Help raising jib back up in Nassau/New Providence

[Rdubs]

Hi everyone,
My apologies for this note but kind of at a loss. Is anyone currently in Nassau who could reinstall my jib over the next few days? Long story short I just moved my boat to Palm Cay Marina and on the way in tore my jib; it is being mended but I had to leave back for the US for work, returning Friday with my family to take the boat out. I checked with the sail loft (Phillips Sailmakers) if they knew anyone who could reinstall the sail before I arrive with my family on Friday and they said no. So if anyone who knows how to install a jib is in New Providence Island this week and wants to make a little extra cash, please send me a PM.

Again apologies for gumming up the forum, but having the jib installed before we show up to the boat will save a lot of unhappy admiral and kids going crazy problems. And apparently no riggers in Nassau is a real thing:
No riggers in the Bahamas Archives - Life On The Hook

Best
'Dubs

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Rdubs

Hi everyone,
My apologies for this note but kind of at a loss. Is anyone currently in Nassau who could reinstall my jib over the next few days? Long story short I just moved my boat to Palm Cay Marina and on the way in tore my jib; it is being mended but I had to leave back for the US for work, returning Friday with my family to take the boat out. I checked with the sail loft (Phillips Sailmakers) if they knew anyone who could reinstall the sail before I arrive with my family on Friday and they said no. So if anyone who knows how to install a jib is in New Providence Island this week and wants to make a little extra cash, please send me a PM.

Again apologies for gumming up the forum, but having the jib installed before we show up to the boat will save a lot of unhappy admiral and kids going crazy problems. And apparently no riggers in Nassau is a real thing:
No riggers in the Bahamas Archives - Life On The Hook

Best
'Dubs

Hi, Dubs,

You should be able to hoist the genoa, given a calm early morning. It isn't really difficult. The head piece will be down where you can reach it (from de-mounting the sail). You shackle the head of the sail to that piece, then you and one of the kids or you and your good lady do the rest. It is a question of hand feeding the luff tape into the slot on the furler. The person doing that needs to pay attention, and keep it lined up. It demands only a few minutes attention. That person hollers out if there is a problem, "Stop!". You or your delegee is hoisting via the genoa halyard, and stops as required. The best hauling is when the boat is head to wind. The tack of the sail should be shackled to the roller at the bottom. Adjust the halyard to a medium tension. If it is too tight, the furler won't want to turn. If it is too loose, the luff of the sail will have wrinkles in it. All of this isn't a big deal. A little trial and error and you should have it working okay.

Most sailors do these little things for themselves; this small effort will be good for everybody. They'll learn something. If you have to wait for a rigger to come and get around to it, you will lose precious vacation time.

Ann

[a64pilot]

It is really a very easy thing to do, even by yourself if you have the prefeeder. I’m talking 5 min start to finish tops.
I bet there are YouTube videos that will show you.
You really need to know how so that one day if a storm is coming you can drop all Sails, Bimini etc to prepare the boat.

[a64pilot]

I’ve not watched it, I’m somewhat data speed limited here, but here is one.
https://youtu.be/NcaoM9ELgwU

[Rdubs]

Thanks Ann and A64. I was more worried that something would happen during the process and delay us getting underway, or it would take a long time, but it sounds like that is a small risk. I've taken the main down, off and reinstalled a few times just never the jib. Appreciate the tips. If you ever make it to Palm Cay, drinks are on me.

[TrentePieds]

Rdubs:

Why do you think you have a problem? When you get back to the boat, and you find the repaired sail aboard, YOU take charge of reinstalling it in the furler foil, please. It'll take you eons - absolute eons :-) My best guess is 15 minutes.

Ann's little seminar above is bang on, so just follow it and Bob'll be yer uncle.

I admit to being a tad old-fashioned. Comes of having known Methuselah. When he wuz young :-). But if I were aboard a cruising boat under a skipper that either couldn't or wouldn't handle such simple tasks himself, I'd begin to wonder what else he couldn't or wouldn't do. That sort of thing is never good for the crew's morale and confidence.

So do yourself a favour: When you get back aboard, just quietly sneak up on deck and reinstall that sail :-)

All the best

TrentePieds

[Rdubs]

Yeah sorry to be clear my issue wasn’t not knowing how to do it, my issue was hoping it would be done before myself and family arrived. I’ve taken the in-mast main down, off and reinstalled it several times and when the jib broke I had someone hoist me to the top of the mast to retrieve the jib head car when it stayed up when the jib came down. But I generally budget for things to not go according to plan, so wanted to have that risk / moving part eliminated before we showed up to the boat. But if it’s only a few minutes and not a lot of risk going wrong then it’s no big deal. The replies here have me comfortable that I should be able to avoid having the family wait for a long time or put the trip at risk, and the guides laid out here really help. So thanks again everyone!

[Rdubs]

Also ann thanks for the tip on the halyard tension, that was one question I did have and forgot to ask.

[SV Sailfish]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Rdubs:

Why do you think you have a problem? When you get back to the boat, and you find the repaired sail aboard, YOU take charge of reinstalling it in the furler foil, please. It'll take you eons - absolute eons :-) My best guess is 15 minutes.

What? Hold on... Do it themselves?!?!? Oh that is so 20th century!

TrentePieds, are you kidding me? Suggesting that they learn a new skill? I am aghast at your suggestion. Shame on you!!

[Tingum]

Would you actually trust a job like that to an unknown person without your being there? Ahh the times they are a changing!

[TrentePieds]

Aghh - like I said: I'm old-fashioned. HOPELESSLY old-fashioned ;-)!

TP

[AndyEss]

You will do yourself, your wife and kids a favor by tackling this all together. Take your time, have patience (make sure there are no sharp words from you) and have fun with it.
As the boat owner and captain, you owe it to your crew to be as knowledgeable and skilled as possible on your own boat.
Make sure it goes pleasantly, and you will go a long way in teaching your kids an important life lesson of the importance of teamwork in solving problems.

Too tight a halyard makes furling a problem?

I knew joining CF would be useful.

[Emptynest]

I’ve always found that having my wife and sons involved really is so much more fun. It makes them feel part of the team effort!!

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Emptynest

I’ve always found that having my wife and sons involved really is so much more fun. It makes them feel part of the team effort!!

I couldn't agree more. You share the work, and you grow closer together; you share the play, and you grow closer together. It's great for all of you.

@ AndyEss: Yes, if the halyard tension is too great, it's harder to get the sail to furl. Sometimes when you first set it up, you don't get enough luff tension, and if the wind gets up, the luff will show wrinkles. So, you head up a bit so it luffs, then tighten the halyard a little more, just enough to get rid of the wrinkles. If the sail is then hard to roll up, easing the halyard a little bit, will make it easier to roll up.....so long as the bearings aren't trashed or there is some other problem.

Ann

[AndyEss]

Makes perfect sense. Most of my formative sailing years were with hank on foresails. Roller furling, GPS nav systems, water makers, solar panels, etc all have made cruising sailing so much easier to get back into after many decades of only day sailing. Easier on my far older body too.
Gracias Fair Lady.