"Storm jib" for the 170?

[gball]

Hi all,Made it out on the lake for a rousing (and frankly picture-perfect) sail on the 170 yesterday. I was solo with winds easily up to 14mph, and both main and jib flying full. I was on the rail almost the entire time, with the jib close-hauled 100% of the time, spilling the mainsail when puffs hit. A couple times I heeled up so far that I had to let-fly on the sheet to quickly ease the main during a puff. Talk about calling on the high-speed reflexes!So here's my thought; On days when the wind is 15+, it'd be a good option to pin on a bare forestay cable that's the precise length between the furler drum pin and the furler swivel bail/cable-lead high up on the mast and then have a smaller, hank-on jibsail (say, a 40 sq. ft. model from a Snark or smaller sized boat). Most 170 masts already have a jib halyard fairlead up near the top of the mast. I think the 170 could be single-handed with a 'storm jib' of this sort and reefed main in higher breezes, thus maintaining helm balance and not overpowering the boat(I find that a baggy, roller-furled 170 jib just doesn't pull as efficiently as a full, smaller sized after-market jib might). Thoughts on this idea?Mike G.

 

[Rick S.]

storm jib ideas

Mike,From all I've read and heard, the jib furler on the 170 is not a reefing rig. It's designed to be fully wrapped or fully deployed, nothing in between, though a few of us have tried.One option would be to dispense with the roller furling jib/forestay entirely. Switch to a standard forestay with a tensioner, and hank on whatever size sail suits the conditions. Another option: are you familiar with the optional spinnaker kit for the 170? There's a U-shaped bow sprit that projects forward, and no additional forestay, just a halyard for the sail head and a tack line running through a block on the sprit. Instead of replacing the roller furling jib/forestay, you might install a second forestay on the sprit or some similar projection, with the load transfered through the sprit down to the bow eye. With a tack line similar to that used on the spinnaker, you could store the storm jib inside the bow until you need it. When the wind comes up, furl the standard jib and pop the storm jib. You would need a second jib sheet and a second set of fairleads and cleats, though. I suppose if the luff of the storm jib was strong enough, and you used a low-stretch halyard, you may be able to dispense with the second forestay. Set it up like a spinnaker, only with a small jib instead of a big chute.Don't know if the bow sprit is available separate from the spinnaker kit, or what the price would be. Or if any of this is practical. Just thinkin' out loud here.Rick