Furler and self-tacking jib

[Mike Birch]

Can anyone offer advise on installing a Roller furler along with a self-tacking jib on my '82 H27.I have a self-tacking jib now and I do not want to loose it but I would like to add a roller furler. I have a jib downhaul but in moderate to heavy wind the flapping jib still requires me to go up front to gather it when getting it down. I'm not very agile and rather dangerous when doing this which is compounded by my sailing alone > 50% of the time. The furler would allow me do safely bring in the jib.Have you installed this arrangement? Any advise on how to rig the setup?Any advise on how I can also do a better job of dropping the main, at the moment it drops about 30% of the way it's self then I have to get on the cabin top and pull it down between the lazy jacks. Half batten sail with the original plastic runners.

 

[TOM M.]

What's a rig like that doing on a sloop?

Question: is your boat a sloop or a cutter? is the self tacking jib attached to a club foot? where is your track located ? if it's a sloop, why would you wand such a small head sail? , I could see, if you converted your boat to a cutter or scutter by adding a removable inner forestay, with some intermediate shrouds, but if it's a sloop ???? why bother, so you say You're not agile, well I'm 68, with bad knees and hips, and I manage, You can too, answer the above questions, without them we don't know what rig you have.

 

[Mike Birch]

Self-tacking answers for Tom M, thanks.

Tom, I'll try to answers your questions as best I can, I should have provided more information. I'd greatly appreciate any advise you have.The boat is a sloopI have a Forspar jib boom attached to the forestay with the track on the cabin top about 10" from the mast. I use a North Sails jib marked as 100% which is probably more like 95%.Why would I want such a small head sail? That is a matter of personal choice. It suits me, makes life easier and I get greater pleasure from the boat than with a regular jib. In short, different strokes for different folks, that is what makes the world go round. I'm sure my H27 with a self-tacking jib is no great performer but I sail just for fun, I'm not aiming for any style awards. The Alerion 38, Rhodes 22, Dehler 25/28 & Freedom 35 are just a few of the non cutter rigged boats that I know of that use a self-tacking jib as standard. I'm sure many owners of these boats dispense with the self-tacking jib but I thought that if the designers included one they must have considered the rig of some merit, ease of use etc.I'm glad that you can still manage at 68 even though you have bad knees and hips, ouch. If I could better manage I would, I think that's all I should need to say. It's not always a matter or 'managing', people have varying levels of mobility or ability and not all limiting factors are immediately visible or directly physically related. Sailing can still be enjoyed with an appropriate rig. Any rig advise would be appreciated.Thanks.

 

[TOM M.]

THE CLUB FOOTED HEADSAIL

Well mike, if you desire to maintain this rig, You can get roller furling such as flexable furl from C.D.I. also Hood and Schaeffer make their version of a flexable furl and Harken with it's hell foil, According to JSI, CDI has the lowest prices, You'll have to set up a block at the end of you club foot boom to unfurl the jib to that block, I would call JSI at 1-800-234-3220 and ask for advise because you'll need a line from the block at the end of the club to the clew,then back to the cockpit, then you'll have the furl drum line with blocks along your stansions, leading back to the cockpit and this gets pulled when you release the club foot line to furl(roll up) the jib. JSI has some good tecks that can help you. good luck

 

[Mike Birch]

Thank's Tom, I understand now.

I managed to draw a diagram from your description and now I get the idea, I will also call JSI.Thanks I really appreciate it.