Fore sail downhaul?

[joe17]

I am setting up my 17 foot trailer sailer to be easier to handle alone. There are the obvious things to do like bringing the halyards back to the coach roof. One problem I regularly encounter when sailing alone is the need to go onto the foredeck to get the hanked on jib down. When the wind is spilled from the sail it does come down easily with a bit of a tug, but it doesnt drop the moment the halyard is released. Most times venturing onto the foredeck to do this is a risk free activity but occassionaly I get caught out there in a choppy sea or get buzzed by the wake of friendly motor boat.

Roller reefing would be nice, but way too expensive for this cheap little boat.

Has anyone every built or seen a kind of downhall mechanism so you could pull the jib down from the cabin?

What comes to mind is a simple arrangement with a block at the base of the forestay and a line attached to the top of the sail which then runs back to a cleat on the coachroof.

Anyone have any knowledge or opinion about this kind of setup?

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[LORDNELSON]

It might be possible for you to find a second-hand small wykeham-martin reefing gear which would not involve you in too much expense to set up. Personally I would be a bit wary of a rope running down alongside the luff of your foresail; it might be caught by one of the piston-hanks and jam, preventing the jib coming all the way down, which could be embarrassing!

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Light line run up 'through' all hanks to the head of the sail. Bottom goes via a small block at tack and then via small blocks to a cam-cleat or cleat similar to furling gear.

The reason to take it through the hanks .... to ensure that the sail comes down without too much sticking etc. and keeping the line in proper place.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

[Alexis]

Another solution I have seen is to attach a few links of chain on the halyard, to serve as ballast. I would go for this: it seems to be very efficient, and can be very neat if you make a canvas" sock" in which you can put the chain. The weight needen't be very heavy. I have seen it work in a force 4 on a 19 footer. A trial will cost you nothing, and avoids having yet another line on the boat.

Cheers, Alexis

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[gary_yank]

On my 24ft boat I rigged a jib downhaul. There is a light (6mm) downhaul line that goes to an eye with a spliced in ring.

The piston hank goes through the ring and then clamps onto the forestay The line then goes down to a turning block, the type that has a spring and eyestrap, mounted on the deck.

The downhaul is then routed back to the cockpit through fairleads to a cam cleat. In the six years I have used the downhaul I have not had been any problems pulling the jib down when wanted. The concept is simple and easy to make and is not uncommon with trailer sized sailboats in the US.

The only problem is you have to remember to release the downhaul prior to pulling the jib halyard, sounds dumb but it is easy to forget the first couple of times.

Gary

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[oldharry]

Had a very similar arrangement on my first boat - a 17 foot Lysander - I dont remember any problems with jamming, and it made life a whole lot more simple - as long as I remembered to cast off the downhaul before raising the jib!

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