipped pole, raise the pole, look for the lazy jib sheet still tight, and coordinate with the guy trimmer if the pole is difficult to raise. ...Go to clean up.
Alternate jibe set
Sometimes there is no time to bring the spinnaker gear around the boat, or the jibe set is called at the last minute. In this case we will be doing a bear away jibe set. As the chute will be raised with no pole it is best to have both spinnaker twings eased, the guy will be controlled with "human pole". As the boat bears away around the mark, tail the spinnaker halyard if in heavy air. As soon as the jib has gybed across the pole and the foredeck has unclipped the pole from the boom, raise the pole, look for the lazy jib sheet still tight, and coordinate with the guy trimmer if the pole is difficult to raise. Once the pole is set correctly trim in the guy twing...Go to clean up.
Tack set
Once in a while due to a large left shift or the tacticians love of the port lay line we will find ourselves laying the mark on port. As soon as the boat tacks around the mark you can continue as a bear away set. Consider prefeeding the chute along the deck before reaching the mark.
Clean up
Set the pole downhaul tight once on the intended course. Coordinate with the guy trimmer to ease the pole downhaul when the pole comes back. Clean up all lines.
Gybing
Once the "Gybe" is called ease the pole downhaul 18", or to the pre set mark on the line. Ease the guy twing. As the foredeck nears the completion of the gybe trim in the NEW guy twing half way, once the foredeck calls "Made" trim the new guy twing all the way. Set the pole downhaul tight once on the intended course. Coordinate with the guy trimmer to ease the pole downhaul when the pole comes back.
Approaching the leeward mark
As the boat approaches the mark and "Jib up" is called, raise the jib, have a winch handle in and at least one wrap, be careful about ripping the spinnaker if it is strapped at the forestay. Face the back of the boat to wait for instruction, once "Pole down" is called ease the guy twing as the "human pole" person is in position. Make sure the pole downhaul is off and ease the tooping lift as the pole is stowed. On the call for "Chute down" help pull in the chute. As soon as the chute is in the boat move to your position on the rail for upwind.
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