Self Tacking Jib

[Tim Mills]

So I do a fair amount of solo sailing or sailing with passengers who would rather not work the sheets.

When it blows 15-20+ the jib, even though its a fractional rig, can be a handful.

I tried the cheap self tacking jib arrangement with a Schaefer block on the jib clew and an extra long sheet on the starboard side (I used and old halyard). I ran the line through a low friction ring on a dynema loop at the starboard cleat aligned at the mast then through the block at the clew and tied it to the cleat on the port side. I unfurled the jib to about 90-95%.

This worked remarkably well and made pointing up wind easy peasy. Just come about at the helm at touch nothing else.

I left the port jib sheet as a lazy sheet so I could use it to heave to if I needed to.

Now, granted the jib sail shape isn't ideal and the foot is loose. But it works great overall.

I messed around a bit with several other arrangements with extra lines to position the clew but the simple arrangement worked best.

Anyone else do this or have better ideas?

 

[Brian D]

LOL Good job. If it works and meets your needs, then you have done well.

 

[Will Gilmore]

I would like to see a picture or two of your setup. I'm unfamiliar with your description, but it sounds intriguing.

-Will

 

[Stu Jackson]

In Coos Bay< Oregon, in 2016, I visited with a skipper named John, who had come over to say hello when we first pulled in. He has a very nice Ranger 33, blue hull, Garhauer traveler, and a nifty self tacking jib set up with lines instead of the usual track and car on the foredeck.

Sorry I don't have a useful picture, but the setup does exist. I'm sure someone with time can do a google search for more details.

 

[Stu Jackson]

OK, I did a search for "self tacking jib with lines" and the first one was this:

How to Rig a Self-Tacking Jib for Free!

You may not have seen or even heard of a self-tacking jib before. They’re usually only found on luxury sailboats. But that’s exactly what one is, a headsail that sheets itself when you …

stingysailor.com

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

I used to own a H41 DS, but did not know that an adaptation to self tacking was possible. I can say that the factory installed self tacking on my Hunter 50 is the best invention since sliced bread. If I still owned the 41, I would be willing to possibly install a track on the deck with a car to achieve the same setup as the Hunter 50.

 

[matts997]

I set this up on my H280, closely following the methods described in the stingy sailor article. It works surprisingly well, although in a relatively narrow range of wind conditions, ~10 to 18 knots, at least on my boat. No one’s gonna win any races with this approach, but for relaxed solo sailing, or sailing with those friends who just want to talk and do little else, it’s quite ideal. It’s also made my wife a bit more interested in going sailing with me. When going out with “serious” sailing friends, I switch back to conventional rigging.

 

[Tim Mills]

Here are some pics of how it is set up. The white with blue fleck sheet is an old halyard. The red sheet is a lazy sheet so I can heave to if I need to.

 

[jon hansen]

my self tacking jib, blowing 30 ish. photo from 2 miles away.

jib boom stowed on deck when not in use.

you can see the sheet track behind the forward hatch

hank on system

it's a great sail to have. have used many times over the years.