Mastering the Mexican Takedown (Kiwi Drop)

Looking to gain an edge at the leeward mark? The Mexican takedown (or Kiwi Drop, depending on where you’re sailing) is a slick, high-reward maneuver that can help you round cleanly, keep your spinnaker dry, and defend the inside lane. When done right, it looks seamless—and leaves the competition wondering how you managed to round at full speed while stuffing the kite below deck like it was nothing.

Let’s break down how it works and why it’s worth adding to your playbook.

What Is the Mexican Takedown?

In simple terms, the Mexican is a gybe drop. It lets you carry a spinnaker nearly all the way into a leeward mark rounding. As you gybe around the leeward mark, the kite collapses onto the new windward side of your jib and is quickly gathered and dropped straight into the forward hatch. It’s fast, efficient, and lets the helm and trimmers stay focused on accelerating out of the mark while the bow team handles the takedown without drama.

If you’re the inside, overlapped boat as you enter the zone of the leeward mark, Rule 18 entitles you to mark-room, which includes space to gybe and sail your proper course around the mark. This is a key distinction from windward marks, where room to tack isn’t granted under Rule 18 because boats must already be fetching the mark. At a leeward mark, gybing inside the zone to sail your proper course is entirely legal and often a winning strategy.

A step-by-step look at a textbook Mexican takedown: Farr 395, CHIPPEWA, approaches the leeward mark on starboard and nails the maneuver for a smooth port rounding.

When to Use It

This maneuver works best in light to moderate breeze and it’s an ideal option when you’re approaching the leeward mark on the opposite gybe needed for the rounding and have an inside lane to defend. You’ll want the crew dialed and confident, especially the bow and pit positions.

In heavy air, or if you’re sailing short-handed or with less experienced crew, a more traditional leeward drop or letterbox may be the safer bet. Likewise, if you’re doing a starboard mark rounding and approaching a crowded mark on port with converging starboard boats before the zone, this maneuver might create more chaos than it’s worth. Use the Mexican when you’ve planned for it or when a clear window opens up–don’t force it.

Step-by-Step Port Rounding: The Flow

As you’re coming into the mark on starboard, with your jib already hoisted, start prepping for the kite takedown. The trimmer slightly over-sheets the spinnaker, trimming the foot in tight to the deck. This helps prevent it from flailing during the gybe and gives the bowperson something to grab onto.

The driver initiates a smooth gybe to port—and here’s where the magic happens. As the boat turns, the spinnaker inverts and lays itself gently across the new windward side, draped over the jib.

From there, it’s all hands on deck:

1. The bow team grabs the foot and clew of the spinnaker as it collapses onto the foredeck.
2. The pit smokes the spinnaker halyard once the bow has it under control.
3. With the sail mostly on deck, the tack line gets blown.
4. The kite gets stuffed down the forward hatch—ideally about 75% or more should be in before you’re fully onto the upwind leg.

All the while, the driver and trimmers are already focused on rebuilding speed. If everything goes to plan, you’ll hear the best call in sailing: “Clear to tack.”

If executed properly, you’ll have gone into the mark with max speed having the spinnaker drawing right until the end; and, as an inside boat entitled to mark-room, you can do a smooth wide and tight tactical rounding within the zone forcing other boats away from the mark. Another advantage of the Mexican is that the spinnaker will be on the correct side of the boat for the next port set.

Check out this great YouTube video from our How To section for a demonstration and visual breakdown.

Pro Tips

Make sure that the jib is not over-trimmed for the kite drop. It needs to be sheeted just enough to support the spinnaker during the collapse—it acts like a soft catcher’s mitt and helps keep the sail from flying overboard or getting caught in the rigging.

For large kites, you may want to position a crew member inside the cabin, ready to squirrel the sail away through the forward hatch as the bow team feeds it down.

Like any good maneuver, success hinges on communication and timing. Make sure everyone understands the plan, knows their role, and is ready before the moment comes. As you approach the leeward mark, clear calls from the crew boss help keep the team in sync. For example, “Gybing in two boat lengths, let’s get ready,” followed by a countdown like “Gybe in 3, 2, 1, Gybing” keeps the team in sync.

Some crews run a version called the “Dirty Mexican”—a gybe drop without the actual gybe. They approach the mark on the rounding gybe and ease the boat down enough for the kite to collapse onto the windward side, grab it, drop, and head back up to round. It’s safer in some conditions but doesn’t give you the same tactical advantage and speed retention as the classic Mexican.

Overhead view of a leeward mark rounding: the inside boat (White) uses a Mexican takedown, while the outside boat (Orange) goes for a traditional leeward douse.

What’s in a Name?

So what’s with the term “Mexican”? According to sailing legend, Buddy Melges coined it during the 1992 America’s Cup trials in San Diego. With the port leeward mark roundings common there, every time he turned left around the mark, the bow was pointed toward—you guessed it—Mexico.

In the Southern Hemisphere, you’ll hear it called the Kiwi Drop, possibly because it gained popularity among New Zealand crews during the ‘80s. Either way, the technique is the same, and sailors on both sides of the equator will appreciate how effective it is when done right.

Final Thoughts

The Mexican (or Kiwi) Drop isn’t just a party trick—it’s a high-payoff, moderate-risk tactic that can win you real gains at the leeward mark. It lets you round with confidence, stay clear of messy spinnaker issues, and control your lane heading into the beat. If you’re looking to clean up your leeward mark roundings and pick off a few boats in the process, this one’s worth practicing until it’s second nature.

Got your own variation? Seen it done differently? Let us know—because like any good maneuver, there’s always room to make it your own.