I am considering adding a self tacking headsail to my Hunter 34. Just curious as to whether any of our have tried this.
Fast Eddie
Fast Eddie
Self Tacking headsails
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If you thiink you want a self tending jib, do you know if you want to have it on a furler or is a hanked on one to your liking?
If you don't mind a hanked on one, then I would suggest a Camber Spar. One of the nice things about this sail is you can remove it in just a few minutes if you decide to use a larger headsail for some reason.
Bierig Sailmakers
11092 Freeport Ln. N.W.
(Northeast 16428, PA, USA)
tel: 814-459-8001
If you don't mind a hanked on one, then I would suggest a Camber Spar. One of the nice things about this sail is you can remove it in just a few minutes if you decide to use a larger headsail for some reason.
Bierig Sailmakers
11092 Freeport Ln. N.W.
(Northeast 16428, PA, USA)
tel: 814-459-8001
Do you really mean adding? Converting your sloop to a cutter? We found that cumbersome and removed the self tacking staysail, converting our boat to a sloop rig.
Self tacking without a means to hold the sails clew down in proper position is a 'negative'.
The reason being that anytime you ease the jib, etc. the clew will rise and the sail will 'automatically' become grossly overtwisted - head of the sail flogging madly, the foot grossly overtrimmed and only the middle panels effectively drawing.
This is the exact same reason that when you 'ease out' ANY jib you really have to readjust the fairlead car more forward .... and have no means to effectively have the clew outboard being restrained down and 'out'.
Over time many 'sprits', clubfoot, jib booms, etc. have been attempted ... The HOYT BOOM solves ALL the problems as listed above.
A jib on a 'boom', and if that 'boom' is restrained from rising, you will have a MORE EFFECTIVE sail and only need smaller headsail/jib even when going downwind ... because the SHAPE of the sail remains constant at all angles of 'easing' from the boats center line AND the clew will remain on a constant plane ---- up to TWICE as effective than using a twice as large but misshapen and ill trimmed 'free flying' headsail. (this is probably the reason that 'jockey poles', 'reaching struts' or carrying a whisker/spinnaker pole on the leeward side and attached to a jib clew is mostly outlawed by most racing rules.)
http://www.garryhoyt.com/id38.html
If you can DIY one, all the better.
Many boats now come with a HoytBoom as optional equipment. They are GREAT for 'short tacking' when short handed or single handed sailing, especially in 'stink' conditions.
The reason being that anytime you ease the jib, etc. the clew will rise and the sail will 'automatically' become grossly overtwisted - head of the sail flogging madly, the foot grossly overtrimmed and only the middle panels effectively drawing.
This is the exact same reason that when you 'ease out' ANY jib you really have to readjust the fairlead car more forward .... and have no means to effectively have the clew outboard being restrained down and 'out'.
Over time many 'sprits', clubfoot, jib booms, etc. have been attempted ... The HOYT BOOM solves ALL the problems as listed above.
A jib on a 'boom', and if that 'boom' is restrained from rising, you will have a MORE EFFECTIVE sail and only need smaller headsail/jib even when going downwind ... because the SHAPE of the sail remains constant at all angles of 'easing' from the boats center line AND the clew will remain on a constant plane ---- up to TWICE as effective than using a twice as large but misshapen and ill trimmed 'free flying' headsail. (this is probably the reason that 'jockey poles', 'reaching struts' or carrying a whisker/spinnaker pole on the leeward side and attached to a jib clew is mostly outlawed by most racing rules.)
http://www.garryhoyt.com/id38.html
If you can DIY one, all the better.
Many boats now come with a HoytBoom as optional equipment. They are GREAT for 'short tacking' when short handed or single handed sailing, especially in 'stink' conditions.
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