Jib Leader?

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Oct 11, 2004
100
Oday 25 O'Day 25, Cutchogue, NY
My O'Day 25 came with several hank-on head sails. One of the working jibs has a wire "leader" or extension attached to the head of the sail about a foot long. What's the purpose for this? Last year the halyard shackle got caught in the wind indicator from being hoisted too high. Should the extension maybe be attached to the tack of the sail instead to get the sail off the deck?
 

Taylor

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Feb 9, 2006
113
Warwick Cardinal 46 Seattle, WA
Pendant

For roller furling you often use a pendant on the top of a shorter sail to make sure that top roller is right up at the masthead so the halyard lead is not in line with the forestay. This avoids halyard wrap. Otherwise I can see a pendant allowing you to get a rope halyard out of the wind and into the mast to reduce windage. In dinghies there is sometimes wire at the end of the halyard to allow use of a masthead halyard lock. Can't think of any reasons.
 

higgs

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Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
Pendant

Used long before roller furling, pendants allowed the halyard to pull more parallel to the fore stay on a small jib. They also allowed a jib to be hanked a little higher to avoid getting filled with water that came over the bow.
 
Jan 22, 2008
519
Sundance Sundance 20 Weekender Ninette, Manitoba, Canada
lower pennant

The above uses for the pennant at the top are all accurate, and if that was where the pennant was, that was likely its purpose; to prevent halyard twist or wrap with a roller furler. On my Sundance 20' I have a roller furler as well. The wire halyard only wraps on the forestay, if I roll it up to quickly or loosely, otherwise it is not a problem. At any rate, I want to also indicate that I have a pennant at the tack of my 110 jib. Its purpose is to raise the foot of the jib so that I have visibility beneath it. The second purpose is to get the head as high as possible to the masthead. The higher the sail the better it will catch effective wind. (The most consistent and stronger wind is that which is furthest from the water). Raising a sail in this manner also places the center of effort further aft thereby increasing weather helm. To counter this, you may want to rake the mast forward slightly, unless your helm has slight weather helm already.
 
Jun 30, 2005
31
Oday 25 Sardis Lake, MS
Pendant

Steve, I have an O'Day 25 with the working jib/pendant on the head that you describe. I have used it several times and have not had any trouble with it. I have not attached it to the tack but I recall a thread where someone said they did attach it to the tack with very poor results (sailshape etc). I have gone to a CDI rollerfurler this year so unfortuantely (or fortunately) I will not be able to try it out. I love the roller furler and wish I had done it earlier. Scott
 
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