Self tacking Jib

[Jonah]

There is a cheap and easy way to make a Jib a self tacker..
I had one on a boat I had several years ago. I remember it had two or three blocks and use just one sheet. But for the life of me I can't remember the set up. I would appreciate if someone could send me a diagram. and or some good pictures of this set up. I know that this is not a real efficient self tacker but I would like something inexpensive that I could use occasionally to tack up our ditch.

Thanks for your help, 'J'ene JeneRong@gmail.com

 

[Benny]

Simple, the line is tied fix to the port stanchion and then ran through three blocks starting with the one at the starboard stanchion, the passing the block at the clew and passing the one on the port stanchion going back to the cockpit acting as a single sheet. I personally would not recommend using the stanchions but this picture of a Catalina 25 adequately illustrates the concept.

 

[Steve Dion]

Check out the Harken site. They have a few different examples.

 

[Quoddy]

Self tacking line

Why start at the port? It seems you could just terminate the line at the starboard, and then run the line through the clew block, then to the port block and then back, yielding the same results

 

[sailingdog]

One issue when using a block on the jib clew for a self-tacking jib setup is that the block becomes a dangerous bludgeon, if the sail is left loosely sheeted and is flogging. It can do considerable damage to both the boat and people if care is not taken. I personally don't like using any hardware on the clew of a sail if it is at all avoidable.