Installing hanks on luff tape???

[gjordan]

I picked up a nice 1.5 ounce drifter for my 34 foot boat, but it is for a luff groove and I have all hank on. My question is if the luff tape would be strong enough to just put grommets and hanks? This is a sail that will never be up in more than 8 or 10 knots of wind, so I dont know if I really need to sew in a luff rope or not? Any sailmakers out there that have done this? Thanks for the help. _____Grant.

[Jim Cate]

You can also just sew webbing loops onto the sail... I've done this successfully in the past. IMO, this spreads the loads from the hank a bit better than grommets, and does no harm to the sail.

Jim

[gjordan]

Jim, that sounds interesting. Do you sew a loop to the luff tape and then sieze the hank to that or do you mean something other than regular hanks? I think I like this idea. Thanks, ____Grant.

[Jim Cate]

No, the webbing loop simply goes through the bail on the hank and back to the sail. One side of the loop on each side of the sail, stitch through both at once. Can be machine stitched if a suitable machine is available, but I've always just hand stitched with waxed sail twine.

Jim

[roland stockham]

I find it works better to split the legs of the loop at about 30deg. Spreads the load more and makes it easier to sew. Look at the main, it may have the same system for attaching the slides.

[Dougtiff]

I have converted a Luff tape to hanks, simply by installing grommet's and seizing on hank's, as per the sail loft [North].

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Dougtiff

I have converted a Luff tape to hanks, simply by installing grommet's and seizing on hank's, as per the sail loft [North].

Same here. For several years I got used racer's grade sails (one or two seasons and they weren't happy with composites, or had new but obsolete Dacrons in their garages), and got them cut and "converted" to hanks for about $150 each at my sailmaker's over the winter when they had time for small jobs. I had one No. 1 in Kevlar that equalled about a 148% genoa that lasted 10 years the way I used it.

[gjordan]

I am having a hard time visualizing how sewing a strap/loop with it running thru the hank would not put the hank vertical instead of horizontal like they normally are. What am I missing? Grant.

[Bluebeard]

Have you thought about using the plastic hanks that dinghies use?

,

For light airs, and after all you can use as many as you want, they should be more than adequate.
You may find that you can't get them big enough to fit your forestay and luff rope. My quick search came up with ones from Allen, forestay 5mm, luff wire 6mm. I didn't look further.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by gjordan

I am having a hard time visualizing how sewing a strap/loop with it running thru the hank would not put the hank vertical instead of horizontal like they normally are. What am I missing? Grant.

Grant,
You are correct, the hanks are normally fixed into a grommet (turning it 90 degrees) for the alignment of the hank to the wire. While I liked the simplicity of sewing on a loop instead of putting in grommets, the hanks would not be in proper alignment and most likely cause a lot of drag.

While installing grommets are a bit of a pain, it may be the easiest solution, then add either, bronze, plastic or even spectra hanks. Possibly install less than one would have on a jib, you can always add more if needed.

On our previous boat we had a hank on drifter and we loved it.


Bill O.

[gjordan]

I already have 7 or 8 large hanks, so I think that is enough for a light air sail. I was only worried about the luff tape being strong enough, since they normally have the load spread evenly. I still cant visualize how to get the hanks at 90 degrees to the luff with sewing tape, so I will probably go to my local sailmaker and get grommets put in. Thanks to all. _____Grant.