Single sheet and block on jib/genoa?

[svspirited]

I have been seeing some boats recently rigged with a block on the clew of the jib/genoa with what I guess is a single sheet running through it back to the winches rather than two separate sheets tied on. I'm trying to figure out what, if any, advantage there is to this and I have yet to see one on a boat where the owners is actually around to ask. Is there any advantage to doing so? Is this maybe just rigging for a self tacking jib? Does anyone have experience with this on a cutter rig? I would think the block would potentially hang up on the forestay but not sure. My wife and I generally sail short handed so anything that could make that a bit easier is always welcome.

[barnakiel]

Run into a mental block trying to visualise this set up.


Can you draw it, or rob a picture from google images perhaps?


barnakiel

[Don C L]

Sounds like you are describing a self-tacking jib. Few things more painful than being hit by a block flogging at the end of a jib though.
Did it look like this?
https://stingysailor.com/2016/08/13/...-jib-for-free/

[estarzinger]

Almost certainly a self-tacking set-up.

There are a couple ways to set this up . . . typically look some thing like this:




Advantages - it is self tacking, and it gives you a 2:1 mechanical advantage on the sheet, only need one sheet winch

Disadvantage - less good sheeting angles off the wind (usually, but you can use a 'short sheet' to the toe rail to help this), sail has to be smallish - less than 100% (cant overlap mast), block potentially flogging around can hit you.

[Cheechako]

I dont get how the single sheet would work. You are maybe talking the staysail? It's maybe just a self tacking staysail that slides from side to side on a track or bar when tacking...? I suppose a small jib could be setup the same way on some boats with flat decks and a track....

[svspirited]

Great, that is what I was thinking but I haven't met anyone actually using it.

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Almost certainly a self-tacking set-up.

There are a couple ways to set this up . . . typically look some thing like this:

Attachment 175283
Attachment 175284

Advantages - it is self tacking, and it gives you a 2:1 mechanical advantage on the sheet, only need one sheet winch

Disadvantage - less good sheeting angles off the wind (usually, but you can use a 'short sheet' to the toe rail to help this), sail has to be smallish - less than 100% (cant overlap mast), block potentially flogging around can hit you.

[DEAN2140]

I have a single jib sheet on my Alerion 28, which has a jib boom. Each end of the sheet leads to a cam cleat near the cockpit so I can adjust the sail from port of starboard. I used a similar system on my Catalina 30 for the mainsail with each end of the mainsheet leading to a winch. We raced the boat so this allowed the mainsail to be trimmed from the high side.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by svspirited

Does anyone have experience with this on a cutter rig? I would think the block would potentially hang up on the forestay but not sure. My wife and I generally sail short handed so anything that could make that a bit easier is always welcome.

Wont work on a cutter rig. Well it might “work” but you’ll have no way to pull the clew through the slot and the amount of chafe against the inner forestay will be horrific. In fact, with the “lazy” sheet going forward around the inner forestay it might not work at all as the clew will just ride forward.

As for making tacking easier there are two options. As a single hander I employ one or the other depending.

Use your staysail. When tacking, leave it through the tack so it is effectively backwinded. It creates a slide for the jib and guides it through the slot. When the jib is trimmed then tack the staysail. This also helps turn the boat through the wind in lumpy conditions.

Or...just partially furl the jib before tacking. I’ll do this in high wind just to cut down on wear on the sail.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Self tacking jib. We had one on our previous Hanse 34 and it worked because the sheet was attached to the curved ‘traveler’ just in front of the mast; the jib was 95%. The sheet would then travel up to a block @ 6 feet up the mast and back down to the mastbase andthen to the cockpit. Tacking literally involved just turning the wheel, but as noted the sheeting angles were not the best

We usually undid the self tacker and put regular sheets on when we took the boat out

[Lihuedooley77]

We would be concerned about a hard impact to the body or head or face, when the jib is luffing and flogging about.

Self tacking jbs, only sailed one vessel with a jib boom that was at a high angle up from the tack.

The tale about that is on the M.O.B thread.

It was a bare boat charter down in the BVI, a 35 ft. Freedom, with a huge main. Plus a metal jib boom and one heck of an impact to base of my skull. . That situation of my head and a jib boon jining up has never occured again.

The blocks in the photo are huge .

Some other things to think about, passengers and kids that are not sailors and up on the foredeck for what ever reason. The are unaware . And could be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

To each their own, but it doesn't take a shipyard to fall on me....usually.

But , I learn when it does.

[Zhyachts]

It is fairly common on sail assisted trawlers to only have one jib sheet with a snatch block. This requires furling the jib and moving the sheet to the new leeward side when tacking.



WHY? To keep the sail and sheet(s) from ripping off all the "stuff" mounted on the pilothouse roof.



Sail assisted trawlers only tack about five times on a world cruise so its not really a big deal.

[MoorOrLess]

What the OP described does sound like a Solent jib setup. Self tacking or Solent jibs are not uncommon. I think stating there are safety issues is not painting an accurate picture. When a track is used instead of boom I would argue they are safer. The sail stays sheeted in most of the way even when reaching, just down traveller. The size of the block is not much larger than the knots and large cringle of a Genoa so the mass at the clew is not much different. They also don’t tend to flog around like an overlapping jib/Genoa (when tacking upwind they don’t flog at all, so much safer). Also theydon’t need anyone on the foredeck to help the sail around when tacking.
While they tend to be smaller as they cannot overlap the mast, they certainly make sailing single handed easier.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by MoorOrLess

What the OP described does sound like a Solent jib setup. Self tacking or Solent jibs are not uncommon.

No he specifically referenced a cutter rig, and the issue is with the jib and not the staysail. Solent rig is either/or; the point of one is easy deployment of a smaller jib when called for.

He could certainly rig his staysail to be self tacking but that’s not his intent.

[MoorOrLess]

Originally Posted by Suijin

No he specifically referenced a cutter rig, and the issue is with the jib and not the staysail. Solent rig is either/or; the point of one is easy deployment of a smaller jib when called for.

He could certainly rig his staysail to be self tacking but that’s not his intent.

Hi Suijin, the OP asked two questions, what it was, and issues on a cutter rig. I was simply pointing out the former and how they are not necessarily a safety issue.

Many boats only have a Solent jib for a headsail, mine included. If I need to deploy a storm jib on a temporary inner forstay then the Solent needs to be furled/lowered.
They have been around on a small keel boats as the only headsail for decades, one type I use to race on in the 70/80s was a Soling.

[Jim Cate]

Many boats only have a Solent jib for a headsail, mine included. If I need to deploy a storm jib on a temporary inner forstay then the Solent needs to be furled/lowered.
They have been around on a small keel boats as the only headsail for decades, one type I use to race on in the 70/80s was a Soling.

I think there is some nomenclature difference emerging here. A Solent jib in common usage is an inner forestay sail... the stay is aft of the headstay by a few feet (depending on boat size) and the upper end is fixed just below the headstay, thus obviating the need for runners, which is the whole point of the Solent rig.

Thus you can't "have only a Solent jib for a headsail". I suspect that you are confusing Solent rigs with fractional rigs... a different beast entirely, although one can have a fractional Solent. I'm pretty sure of the latter, 'cause we have just such a rig ourselves!

Jim