Jib down haul

Moderator: GreenLake

Re: Jib down haul

Postby K.C. Walker » Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:38 pm

Clyde,

I just had a birthday so I guess I'm now feeling like an oldster at 62. It sounds like you have your boat set up pretty well. Maybe I should be looking for suggestions from you so that I can continue to sail this boat into my 70s, which I certainly hope to.

I also mostly single hand and often on a lake. I admit, having the boat at a dock is really a pleasure and I use the boat a lot when it is. When the boat's in my yard and I need to launch and retrieve it, it definitely cuts down on sailing time.

With the tabernacle on the mast it makes raising it much more pleasant than my last boat. Getting it off and on the trailer really is no problem now that I have it set up. It's just the rigging time.
KC Walker, DS 1 #7002
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby UCanoe_2 » Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:54 pm

Salty Dog, my jib downhaul is but a single purchase. It runs through a fairlead and is belayed to a cleat on the port side of the cuddy. I alsays keep a crab net handy under the port side deck ("washboard" in Chesapeake crabbing skiff nomenclature). The excess downhaul line stows nicely in the crab net.
"George Washington as a boy was ignorant of the commonest accomplishments of youth. He could not even lie."
-- Mark Twain
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby KeithS » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:59 pm

Hi,
Does anyone have any photos of the jib downhaul rigging, particularly the block between the stemhead and the jib sail? l looked at some blocks at the local West Marine store a few days ago, but I did not see any blocks I thought would work.
Thanks,
Keith
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby GreenLake » Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:42 pm

Any small (e.g. 29mm) block could be used if you want to lead the downhaul above deck. (http://www.fisheriessupply.com/harken-single-29mm-carbo-airblocks-351). No need to go "carbo" of course, but the link shows the right size. I've used them, because they are light, come in a good size and can be unexpectedly cheaper than similar ones with a SS body, presumably because SS is now so expensive. I esp. like the "tie on" versions of these, because you can fit them all sorts of places and you usually don't have to commit to drilling holes right away. You should be able to tie a block like that to the tack of your jib (I assume this is the type of downhaul for dowsing the sail, not the one to adjust tension - for that you'd need more purchase).

Or you could mount a through-deck, like item 242 shown on this page http://www.fisheriessupply.com/harken-micro-blocks-242. With that you could lead the downhaul along the underside of the cuddy. I would fix some eye-strap or two with a dab of epoxy to make sure a slack downhaul doesn't droop so far it gets tangled with your cuddy contents.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby jeadstx » Fri Sep 27, 2013 11:50 am

Here are a couple pictures of my jib downhaul.
Image
and how I ran the line to the cockpit.
Image
I used 3/16" line.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby GreenLake » Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:54 pm

John, this is a rather nice setup, but for a downhaul you could go down to 1/8" or 3mm line.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby jeadstx » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:05 pm

When I first set it up I wasn't sure what size line to use so I went with the 3/16" because I was sure that 1/4" would be overkill. You are right GL that 1/8" or 3mm would work fine as the line does not take a lot of stress, just helps the jib get down without going on to the bow to pull it down.

John
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby GreenLake » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:26 pm

If I had 3/16" lying around when rigging something like that, then I would have used it. Sailed for years with a 7/8" (!) sized main sheet (dock line, no less) because the boat came that way and I didn't see any urgency in changing that. Have upgraded that now to a very grippy, low stretch 3/8' which works well with the ratchet block I fitted. So I perfectly understand how these choices are made, but wanted to point out that smaller diameter lines would do because we are discussing how to set something up from scratch.
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby KeithS » Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:23 pm

Any thoughts on this downhaul shown in this link? http://www.widgetsailor.com/myboat/downhaul/
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby GreenLake » Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:59 pm

The site you link to is unreadable, because the user's overfondness of background images. That aside (read it in print preview to get rid of the background), the solution is clever, but would work best for jibs that are already quite soft with age. Not something I would want to use on a nice crisp sail, because pulling it into a "ball" isn't all that good for it. A regular downhaul will more or less approximate a flaking action...
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby Alan » Fri Sep 27, 2013 10:23 pm

Well, drat. I've had that page bookmarked for probably three years, and I was thinking of trying it before I installed the Harken furler that's been sitting in my box of shiny stuff for about that long (single-line, not like the endless-line Ronstan that works so well on my UPS). And here I have a crisp new jib, never even hoisted on the water.

GL, can you describe a regular downhaul and how it differs from the one on the page referred to? I may be getting slow in my old age, but I'm not seeing it earlier in this thread. Thanks,

Alan
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby KeithS » Fri Sep 27, 2013 11:27 pm

Thanks for the suggestions, photos and comments on the link. I found that link a night or two ago. My jib is in good condition, so a simple downhaul is probably the best solution. I want my wife or grown kids to be able to quickly lower the jib from the cockpit.

We are sailing newbies. We've had our DSII out 6 or 7 times during weekends this summer, and we love it.
Thanks,
Keith
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby GreenLake » Sat Sep 28, 2013 12:08 am

Alan wrote:... can you describe a regular downhaul and how it differs from the one on the page referred to?

The page shows the line going up, then to the clew then to the luff and up again. It will first pull the clew to the luff making something like a sausage from the sail, then when it's tight, you let go of the halyard while continuing to pull and it balls that sauage.

A simple downhaul just pulls the head down when the halyard is released. It would allow the sail to flake, making something like stack on deck (the bottom being pulled back by the jib sheet). The downside there is that it holds the sail perhaps less securely, so at some point you may want to secure the "stack" so it doesn't blow around. The upside is that it would seem gentler on the sail, because it wouldn't force folds in both directions.

I've managed to get by without either, so none of this is from direct experience, although I have sailed some on boats with downhauls and furlers.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby jeadstx » Mon Sep 30, 2013 2:13 pm

By pulling the sheets tight after the sail is down, it will keep the jib out of the water and on the deck. If you get a chance you can use the downhaul line to wrap around the jib (when down) to secure it. I like to secure it with a slip knot if I plan to raise it again.

John
Last edited by jeadstx on Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1976 Day Sailer II, #8075 - Completed the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Texas 200
1952 Beetle Boat Swan Catboat
Early Rhodes 19
1973 Mariner 2+2, #2607 - Completed 2014, 2015 and 2016 Texas 200
1969 Day Sailer I, #3229
Fleet 135; Canyon Lake, Texas
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Re: Jib down haul

Postby Salty Dog » Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:44 pm

I put one on my boat and I like it. It is one of the few things I've been able to do to my boat before the big race.

SD
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