New sailors often get confused while trying to learn. One of the simple topics that gets conflicting advice and instruction is when to raise the jib. Before or after the mainsail? Hard there any hardfast rules? I keep my boat in a slip that 90% of the time has me facing the wind.
Conflicting Advise--Raising the Jib
- Thread starter Gary Boye
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I raise the main first because it has to be done while motoring into the wind. I can turn the engine off and sail on a close haul while raising the headsail. Sometimes I have to pinch a bit to get the headsail fully raised if the breeze is pretty strong.
If you raise the headsail first, then you will be faced with a flogging headsail while you are raising the main since it is difficult to hoist the main without pointing directly into the wind (at least on my boat).
If I am sailing off the mooring or off the anchor (in a light wind), it is typically easier to raise the main first for the same reasons (keeping the boat pointing into the wind). Obviously, it is easier to deal with releasing the mooring pendant or hoisting the anchor when the headsail is down as well.
Any sailor usually learns, pretty quickly, what procedures work best for them. Obviously there is more than one way to do just about anything.
If you raise the headsail first, then you will be faced with a flogging headsail while you are raising the main since it is difficult to hoist the main without pointing directly into the wind (at least on my boat).
If I am sailing off the mooring or off the anchor (in a light wind), it is typically easier to raise the main first for the same reasons (keeping the boat pointing into the wind). Obviously, it is easier to deal with releasing the mooring pendant or hoisting the anchor when the headsail is down as well.
Any sailor usually learns, pretty quickly, what procedures work best for them. Obviously there is more than one way to do just about anything.
As Old Skool says, aft to forward. If you raise the jib and fill it, it will tend to pull the bow around even if is let out. However, if you are sailing into a slip downwind, drop the main first and use the jib for power and douse ASAP to kill speed. Hope this helps. Fair winds...
We have a roller furler, as most do I suppose. We don't have a hard rule about it. Normally I raise the main first, then I can use its shadow to raise the jib if need be. But . . . if there's a nice breeze and I want to make a great looking exit from the beach, a freshly deployed genoa gets "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs" that you can hear across the water. Hey, I'm a newbie. I take it when I can get it! THEY don't have to know that I'm clueless!
Starting out I always go main first, jib last. Ending the day, jib down first, main last.
If the jib is raised first and lowered last it causes the boat to fall off to one side or the other as it catches the wind. Doing the main first and lowered last has a better chance of holding the boat head into the wind.
I sail solo most of the time so when I hoist the main I leave the boom raised on the topping lift while I hoist the jib. This way the main acts only as a windvane until I lower the boom.
My topping lift is raised and lowered with a line and stopper from the helm.
This works for me but I'm sure there are other ways.
Ray
If the jib is raised first and lowered last it causes the boat to fall off to one side or the other as it catches the wind. Doing the main first and lowered last has a better chance of holding the boat head into the wind.
I sail solo most of the time so when I hoist the main I leave the boom raised on the topping lift while I hoist the jib. This way the main acts only as a windvane until I lower the boom.
My topping lift is raised and lowered with a line and stopper from the helm.
This works for me but I'm sure there are other ways.
Ray
I'd raise the main at the slip since you're heading upwind anyway..one less thing to do later. Don't cleat it down, just let it float until you're ready to motor forward, then trim to keep the boat flat and/or keep the sail from flapping. Wait till you get close to the sailing area before hoisting the jib, besides minimizing the sail's flapping it will be easier to handle the boat under power and insure good visibility in a crowded anchorage.
If you're sailing out of the slip, you should hoist both sails before leaving, but don't lock down the sheets... leave the main uncleated, letting it weather vane, and backwind the jib to start the boat backwards and push the bow in the direction you want... as the boat drifts into position, release the backwinded jib , trim in the main to get going forward and resheet the headsail normally as you beam reach down the fairway. I wouldn't cleat anything down until you clear the other boats so you can luff the sails immediately for speed or direction adjustments.
To get a better feel for how your sails interact with each other and the boat... lock the rudder amidships and try to steer the boat with sails only. More pressure on the jib... the boat will want to bear off (lee helm). More pressure on the main, the boat will try to head up (weather helm). Balanced rig... the boat sails straight and true (hopefully). You can also experiment with crew weight placement (ballast) in this exercise.
If you're sailing out of the slip, you should hoist both sails before leaving, but don't lock down the sheets... leave the main uncleated, letting it weather vane, and backwind the jib to start the boat backwards and push the bow in the direction you want... as the boat drifts into position, release the backwinded jib , trim in the main to get going forward and resheet the headsail normally as you beam reach down the fairway. I wouldn't cleat anything down until you clear the other boats so you can luff the sails immediately for speed or direction adjustments.
To get a better feel for how your sails interact with each other and the boat... lock the rudder amidships and try to steer the boat with sails only. More pressure on the jib... the boat will want to bear off (lee helm). More pressure on the main, the boat will try to head up (weather helm). Balanced rig... the boat sails straight and true (hopefully). You can also experiment with crew weight placement (ballast) in this exercise.
3sails
We always raise the sails by size. We put up the main first, then the jib and finally the staysail. When they come down, we generally lower the jib first then the staysail and main. The jib takes longest to put away since its a lot of sail to contain on the deck. Also have to climb out on 8 feet of bowsprit and try to stuff as much into the jib net as we can while its coming down. The main goes right into the lazyjacks. Staysail is relatively tiny and we never have trouble controlling it, even in gale force winds.
We always raise the sails by size. We put up the main first, then the jib and finally the staysail. When they come down, we generally lower the jib first then the staysail and main. The jib takes longest to put away since its a lot of sail to contain on the deck. Also have to climb out on 8 feet of bowsprit and try to stuff as much into the jib net as we can while its coming down. The main goes right into the lazyjacks. Staysail is relatively tiny and we never have trouble controlling it, even in gale force winds.
During the past 30 years, I've nevers seen anyone raise (unfurl) the jib first. How the heck do you get the main up without the battens fouling on the shrouds unless dead into the wind? If dead in the wind you would be getting flogged with the jib while trying to raise the main (unless you could do it from the cockpit).
Maybe if you had an unstayed mast it might be an option but most unstayed masts are on boats without a jib.
Maybe if you had an unstayed mast it might be an option but most unstayed masts are on boats without a jib.
Isn't the cool factor one of the reasons we sail in the first place? Great answer!
If you raise your jib first, it may be possible to raise the main behind it without flogging the jib if you're sailing closehauled. Many of us "undo" a reef in the mainsail this way. Much depends on if you have a good wide traveler (like we do) compared to some boats that have either no traveler or a very narrow one like, for instance, as seen on Beneteaus (no knock, it's just what gear they come with). Also, it helps if you have a track system on your main compared to slugs, since the track allows a wider wind angle for hoisting the main than would the simpler slugs.
Your boat, your choice.
Your boat, your choice.
I always raise the jib first on any of my boats. You can then sail closehauled with the tiller lashed and take your time raising the main without fouling the shrouds. I also take the main down first before striking the jib.
Tom
Tom
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