Jib sheet trim

[oldiesrocker2001]

Don, I have a daysailor (Venture 21) that came with a smallish jib - barely 100% even though it's a masthead rig. Since I don't really race(did enough of that on the street and track with my cars) I never contemplated getting a larger jib. The boat has stationary padeyes (apparently to run the jib sheets) set pretty far forward of the cocpit in addition to the sheet guides on the tracks in the cocpit. Should I, instead, be running the sheets outside the stays like I did in my smaller boats and ignore the stationary padeyes even with this smaller jib?
I've never been able to sail effectively except downwind with only the jib up on this boat but can point nearly 45 deg under full sail usually if I balance my weight properly.

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

OK, I meant to say :"outside the shrouds"

 

[Don Guillette]

oldiesrocker2001: This question came up at the Lake Havasu Pocket Cruisers convention. Your boat is a masthead rig and the engine of a masthead rig is the jib. With a less than 100 jib you really don't have an engine. You're flying a storm jib. I would suggest a 125 or 135.

Now for the second problem - stationary fairleads. Most boats I've been on that have a track system have the fairleads rusted in place. They have never been moved. I always ask the skipper how he adjusts his jib. I already know the answer but I ask anyway. The answer is he doesn't. The stationary system is like the broken clock which is right twice a day. The rusted fairleads are right for some wind condition and wrong for all others.

With a 135 you would run the jib sheets outside the stays.
I don't know why the boat manufactures don't install a short track on smaller boats especially masthed rigs probably to save a few bucks. On a fractional rig I can see it.

Install a 135 and a fairlead adjusting system and your boat will become a real speed screamer.

 

[sinnettc]

I looove my garhauer adjustable genoa cars. For the 98% jib we have shorter jib tracks on the cabin top.

There are 2 problems with the cabin tops: First, they're not infinitely adjustable like the genoa tracks and can't be moved under load. The second issue is that, except when they're most of the way forward, the sheet chafes against the lower shrouds. Not only does it wear on the sheets but it really limits the effectiveness of moving the lead.