Picture of original jib car set up & teak repair

[Windtherapy]

See, age sucks sometimes. You would think I would know what I meant to write but I have no idea what I was thinking of when I wrote "Now if I can find a short". I think I meant if I can find a small traveler for the ratchet block like you have on yours that would be great.

[GreenLake]

There are a number of different jib tracks available. I went with a Harken at the time, because it seemed sturdier than what I was replacing. I think it used to be called their "small boat" track. I'm sure, the available brands and models have changed since then, but you should be able to locate something that works for you.

[Windtherapy]

I really, really dislike that setup with the captive jib sheets.

I don't dislike the tracks, that's what I have, and I don't dislike the cleating on top of the CB either. What I dislike is the bullseye in front of the cleats. It makes it impossible to adjust the jib except from the windward side. I find that there are too many occasions when I need to adjust the jib sheets while sitting in some other location. Whether I'm single handing, teaching a newbie, or simply want to heel the boat to leeward in light wind, I end up reaching for the jib sheet close to the track, pull it in, and then bring it in from the top to clear in my (open, non-captive) cleats.

Here are pictures of my setup.




A while ago I decided to tie the ends of the jib sheets together, so that I can grab the sheet anywhere and don't have to worry whether it's the active or the lazy sheet. Originally, I did that for single handing, but I liked that setup so much that it's now "standard".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I got my aluminum channel in and ordered two Extreme Angle Harken cam cleats and doing the exact same mount as you did on the top of the CB but I am angling the cleats just a tad each way. Can't wait to try it out. Getting ready to order new sails and then redo my Mahogany before it gets warm enough out to sail. I have decided to lower my cockpit trim pieces to about a 1/4" over the coaming. Built a mast crutch with a wheel that turned out nice. Put two new wheels and rims on the trailer, installed a new trailer winch, installed a tongue wheel, getting ready to order a new tiller from D&R, a Harken tiller extension, installed a topping lift and a new outhaul and Cunningham line. I think after that I will sand and paint the cockpit completely and then the topside completely. I don't think I will have time for the hull this year unless I just sand it and use some Rustoleum which I think is on there already which looks pretty nice but not that gorgeous shine I would like (plus I wanna change from the yellow to a Hunter Green color). My wife asked me when I am done buying stuff for this sailboat and our O'Day 26'. I said NEVER!

Sure hope spring gets here soon so I can bring her out and she will quickly shut up because she LOVES sailing. I'm lucky!

[Shagbark]

You got a lot done this season, I'm envious. Too cold here in northern IN to work on anything. Who are you going with for the sails? Also, how did you run your topping lift? Did you run it from the end of the boom, to the top of the mast, then down the mast; or from the top of the mast to the end of the boom then cleated on the boom?

[Alan]

My topping lift runs from the aft end of the boom, over a cheek block near the top of the mast, to a cleat on the mast that I can reach easily from the cockpit. Some experienced sailors here have simpler designs, but I like the idea of being able to adjust it when the aft end of the boom is out of reach.

[GreenLake]

You could simply put the cheek block on the end of the boom, instead of the top of the mast, and still be able to cleat towards the front (mast top, instead of end of boom would get the eye strap that terminates the topping lift). You lose no function, save 15' of line, are adding half the weight aloft and don't add to the disturbed airflow around the mast.

[Alan]

The simpler rigs I was talking about run from the mast top to the aft end of the boom, and adjustments are made at the aft end of the boom. The topping lift runs alongside the hypotenuse of the triangle only, with no line running along the boom or along the mast. That's more efficient than my setup, the tradeoff being that you can't reach the topping lift adjustment point with the boom swung out, unless you've got really long arms.

It sounds like you're reversing what I have, placing the cleat far enough forward on the boom so you have the same inboard access for adjustment that I have. Good idea, but for me the positive tradeoff is that you've got the halyard cleats and the topping lift cleat in one small location at the base of the mast. And I think a pull on a swivel cleat on a non-moving mast, rather than a pull on a moveable boom, is likely to be easier.

As for the 15 feet of line, the weight aloft and the disturbed airflow, may Neptune's loveliest daughter speed the day when I'm a good enough sailor to notice the difference.

[jeadstx]

My topping lift runs from the mast head to the end of the boom with adjustment on the boom end. When released completely, the boom will dip down on the end, but not hit the boat. If the boom were outboard of the cockpit, the boom would not hit the water. Once the boom is inboard it can be adjusted for height. When released it is slack enough to not interfere with the sail.

John

[GreenLake]

Nepun's daughter

Nice one.

[Windtherapy]

You got a lot done this season, I'm envious. Too cold here in northern IN to work on anything. Who are you going with for the sails? Also, how did you run your topping lift? Did you run it from the end of the boom, to the top of the mast, then down the mast; or from the top of the mast to the end of the boom then cleated on the boom?

I live just north of you but I have a a heated pole barn so I can putz however, it's not big enough to fit my O'Day 26' so that sits outside under cover. I really wish I had a 40x80 pole barn to fit both sailboats in.

I just did the topping lift the simple way. From the top of the mast to the end of the boom but I installed a micro-block on the end of the boom for that line and a small cleat a foot inward on the boom side to secure it where I want it.

[druidae1492]

My pictures are too big and I can't seem to figure out how to shrink them or I'd show you mine. The brackets I have for my cam cleats are like Greenlakes, but they are longer and go down and bent flat to the thwart seats and through bolt there to the seats. No holes in the CB trunk. For filling the holes in the coaming, try to find oak dowels and cut plugs and epoxy them into place. Different colors but a good easy fix. Sand down smooth and stain.

[GreenLake]

Pictures: there are simple apps that will shrink pictures. For Windows there's "Resize My Photos". The price is right (free) and it's easy to use. The forum has a limitation on the storage size of the files, so make sure to set the "quality" no higher than "medium"; that way the image gets compressed a bit more and will be fine.

The pixel dimensions should be set to around 1000-1200 for the long edge, that should work for attachments and gallery images.

You can also e-mail the images to yourself; in Windows, if you right click on the file name and "send" it to an "e-mail recipient" you will be offered compression. Pick "medium". When you get the files, they will be the right size for posting.