thoughts about lowering and securing a jib

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Jib downhaul. To take down the jib, sail on port tack closehualed, then heave to. Drop the jib and because of the way the hanks are installed, the sail will literally fold itself on your foredeck. Keep the downhaul tight and the sheets, too, and the sail ain't goin' anywhere. I used this for 12 years on our C25 on SF Bay.

Stu,

I am shocked, shocked to find a post from you that I don't 100% agree with.

Used to do exactly that with the hank on jib on my Lohi 32 (which I learned is now sailing on SF Bay with the current owner). I even had netting on the lifelines to help. For a long time I never had a problem and the sail would lay quite happily on the side deck. Then one time in the middle of the night the seas picked up a bit and I spent a wet half hour dragging the belly of the sail back on board. After the second time it happened a few days later I started keeping the jib tied up.

[Jcolman]

Thanks guys. It's good to know that a "jib downhaul" works....well mostly. I realize that securing the jib to the foredeck in really heavy weather is necessary, but this would at least buy me some time before I had to go forward.

[JPA Cate]

Jcolman,

I'm feeling concerned that I did not explain clearly. It doesn't need "really heavy weather" for your genoa to decide to go for a swim. All it takes is one big Riviera wake!

FWIW, we used to keep sail ties all ready on the foredeck, so that it was pretty easy to tie the sail down, no fishing around for sail ties and all that. We had perforated toe rail, so they were strategically placed. If you have timber toerail, you can install pad eyes on the inside for the sail ties. If you come up enough while dropping it, the sail will fall on the side deck, and prompt action will secure it.

Ann

Ann

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

A modification to the downhaul we used for years on my folks boat was to make it endless, the tail of the halyard went through a block near the tack and then up the luff. Ideally we should have spliced in some lighter stuff but we didnt. All the square riggers I sailed on used them everywhere, sometimes doubling back to the clew from the head to help contain the staysails and gaff topsails, but I never worked out a sensible way on a yacht to avoid having to go forward and put a few lashings on if there was any wind.

Used the kayzee once. Seemed like a clever system but maybe added another layer of complexity?

Hi, Ben,

More complex than hanks, yes. But allowed us to do inside/outside sets, which we used to do. I made deck bags that were attached to the toerail with old jib hanks, and had sail ties coming through openings in the bag for tying the sail down prior to zipping the bags. We had 3 headsails on magazines, alternating tracks. The #1, #4, and storm jib. This was on our first Insatiable, and eventually, we went with roller furling, but we really liked the Kay-Zee when we had it.

Ann

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Stu,

I am shocked, shocked to find a post from you that I don't 100% agree with.

Used to do exactly that with the hank on jib on my Lohi 32 (which I learned is now sailing on SF Bay with the current owner). I even had netting on the lifelines to help. For a long time I never had a problem and the sail would lay quite happily on the side deck. Then one time in the middle of the night the seas picked up a bit and I spent a wet half hour dragging the belly of the sail back on board. After the second time it happened a few days later I started keeping the jib tied up.

OK, OK, I should have said this works in protected waters when the winds are below xxx knots and the boat is heading ddw.

Gee, so solly...

Does 99 44/100% of the time work for anyone?

Of course conditions will dictate the use of any ideas.

Even mine...

[wristwister]

Yup, been using a downhaul on the hanked on jib when single handing for years. Here's another use for that downhaul: when the jib's on the deck and I want to ready it for hoisting later (like when I first hank it on at the dock), I use that downhaul to apply a few loops and slip knots around the jib, securing it to stanchions along the way. That way it's out of the way and secure. Then when I'm ready to hoist, I pull the jib downhaul, all the loops and slip knots undo, and I hoist.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by wristwister

... That way it's out of the way and secure. Then when I'm ready to hoist, I pull the jib downhaul, all the loops and slip knots undo, and I hoist.

I like it. Good tip. Might even work with my endless downhaul/halyard if theres enough slack in the system.

[svtadpole]

Always sailed with hank-on headsails ... mostly singlehanded ...

1. simple & can't F**K up like roller furling mechanisms....

2. by having a selection of headsails onboard, the right sail is flown for any wind & sea condition ... rollerfurling aficionados can reef their headsail very quickly BUT once a roller-headsail has been rolled in to reef it (by as little as 10 to 20%) it is unable to adopt an optimum shape ... sailmaking is a somewhat dark art as we well know, but even they cannot make a single sail conform to more than one optimum wind profile ...

3. I am able to hoist & strike my headsail just as quickly as any roller rig ... downhaul is a must as is handling sail when hove to ...

4. Netting on the lifelines helps prevent the sail spilling over the side ... pre-positioned ties quickly & easily secure the downed sail to the toerail away from underfoot ....

5. Typically, I start a day's sailing with 2 headsails rigged ... one up one down usually ... BUT when heading downwind, I hank on BOTH headsails, sheet the mainsail in tight & central, ..... who needs a spinnaker ?

6. If bare poles & wires are called for in storm conditions then I don't have the chore of lowering a roller headsail .... mine is already down & secure ...

7. When a storm jib is required mine goes up in an instant .... flying a storm jib over a roller arrangement becomes complicated ...

8. When going forward to handle sail ALWAYS clip onto your jacklines ! ....

That's my 10 cents worth ...

[Sailormantx]

Originally Posted by Jcolman

Thanks guys. It's good to know that a "jib downhaul" works....well mostly. I realize that securing the jib to the foredeck in really heavy weather is necessary, but this would at least buy me some time before I had to go forward.

Don't procrastinate! Going forward does not get easier as the weather deteriorates. The time to secure the sail is when you drop it. Riding the bowsprit to tie down the jib is no fun when it plunging into the waves.

Attach your downhaul to the first hank, not the top of the sail, otherwise it will pull the head down twisting the first hank and preventing you from pulling it down. Rigged correctly, it will always work.