self tacking jib

[chris]

i'm thinking of adding a traveler and the other necessary hardware before my mast to effect a self tacking jib. good idea/bad idea? tips?

 

[Steve Dion]

Self tenders are great

Chris:We have a Camber Spar on our H'31. It is great. NO TRACK is needed. There is a spar in the jib (sail maker makes a pocket in the sail) that is bent to give the sail it's shape. There is a standing block directly in from on the mast. You rig a line to the end of the jib boom and you have it. Very little clutter on the deck and the boat sails well in most conditions.Once you hoist you sail it is like driving a car except for the minor adjustments.Now the down side. When you have this type of setup changing headsails is a royal pain in the ass ( if you have a camber spar) If you go to the more standard type of set-up, you need the track and you also need a deck boom and a couple of lines. If you do not think that you want to change head sails and the max size is about 95 percent, look into the Camber Spar. I think that they still advertise in Cruising World or Sailing. There is also another option and this is what I plan on going to in the future. Use a roller jib and a self tending setup. This can be found on the Harken website. This give you the ease of getting the sail deployed and easy sailing in close quarters.

 

[Larry Barnes]

How often do you tack?

The concept of self tending jib congers the picture of a sailor who dosen't like handling his sails. So much flexability is lost. If the headsail boom has to clear the main mast, there can be no overlap of the headsail and the main. This, in my understanding of the dynamics, would reduce the acceleration of the air passing between the sails and the Bernolli effect (high volocity=low pressure) would not reach it's full potential. It's only two sheetlines and you only have to handle one at a time.If a disability and/or mobility isn't part of the decision why not just get rollerfurling (this is also a compromise) and enjoy morel potential of your boat?Having said all that, there's absolutely nothing wrong with self tending sails if you want to handle the tiller exclusively.RespectfullyLarry Barnes