this spring i ordered a new main and jib as well as a cdi furler and self-tending track for the jib. all is well when running before the wind, but when i'm heading up there is an almost violent pulsation, or throb, to the headstay and jib. i tried retuning the standing rigging, taking as much rake out of the the mast as possible, and that helped a little. i've tried every conceivable tensioning of the sheets, to no avail. the only thing that stops it is to tighten the sheet so much that the sail sits almost directly in front of the mast (which takes all the power out of the sail). my theory is that the jib had to be cut on such a sheer angle to accomodate the self-tending track (which sits 5" before the mast, allowing for a very short foot on the jib), that it will never settle down properly. any ideas for dealing with this would be greatly appreciated. p.s. i love having the self-tender and don't want to spring for another jib, so i'm really hopeful that something other than another jib without self tending is possible. chris s/v c shanty
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Track Cars
Try readjusting your genoa track cars fore or aft. As an example, if the leech of the sail pulses towards the top, adjust the car forward. An imaginary line extended from the sheet should bisect the jib right up the middle. Hope this helps.
Try readjusting your genoa track cars fore or aft. As an example, if the leech of the sail pulses towards the top, adjust the car forward. An imaginary line extended from the sheet should bisect the jib right up the middle. Hope this helps.
No idea but...
Chirs: I really don't have ANY idea why this is happening but one thought. Is your track straight or is it curved. I would thnk that if you have a curved track then you should always have equal tension at the tack of the sail. I would contact your sail loft and have them take a look at the sail too. These guys do this for a living and should be able to take a look at it. I am going to do the same thing to my H'31 in the next year or so. I you can, would you post some pictures of your setup on the Photo Forum. The self tending jib is the ONLY way to go for short handed sailing and for sailing in close quarters. Is your jib setup so you can take it off the self tending setup and fly a traditional setup too?
Chirs: I really don't have ANY idea why this is happening but one thought. Is your track straight or is it curved. I would thnk that if you have a curved track then you should always have equal tension at the tack of the sail. I would contact your sail loft and have them take a look at the sail too. These guys do this for a living and should be able to take a look at it. I am going to do the same thing to my H'31 in the next year or so. I you can, would you post some pictures of your setup on the Photo Forum. The self tending jib is the ONLY way to go for short handed sailing and for sailing in close quarters. Is your jib setup so you can take it off the self tending setup and fly a traditional setup too?
Time to take a sail maker sailing....
Chris, If you had a SM put the jib together for you, I get him out to watch the effect. If your jib is an off the shelf item, I get a sailmaker out there anyway and take his comments to the jib's maker. Greg H23 Faster-
Chris, If you had a SM put the jib together for you, I get him out to watch the effect. If your jib is an off the shelf item, I get a sailmaker out there anyway and take his comments to the jib's maker. Greg H23 Faster-
Leach Adjustment
In addition to what the previous posts suggested I'd try tightening up on the leach line. If the leach is in the loose position, which is mostlikely how it was delivered, some tightening of the line should reduce or eliminate the flapping. This goes for the main too. The above assumes the sail is properly hoisted. Standardly, the jib should be hoisted and the halyard tensioned until just before vertical stretch folds form in the luff. With light air the luff will have some horizontal wrinkles. Adjusting the jib cars, as mentioned previously, is also important. There should be three telltails near the luff of the jib and when the genoa car is in the proper position all three telltails sould be flying horizontal. If they aren't then the car should be moved fore or aft. If there is wind shear present the port and starboard car locations will be different. In any event, the leach of the sail, main or jib, should NEVER be used with it flapping as this will beat the sail cloth up in no time and there goes your investment. Since the fix is probably just a triming problem, your sailmaker will be glad to give advice.
In addition to what the previous posts suggested I'd try tightening up on the leach line. If the leach is in the loose position, which is mostlikely how it was delivered, some tightening of the line should reduce or eliminate the flapping. This goes for the main too. The above assumes the sail is properly hoisted. Standardly, the jib should be hoisted and the halyard tensioned until just before vertical stretch folds form in the luff. With light air the luff will have some horizontal wrinkles. Adjusting the jib cars, as mentioned previously, is also important. There should be three telltails near the luff of the jib and when the genoa car is in the proper position all three telltails sould be flying horizontal. If they aren't then the car should be moved fore or aft. If there is wind shear present the port and starboard car locations will be different. In any event, the leach of the sail, main or jib, should NEVER be used with it flapping as this will beat the sail cloth up in no time and there goes your investment. Since the fix is probably just a triming problem, your sailmaker will be glad to give advice.
