How many hanks should I sew onto a jib?

[Jock]

I am restoring an old O'Day 27. It came with a jib that fits neatly into the fore-triangle, but the jib is made for a slotted forestay. I do not have a slotted forestay, nor do I want one. I would like to affix hanks to the jib. What is the best spacing for the hanks? Is there a type of hank that is best that can be affixed by hand? What is the best method of attatchment? All experience is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Dan McGuire]

Limited Experience

Since no one else is responding, I will. My experience is very limited. The two obvious ways to add hanks are to put grommets in the jib or to sew the hanks to the jib. The grommets are actually easier, but the jib probably only has only one thickness of material, so I would sew them on (by hand). I have seen them as much as three feet apart, but I prefer them about 18" to 2 feet apart. The longer distances allow the jib to balloon, even if fairly tight.

 

[Jim LeBlanc]

Go see your local sailmaker

I would keep the jib with the built in rope to fit into a grove, buy a roller furling and install the jib as is. If you really want to put in hanks, you need to have grommets installed in the front edge of the sail and the hanks installed into the grommets. About 18 inches apart is right for the hanks. If you have a local sailmaker, you should let him do the modification.

 

[Vic]

Find a marine consignment store...

with those great brass hank ons ... and sew them in every 18 in. It will work right depending on how much pressure you use on the halyard. There is some great 20lb test fishing line you can use ... not mono.I've used an old jib sail for the main on friends' 23 ft. Pearson ... once upon a time ... with the tack anchored at the base of the mast on the deck ... and that worked fine ... of course when you tack ... I had to move the extra base of the sail up and over the boom to get "perfect" shape. You will absolutely be surprised with what you can sail with. We attached the hank ons to plastic sliders in the mast track.Adam took that boat from Newport to Marathon a few years ago ... with his girl friend du jour. Someone eventually on that trip [I think in NJ] felt sorry for him and gave him an old beat up main for the 1000 miles he had left to go.Trip got wrote up in Soundings.Vic"Seven"