That's how I do it ...
Sail as much downwind as you can.
* Center the bowsprit
* [Edit:] center the traveller
* pull in the mainsail sheet hard.
* pull in the lee side backstay.
* when your helmsman (or autopilot) starts gybing (slowly!),
release the gennaker clew sheet, till it reaches about the forestay, in parallel,
already pull in the other side as fast as you can. When the clew is around the
forestay, completely release the "old" clew sheet, and pull hard on the other one ...
* I have 4 winches on board, so I usually use the 2 on the cockpit roof for the
"clew sheets".
When starting, I'm generally standing/kneeing in the middle of the cockpit,
the head on the lower side of the boat, this has 2 advantages :
1) the boom won't hit you
2) you can see the gennaker better
* fix the gennaker in a stable postion (i.e. don't open the clew too much), then
* release the new lower backstay
* open the main - sheet / traveller
* trim the gennaker
If doublehanded, the trick is to do the first half of the gybe slowly, to give you enough
time to handle the gennaker. After pulling the clew around the forestay to the new side,
your helmsman can turn quicker.
If you're singelhanded and it gets too tough, bring down the whole gennager, gybe without, and hoist it again on the other side.
Better loose some time, instead of a sail :-))
Thomas
GER 521, SpeedyG