Jib hanks - there are none

[maineiac]

When I bought the boat (used) it came with a standard jib and also a roller jib. I've been using the roller jib all along but find that it doesn't work all that well trying to point. It often back fills when trying to head up even though I'm still fairly well off the wind. The way it's set up is that it doesn't attach to the forestay itself but rather has a piece at the top that slides up the stay. Needless to say the leading edge is isn't very straight as it's not attached to anything.

I pulled the regular jib out of the bag an noticed that it doesn't have any hanks on it to attach to the stay and doesn't appear that it would work much better.

Is that common, to not have any hanks on the jib? Needless to say it's pretty frustrating having to sail so far off the wind when using a jib.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Richard19068]

A roller furling jibs, and many non furling jibs, usually have a luff tape with a bead extending the length of the luff. The headstay has a foil, with one or two groves, that runs the length of the headstay. The bead on the luff tape slides inside the grove in the foil when hoisting the jib. The jib is therefore attached to the headstay for the full length of the luff.

I hope that helps.

 

[Sunbird22358]

I have afeeling that both jibs are set up for using the roller-furler, it sounds like the previous owner used a "wire-luff" type furler that would have a swivel at the head of the sail (between head of sail and halyard) that usually hooked to the forestay to prevent the halyard end of the swivel from twisting. There would be another swivel with a drum around it that goes at the tack of the jib, the furling line was wound around that drum and would furl the sail as the line was pulled off the drum. It is very hard to get adequate luff tension on hte jib with these furlers (one reason for many being replaced by the newer style furlers that use a grooved extrusion over the forestay to support the luff of the jib and the sail furles around that as the extrusion is turned by the drum). If you try to tension the luff of the jib too much, the forestay starts to sag and can get tangled in the jib as it furls......not good!

Now the good news! A sailmaker can add hanks to the jibs to allow using them without the furler, or you could even add them yourself if you are handy and/or check out a good book (or website?) on sailmaking.

 

[maineiac]

Sunbird,

I think you nailed it. I've tried to really tighten that jib and the forestay does go slack and the whole thing then has a tendancy to tangle up.

It sounds like I'm in for either a new furler or having hanks put on the spare jib and using it without the roller, which may be better anyway.

Thanks for your input.

 

[maineiac]

Found jib hanks that work

I found some piston type screw-on jib hanks from www.sailrite.com that really fit the bill. I spaced them about 2 feet apart and they go around the wire in the luff of the jib.

It's like a whole new boat now as it points well and the jib doesn't back fill the way it used to with the old roller furling set up.

They were about $5 apiece and I needed 10 of them but it was the best $$$ I've spent.