O'Day 192 jib

[Bud1405]

Hi, I am a new sailor and recently purchased a 192. I really like the boat and want to improve the jib, which is the original Schaefer free flying (cheap) furling unit. My question is should I just go to hank on or should I get a better roller furling, like a Schaefer Snap Furl or CDI Flexible furler? Does anyone have a preference? I will probably solo a lot and not interested in racing yet.Thanks for the advice.Bud

 

[bruce cornell]

keep it

am using that kind of furler on my javelin and both forward sails on a mac 23 cutter. the reefing furlers are great, but your jib may be too small to get the benifit of a fancy furler. having the ability to roll up your jib with a basic furler makes life much better, hanking on may give you .1 knot speed, but not worth the effort or danger of going forward in bad weather to lower the jib, furler keeps you safer in the cockpit.

 

[Dave K]

192 Furler

The little Schaefer furling drum doesn't have much "leverage" and makes it hard roll up the jib if there is much load on it. The easiest way to furl the jib when it's windy is to head downwind till the jib is in the wind shadow of the main than it will roll right up. You can get some improvement without having to change the sail by buying a bigger furling drum (I got a Harken, but I don't think it matters which brand). Changing to a CDI will allow you to reef but it makes rigging the boat more of a hassle, since the forestay is inside the furler and you have to raise the additional weight of the furler and the jib at the same time as the mast.I had the same thoughts as you when I first got the boat, since then I've gotten to really like the 192's system. But for best performance you've got to rig it like the manual indicates - the rig is tensioned by the jib halyard and the forestay should be nearly unloaded after you've winched up the jib. If the forestay is carrying the rig load the flying luff will sag excessively and pointing will suffer. The only other tip I can think of right now is that I keep the port lower shroud tighter than the starboard one - when you winch the jib halyard tight the halyard tension makes the mast want to bow to starboard - the port lower keeps that in check.Enjoy your 192, I think you'll find it's one of the best all-around boats ever made.