Jib height for a fractional

[unbusted67]

I have a dinghy that I have been sailing on recently (oday widgeon) and noticed something a little strange the other day. When the jib halyard is pulled taught there is still a length of halyard, about a foot, between the head of the sail and the halyard block. My question is this: would there be any benefit to me adding a length of cable or line between the tack and the deck so that I could raise the sail higher in different conditions? What conditions, if any, would warrant me doing this? Have I been given a sail that doesn't match the boat? It looks pretty right whenever you step away from the boat but now I'm starting to wonder.

[delmarrey]

Yeah! I would add a penant to the tack and host it up. You'll catch more air and you'll be able to see where you going a bit more. On a reach, when the boat is heeled, the hull will block some that good air with the sail to the deck.

Weather conditions will not matter except in the lighest of air......................._/)

[unbusted67]

Cool I will try that. Although in a dinghy and when heeled I think loosing some air when heeled is a good thing. but it should make for an interesting sail!

[captnknopf]

Hi
look at the angle of the jib sheet. It should bisect the luff. By adjusting the height of the penant at the bottom (3/16 line) you can get optimum force on the jib sheet. On a boat that size, you probably do not have leech and roach lines, so the tension on the foot and leech can only be adjusted by moving the jib up and down
have a great sail, miss the shallow spots

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by captnknopf

Hi
look at the angle of the jib sheet. It should bisect the luff. By adjusting the height of the penant at the bottom (3/16 line) you can get optimum force on the jib sheet. On a boat that size, you probably do not have leech and roach lines, so the tension on the foot and leech can only be adjusted by moving the jib up and down
have a great sail, miss the shallow spots

Thanks for the advice but could you or abyone else elaborate on this for me, particularly the part about the jibsheet bisecting the angle of the luff? I am having a hard time visualizing what captnknopf is saying.

[GordMay]

The Jib’s Luff (leading edge of a sail) is shorter than the headstay (forestay), which means that either the head or tack will be separated (the head from the mast hounds, or the tack at the deck).

The “normal”* technique is to tack the sail at the deck, leaving some halyard above the head, as you indicate.

* Generally, The jib/genoa tack is lowered in heavier air, and raised in lighter area.
Keep in mind that the genoa lead car position* may need to move fore and aft with the adjustment of the tack height.

O’Day Widgeon Information & Pictures:
I Heart O'Days - Model Information - Widgeon

O'Day Widgeon Brochure
O'Day Sailboats Unofficial Web Site

O'Day Widgeon Rigging Instructions ($7)
I Heart O'Days - Manuals


Jib Sheet Lead Block Position Fore and Aft

For most conditions, the jib sheet lead block needs to be at a position that allows the sheet to bisect the angle of the jib's clew. Even pressure will be applied to both the foot and leach of the jib with the sheet lead located in this position. An excellent guide to make sure that the jib sheet lead block is in the correct position is to watch the telltales along the jib sail's luff. If you head up nearly to a luff, all the telltales should "break" at the same time. If the top telltales "break" before the lower ones do, the car is too far aft. If the lower telltales "break" before the top ones do, the lead car is too far forward. Jib sheet lead car position fore and aft is very important to pointing, boat speed, and overall performance.

Moving the block aft will place more tension on the foot (bottom edge) of the sail as the jib's sheet is tightened. This will flatten the foot or bottom of the sail and twist the top of the sail, thus, depowering the jib. Moving the bock forward will place more tension on the top of the leech (back edge) as the jib's sheet is tightened. This will result in an increased draft of the jib and untwisting of the sail. This will power up the jib.

If the jib luffs at the top of the leech first, the fair lead is to far aft. If the jib luffs at the bottom of the leech first, the fair lead is to far forward.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Keep in mind that the genoa lead car position* may need to move fore and aft with the adjustment of the tack height.

Jib Sheet Lead Block Position Fore and Aft

For most conditions, the jib sheet lead block needs to be at a position that allows the sheet to bisect the angle of the jib's clew. Even pressure will be applied to both the foot and leach of the jib with the sheet lead located in this position. An excellent guide to make sure that the jib sheet lead block is in the correct position is to watch the telltales along the jib sail's luff. If you head up nearly to a luff, all the telltales should "break" at the same time. If the top telltales "break" before the lower ones do, the car is too far aft. If the lower telltales "break" before the top ones do, the lead car is too far forward. Jib sheet lead car position fore and aft is very important to pointing, boat speed, and overall performance.

Quite sadly they didn't make my widgeon with jib cars. but thanks for the widgeon info. The boat on the homepage of that sight is in way better condition but the same model and color as mine - handsome little boats, if I do say so myself.