Hello to All

[Ken Cross]

Some of us don't use dowhhauls. In my case, if I release the halyard it falls all the way down if the halyard is not restricted. I use Superlube on the mast track. You may want to try it before the effort, expense, and complexity of adding more rigging.

Ken

 

[rgranger]

Some of us don't use dowhhauls. In my case, if I release the halyard it falls all the way down if the halyard is not restricted. I use Superlube on the mast track. You may want to try it before the effort, expense, and complexity of adding more rigging.

Ken

Ken

I was recommending a down haul for the jib. In a real blow, a jib won't just fall but will flog in the wind. A down haul can get the jib tame and lying on the deck quickly.

 

[Ken Cross]

Ken

I was recommending a down haul for the jib. In a real blow, a jib won't just fall but will flog in the wind. A down haul can get the jib tame and lying on the deck quickly.

That makes sense. It's been a while since we had a Hank on jib.

Ken

 

[jssailem]

@Knot Stressin'
@rgranger is correct about a downhaul. The picture is helpful to rig it.
I sailed all sorts of boats 10 to 25 foot with hank on sails. Hank on sails are what we had in my day. Not a one used a downhaul. We would go out on the fore deck and just pull the sail down and bag it. Quick, easy done.

Let me suggest that first you might want to rig your boat sitting in your yard or at the dock when there is no wind. Raise and lower the sails and learn what it takes to do this.

Go through all the steps over and over. You will quickly learn what is needed for your boat.

What @Ken Cross stated is true. If your halyard is free to run, (no wraps or knots) then the sail may just fall under it’s own weight. On my boats it is what has happened. I have had sails get stuck, but it was because the sheet or the halyard for that sail jammed. The line twisted, someone tied a knot in the line, Soemone forgot to take it off the cleat...
When the sail starts down you can always reach up and grabs the cloth and give it some help.

More often when the sail stops coming down you really need to pull it back up and free what ever is the obstruction (there will be things that get caught). Once you pull it up the sail is released. You can then clear the obstruction then lower the sail. You have to try this a few times before you start to get the hang of it. That is why you go to the boat when there is no wind. Take a couple of beers.
Sit on the boat while on the trailer or at the dock and raise and lower the sails. If someone stops by and asks what you are doing, tell them. And offer them a beer. You might suddenly get a helper or a sailor that wants to help. Nothing gets much better than a free beer and playing with a sail boat.
Pretty soon you’ll be taking it out on the water and doing the same stuff, only you’ll likely have a new friend willing to help and sail with you.

All this fun and a can of beer.
This is such a great country

 

[Knot Stressin']

@Knot Stressin'
@rgranger is correct about a downhaul. The picture is helpful to rig it.
I sailed all sorts of boats 10 to 25 foot with hank on sails. Hank on sails are what we had in my day. Not a one used a downhaul. We would go out on the fore deck and just pull the sail down and bag it. Quick, easy done.

Let me suggest that first you might want to rig your boat sitting in your yard or at the dock when there is no wind. Raise and lower the sails and learn what it takes to do this.

Go through all the steps over and over. You will quickly learn what is needed for your boat.

What @Ken Cross stated is true. If your halyard is free to run, (no wraps or knots) then the sail may just fall under it’s own weight. On my boats it is what has happened. I have had sails get stuck, but it was because the sheet or the halyard for that sail jammed. The line twisted, someone tied a knot in the line, Soemone forgot to take it off the cleat...
When the sail starts down you can always reach up and grabs the cloth and give it some help.

More often when the sail stops coming down you really need to pull it back up and free what ever is the obstruction (there will be things that get caught). Once you pull it up the sail is released. You can then clear the obstruction then lower the sail. You have to try this a few times before you start to get the hang of it. That is why you go to the boat when there is no wind. Take a couple of beers.
Sit on the boat while on the trailer or at the dock and raise and lower the sails. If someone stops by and asks what you are doing, tell them. And offer them a beer. You might suddenly get a helper or a sailor that wants to help. Nothing gets much better than a free beer and playing with a sail boat.
Pretty soon you’ll be taking it out on the water and doing the same stuff, only you’ll likely have a new friend willing to help and sail with you.

All this fun and a can of beer.
This is such a great country

jssailem, I appreciate all the input. I am finding very quickly that this is a great crowd to be a part of. I have had several offer help allready and I have only been a member here for a couple weeks. We have been out twice so far. First time- absolutely amazing. Second time- we got a little "spinny" if ya know what I mean. We suffered a broken part on the rudder shaft where it meets the tiller. Drifted for about 45 minutes while trying to repair it so we could limp back to the dock. Live and learn I guess. Still not sure if we lost control because of the broken part, or if we lost control and that caused the part to break?? I will probably never no the answer to that one.
When we got back on the trailer at the launch, through a sheer stroke of luck, my favorite YouTube sailing channel people just happened to be at the launch! So I got to meet Kirk and Lauren from "Sailing Soulianis" and they looked at my boat. Just a really awesome couple. Like you said, its just a great group of people and I am happy to be part of it even if I am just a green horn.

 

[jssailem]

even if I am just a green horn.

We have all been there. So we can feel you challenges.
Pictures in the forum are helpful for specifics.
Take your image. Click the “Upload a file” select the option to select from your photo storage. Click the image and select use.
The image will upload.
You can then see it in your typing area. Select thumbnail and the image will be inserted into the message.

 

[Ken Cross]

I understand green. When we had been sailing a couple months (so now I'm really seasoned) I decided to pull up the daggerboard before we got to the dock that parallels the boat ramp. I couldn't make the turn and put the corner of the dock firmly amidship because rather than turning, the boat just went sideways. It's a good way to learn some humility in front of quite a few people.

Ken

 

[rgranger]

... It's a good way to learn some humility in front of quite a few people.Ken

That seems to be the rule.... the best landings I've ever had were done in front of an empty dock.

 

[jssailem]

Back in my racing youth, I watched a Lido14 sailor, (after having just bested the 5 of us in a heat) step on to the bow of his boat intending to step onto the dock as he coasted in only to step off to early and make a splash rather than a triumphant arrival.
This sailing can be a humbling experience.