Opinions on Self Tacking Jib Booms?

[Hillbillybuddha]

I'm refitting a new to me boat. It has a self tailing jib boom that I haven't used yet. But I've only had the chance to take her out once so far. We are planning on getting her ready to sail around the Caribbean for a couple of years. So I'm trying to figure out if it's at all useful or if I'd prefer a cleared, clean foredeck.

What are your opinions?

[Orion Jim]

I like mine. I added roller furling to my staysail a few years ago primarily because I’m not getting any younger. A cutter has many sail combinations which allow you a wide choice for the prevailing conditions. When the yankee is furled I have a self tending rig which is great in blustery weather as I don’t have to tend headsail sheets. Tacking just involves putting the helm over. A great feature in congested harbors or when sailing to a mooring.

[ilenart]

Use to have one on a 45ft cutter / ketch. Worked fine but did not use it much. Blew out once in a jibe in +35 knots when it slammed accross, however where it broke their was corrosion. Going forward I doubt if I would use one again, I like the flexibility of a removable inner forestay, so you can have a clear deck when using the spinnaker pole in less than 20 knots. Nowadays you rarely see them on modern 40-45ft yachts.

[Hudson Force]

Certainly it's more functional on a cutter rig as with those posted above. My club foot self tacking boom on my ketch was very suitable when higher winds caused me to select a smaller working jib, but this function could be easily replaced with a roller-reefing head sail (not simply roller-furling) that keeps a good shape when shortened.

My club foot jib required taking an added halyard forward and clipping on all the piston hanks at the bow. More modern rigs seem to have eliminated this task that, for me, was something to be done quickly when reefing was needed.

[captmikem]

There is a reason they call them "widowmakers". I have had two, one on a 75 ft yawl, and one on a 52 ft cutter.

To me, the pros are:
gives a handy place to stow the staysail


Cons are:
In the way
hardware is pretty clunky for the goose neck and support
In the way.
very narrow track adjustment, fine for on the wind but pretty much in the way from a reach on down.
will gybe easily and early and will kill you if you are in the way.
really clutters up the foredeck.

Just my humble opinion.

M

[Mike OReilly]

I have one on my 37-foot cutter. Works good, but you do have to be careful on any downwind points of sail. But it's awesome for upwind or beam work. For short-tacking, we often furl the yankee and just let the boomed main and jib do the work.

[roverhi]

Hate the damned things. Unless it's a Hoyt functioning boom, bad sail shape except when sheeted in hard. Only ay to cure it is to vang the boom down which negates the self tacking benefit. Often in the way and forget dinghy storage on the foredeck. Extremely dangerous on reaches and have the scar to prove it. Limited sail area seriously penalizes boat performance in light to moderate winds for most boats. After delivering two boats with staysail booms and having bad experiences with both, went with a loose footed one on our boat and never regretted it.

[Scaramanga F25]

It will club you one day.

[Russ]

Simply Put "A Leg Breaker" No Thanks.
Russ

[waterman46]

Yes they are dangerous. The only way I would use one is if there was a way to store it on deck for long passages where you don't need to tack, and then rig it easily for use in congested areas where you do need to tack and jibe a lot.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Hillbillybuddha

I'm refitting a new to me boat. It has a self tailing jib boom that I haven't used yet. But I've only had the chance to take her out once so far. We are planning on getting her ready to sail around the Caribbean for a couple of years. So I'm trying to figure out if it's at all useful or if I'd prefer a cleared, clean foredeck.

What are your opinions?

All booms are dangerous at sea. I removed my staysail boom on my sailmaker's (Carol Hasse of Port Townsend Sails) advice. I'm happy that its gone and the replacement furled staysail is so much easier to use.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[leandroflaherty]

If you have a cutter, they are amazing. I never sail without the stay sail up. Beyond the obvious ease of handling 3 sails at once with it, having it up helps channel the yankee around the stays rigging, which could otherwise trip it up on a tack.


Also if its a true cutter, the mast is further back than on most boats and so it is best balanced with the stay up.


Never found it that dangerous unless you are poking your head around deck as its fluttering, which I never do. you can also use a preventer line (usefull wing on wing). That danger is offset by keeping me safe in the cockpit in severe weather and rested not having to handle any winches single handed on long passages.


The only real negative is loss of dinghy storage on deck, but since I use a soft bottom inflatable thats not an issue, it lays pretty flat.

[Mithril Bham]

Had one on my Passport 42 and loved it but we tack up narrow channels around here often. Not sure I would have one in the Carib.

[Rockinar]

Had one on my 28 sloop. Hated it. It just took up deck space. With a cutter.....maybe Id think about keeping it

[psk125]

Please note that it is quite possible to have a self-tacking jib WITHOUT a jib boom. Self-tacking sails are quite convenient, though they don't provide the sail area that you could get with a genoa. The jib boom can be useful for holding the sail out going downwind, but it isn't needed much on other points of sail. You can remove the jib boom and simply attach the sheet to the clew of the jib, keeping the self-tacking gear with minimal costs. A whisker pole might even work better for downwind runs.