Jib Fairleads

[Ken Prichard]

I have a 19' Hunter with a 110% jib. The jib fairleads are fixed in position so I assume Hunter didn't think it necessary for them to be adjusted. I'm considering replacing the fixed fairleads with ones on a track but thought before I proceed I should ask the experts if I'm going to gain much by doing this.

 

[RickS]

Upgrade

If your deck will accomodate adjustable fairleads, upgrade and you'll enjoy more control trimming your jib.

 

[Clark]

You will also gain the ability to use a different

size sail and the different leads they'd require.

 

[BobD17833]

Blocks

Ken,Adjustable Genoa fairleads allow for sail shaping for much better performance, however with a 110% jib I don't think it is worth the effort. Do you have a rail with holes to connect in a block? If so, you can get a block with a snap shackle to move it where you want. I expect the Hunter permanent fairlead position is set up for upwind. A block on the outside rail, forward of the fixed lead, will give much better performance reaching because of forward and outside rail.BobDBoston

 

[Don Guillette]

Fairleads

Ken: I agree with BobD. The 110 is a very small jib. It is almost a storm sail. I also think you have a fractional rig but I'm not sure. If you have a fractional rig the engine of your boat is the mainsail - on a masthead rig the engine is the jib. You would get more performance out of your boat if you had a bigger jib, say a 125 or 130. If you went to a bigger sail I'd consider an adjustable fairlead system. Consider the Garhauer adjsustable system.On lots of boats I've been on, the adjustable fairlead cars look like they have been rusted in place meaning the skipper never moved them. That means they were like the broken clock and only right for some point of sail and wind conditiion and wrong for all other situations. The ability to move the fairleads correctly greatly enhances the prtformance of any boat.

 

[Dave Groshong]

hunter fractional rigs

Fractional rigged Hunter's are designed for 100 or 110% jibs, adding a big 130 or 150 will hurt your performance.Adding an adjustable track allows you micro tuning, worth it if you race, but otherwise....

 

[Ken Prichard]

Thanks

What I'm hearing is the performance change would be marginal at best. The jib is on a furler so I'm not goig to change to a larger sail and I'm not racing the boat so I think I'll live with what I have.