I have to ask about storm jibs because I have a furler. Can you tell me what you think about relying on your furled jib, with just a small percentage let out as a substitute for putting on a storm jib. And part two of my question is, for those who think it should be a separated sail, how does it go on when you have a furler set up? I have a Hunter 380, fractional rig, short ("ICW") mast.
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Furling and Storm Jibs
Eric - I think that there are probably two major concerns with using a furled jib with just a small % hanging out for a storm jib. First of all, the portion of the furled jib exposed is NOT going to form a very good shape at all that is conducive for its purpose, as well as putting a fair amount of strain on a lighter fabric not intended to hold up to the high winds that would require hanging out a storm jib in the first place. Secondly, in the outside chance that your furling line failed, nothing is going to stop all of your jib from streaming out and putting you in quite a predicament. As far as how to put one up with a furled jib? I believe that you have three options, two considered acceptable and a third not as much. The least acceptable would be to drop your furled sail and then hoist your storm jib in the track on your furler. It's considered unacceptable because in the high winds that merit a storm jib, my understanding is that there is concern about the ability of the luff tape to stay in the groove or put undue strain on the headfoil. The alternative to that wouldl be method two, which would involve dropping the headsail and then hoisting a hoisting a storm jib which has a tape luff, but also has a method to "hank on" the sail, whether it's clips, lines, etc., that wil fasten around the head stay, similar to a standard hank-on jib. The third method is where I went when I got a storm jib for my H35.5, which was the ATN Gale Sale. It has a big luff 'pocket' which attached around your existing furled sail and eliminated the need to drop the furled headsail in order to hoist the storm jib. To me, that was one of the biggest selling points. Have a had to hoist it in a blow? Not yet, but I certainly wouldn't look forward to having to get my big 155% genoa down and stowed if it was picking up enough to require the gale sail. Just my experience with my boat, your mileage may vary. T J
Eric - I think that there are probably two major concerns with using a furled jib with just a small % hanging out for a storm jib. First of all, the portion of the furled jib exposed is NOT going to form a very good shape at all that is conducive for its purpose, as well as putting a fair amount of strain on a lighter fabric not intended to hold up to the high winds that would require hanging out a storm jib in the first place. Secondly, in the outside chance that your furling line failed, nothing is going to stop all of your jib from streaming out and putting you in quite a predicament. As far as how to put one up with a furled jib? I believe that you have three options, two considered acceptable and a third not as much. The least acceptable would be to drop your furled sail and then hoist your storm jib in the track on your furler. It's considered unacceptable because in the high winds that merit a storm jib, my understanding is that there is concern about the ability of the luff tape to stay in the groove or put undue strain on the headfoil. The alternative to that wouldl be method two, which would involve dropping the headsail and then hoisting a hoisting a storm jib which has a tape luff, but also has a method to "hank on" the sail, whether it's clips, lines, etc., that wil fasten around the head stay, similar to a standard hank-on jib. The third method is where I went when I got a storm jib for my H35.5, which was the ATN Gale Sale. It has a big luff 'pocket' which attached around your existing furled sail and eliminated the need to drop the furled headsail in order to hoist the storm jib. To me, that was one of the biggest selling points. Have a had to hoist it in a blow? Not yet, but I certainly wouldn't look forward to having to get my big 155% genoa down and stowed if it was picking up enough to require the gale sail. Just my experience with my boat, your mileage may vary. T J
Agree with TJ and..
Using the fore stay for a storm jib has one decidedly negative result. The fore stay is well forward and that will give any small sail hoisted there a long lever arm to turn the boat downwind. This means you have to have a bigger main up to counteract the storm jib being "way out on the bow" to get the boat sail trim to have just a little weather helm. The traditional storm jib is set on a intermediate stay closer to the mast. Thus for the same size storm jib you can fly a smaller main and still have the sail trim produce a balanced helm. This is especially true if you try to use a trisail for a storm main.
Using the fore stay for a storm jib has one decidedly negative result. The fore stay is well forward and that will give any small sail hoisted there a long lever arm to turn the boat downwind. This means you have to have a bigger main up to counteract the storm jib being "way out on the bow" to get the boat sail trim to have just a little weather helm. The traditional storm jib is set on a intermediate stay closer to the mast. Thus for the same size storm jib you can fly a smaller main and still have the sail trim produce a balanced helm. This is especially true if you try to use a trisail for a storm main.
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