Pulling the clew across the boat to the side opposite the bow turn describes which sail maneuver?

• A. Backing the jib
• B. Tacking
• C. Jibing
• D. Sheeting in

Answer: (A)

Backing the jib. When you pull the jib’s clew across the boat to the side opposite the bow, the jib fills from the other side and the wind strikes the sail from behind its forward edge. That creates a backwinded condition, which can help pivot the boat or slow and steer without turning the bow through the wind. The other options describe turning the bow through the wind (tacking), turning the stern through the wind (jibing), or simply trimming the sail tighter on the windward side (sheeting in), none of which match the action of moving the clew to the opposite side.