Something else for you to look at.
Chris: Take a look at this from the Harken site. http://www.harken.com/slfjib.htm They have a control line attached to the block on the jib traveler. Does you setup have the same thing? This would allow you to control the tension on the sail. Steve Dion
Chris: Take a look at this from the Harken site. http://www.harken.com/slfjib.htm They have a control line attached to the block on the jib traveler. Does you setup have the same thing? This would allow you to control the tension on the sail. Steve Dion
thanks
thanks for all the input. this jib was made by mack sails in florida (i'm in new york), so getting the maker to look will be difficult. i'm not sure about the whole genoa car adjustment idea. my set up has a car on a track 5 inches before the mast running side to side. it runs aft thru a block roughly even withg the mast. so i don't see how to adjust anything fore or aft. steve, i can eliminate the track and run it conventionally (which i will try just to see what happens), but i love the feature so much i don't want to give it up. i gotta call mack sails...
thanks for all the input. this jib was made by mack sails in florida (i'm in new york), so getting the maker to look will be difficult. i'm not sure about the whole genoa car adjustment idea. my set up has a car on a track 5 inches before the mast running side to side. it runs aft thru a block roughly even withg the mast. so i don't see how to adjust anything fore or aft. steve, i can eliminate the track and run it conventionally (which i will try just to see what happens), but i love the feature so much i don't want to give it up. i gotta call mack sails...
Did you see the Harken site?
Chris: Did you take a look at the Harken site? What I was thinking, if you do not have an adjustable outhaul on the jib it is probably just being held too tight. Steve Dion steve@sdcsoftware.com
Chris: Did you take a look at the Harken site? What I was thinking, if you do not have an adjustable outhaul on the jib it is probably just being held too tight. Steve Dion steve@sdcsoftware.com
thr harken site
steve, i haven't been able to open the "small boat traveler control" menu on the site, but i'll keep tyring. thanks for the heads up.
steve, i haven't been able to open the "small boat traveler control" menu on the site, but i'll keep tyring. thanks for the heads up.
Club or weight
I have a self-tending Jib but with a club or boom from Forspar, this setup is shown as preferable for a roller furling jib setup on the Harken site. When a furling jib is setup as self-tending without the boom I have always seen some weight added to the clew. If sufficient weight is not added to the clew I imagine the clew would tend to curl in towards the luff in most conditions, similar to a poorly placed jib sheet car with a normal setup.
I have a self-tending Jib but with a club or boom from Forspar, this setup is shown as preferable for a roller furling jib setup on the Harken site. When a furling jib is setup as self-tending without the boom I have always seen some weight added to the clew. If sufficient weight is not added to the clew I imagine the clew would tend to curl in towards the luff in most conditions, similar to a poorly placed jib sheet car with a normal setup.
same thing
I don't have any of the goodies, but I have experienced the shaking on my new (to me) Hunter 26 jib. I bought the boat from Dave Condon and asked what he thought and he suggested reducing sail, since it has only happened in a stiff wind. I haven't had the chance to try yet, and it may not relate to your problem, but then it might.... Good luck.
I don't have any of the goodies, but I have experienced the shaking on my new (to me) Hunter 26 jib. I bought the boat from Dave Condon and asked what he thought and he suggested reducing sail, since it has only happened in a stiff wind. I haven't had the chance to try yet, and it may not relate to your problem, but then it might.... Good luck.
weighting the clew
mike, you suggested weghting the clew. how would i do that? what should be used? i've since talked to mack sails and they say it may be that the head of the sail is not pulled taught enough to the top of the furler, or in the reverse, that the tack is not sufficiently tensioned. i'll try both adjustments tonight and report back. chris
mike, you suggested weghting the clew. how would i do that? what should be used? i've since talked to mack sails and they say it may be that the head of the sail is not pulled taught enough to the top of the furler, or in the reverse, that the tack is not sufficiently tensioned. i'll try both adjustments tonight and report back. chris
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