Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Moderator: GreenLake

Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby Tipster1 » Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:13 pm

I wish I had something like you describe. No, the stays are swagged right onto the mast tangs. Other option would be to cut them off and re-rig.

DS is docked for now. Sadly, first mate pulled a muscle in back, so I am mostly windsurfing or paddling SUP. Without a tiller tamer or much longer arms, single handed sailing too much of a hassle.
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby GreenLake » Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:45 pm

Well, tipster, all you need is a bungee cord.

If you string a bungee from side to side, you can use that to make a really handy tiller tamer. The way I do it, is that I lead the bungee underneath the tiller, but then wrap three loops of shockcord around both bungee and tiller. The cord grips the bungee firmly enough to allow it to hold the tiller, but if I manually adjust the tiller with enough force, it will slip and "reset" to the new position.

This was fashioned from items I had on board when I found myself with not enough arms to continue sailing, and it's worked so well, I've never looked back. Originally, I simply hooked the bungee under the wooden coamings on my DS1, but as that had the tendency of coming off, I added some attachment points for the bungee.

With the give in the bungee, the setup allows the DS to round up just a bit in a gust, and fall off in a lull.

About the stays: didn't know they even made swages that end in tangs. In that case, yes, you would need to drill and re-rivet. And I think the rivets would need to be different from the simple "pop rivets", because you'd want them sealed.

If your forestay is fixed to the mast that way, then using the PVC pipe furler seems to be the only option. (Or forget the whole furler business and rig a simple downhaul line so that you can raise and lower the jib (and keep it down). But then, I would say that, because I don't usually take the jib down. Exception would be for the few stretches I motor and when I launch off one of the beaches. Or if I dock or anchor at some destination.)
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby TIM WEBB » Sun Jul 12, 2015 9:58 pm

TRW's original stays (all 3) were also swaged directly to the tangs, using thimbles. When I upgraded Her to the heavy duty stays, I simply cut the old stays off the tangs with a pair of Felco C7s and attached the new ones w/ the clevis pins/rings. Easy peasy! ;-P

Sorry to hear of the 1st mate's "aging issue", but single-handing isn't really that big of a hassle. In fact it can be quite rewarding at times ...
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby Tipster1 » Mon Jul 13, 2015 9:10 am

Thanks for great suggestions and sympathy, guys, though we deny "aging". We are just accumulating experience. I'll rummage through rope scraps and rig DIY TT. We already have set up, though not yet tested a jib down haul, What was that cool name someone had for this? "Down-farkler"?

I expect sooner later either I or a future owner will replace standing rigging. In mean time, agree that over the stay pvc furler system certainly easiest approach.

Those Felco C-7s look mean!

I used to single hand all the time on day off when I had a smaller boat (Designer's Choice - a really great lake boat) on a nearby lake and before that in a very heavy, under powered "Norwegian Jolly Boat" as a teenager. It was a 17-18' long rowing dory, with a cb and small rig, It happily sailed best in 20 kt winds without any reefing at all.

Sadly, neither my father nor I realized the value of this fantastic lap-strake, copper riveted cedar hull. Probably would have been worth a bundle now. Ultimately, I discovered that I bore fairly easily and after sailing single handed in circles both ways for hours to practice "jacks and tibes" and exploring the lake and any thing else i could reach in a day, I was looking for new challenge - hence wind-surfing. Since wave sailing is above my expertise, most of our windsurfing has been BAFFING (Back-and-forth-ing), but the quest for the perfect planing carving jibe keeps me going.

Single handing in bay would be challenging, because of challenge of uncharted shoals and other underwater objects and fact that boat is in a slip. Mate's other job is to man CB down-haul when it pops. Auto-release clam cleat has been a huge advance. http://www.clamcleat.com/cleats/cleat_d ... ?theid2=78
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby GreenLake » Mon Jul 13, 2015 1:23 pm

If you feel that your DS is too often overpowered for the conditions, we just had in the "Peak Sails" thread in "Sails" the suggestion from a sailmaker that some people get custom sails that are smaller than class normal. That would let you postpone reefing and sail in higher wind conditions (or w/o crew) without fighting the boat. Make it a bit like your Norwegian boat.

A reef can work, but it generally affects the sail shape, so it wouldn't be quite the same.
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby Tipster1 » Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:12 am

Good suggestion. Maybe after I hit 70, though I am intrigued by all the cat boats down here with huge, deep cockpits, high booms and nice little Yanmars.
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby GreenLake » Wed Jul 15, 2015 2:23 am

Can't tell how close you are to 70. :)

But, seriously, why not get an underpowered set of sails for some conditions?

I used to think there was something special about matching the class design for a boat, until I met this group of very experienced dinghy sailors who delight in customizing dinghies and racing them on a no-handicap basis. Its all used parts, scrounged parts, would be a better description, and absolutely nothing seems sacrosanct. I've seen lasers fitted with spinnakers, to give an idea. Anyway, it's helped open my eyes more towards just using a DS hull as a platform and making it work for your style and your conditions.

If you look around, you can probably get some sails off a 15' dinghy that would end up being a bit too small, and therefore underpowered on your DS. With very little investment you could experiment to see if that makes things better. And you could probably afford to maintain two suits of sails that way, with the added flexibility that brings.

Just a thought.

K.C. and some people here went the other way by adding a UPS sail (long thread on that one), to power up the DS in light conditions.
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby Tipster1 » Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:38 am

Thanks, and I do hear you GL. That day may come, (still 2 yrs to 70) but right now I am still fit enough to windsurf in 15 to 30 kt winds, well beyond comfort level on DS without storm rig. And definitely beyond first mate's comfort level on a boat, but she still rips around in wind up to 25 on a smaller board. She finds windsurfing less confusing and loves the idea that she can choose her own course. We're both first born children. I even let her catch me, for a moment or two.

Definitely understand the use of multiple sails and rigs. We have seven windsurfers and nine rigs between us. That's a lotta stuff!
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Re: Jib furler, DIY, PVC

Postby GreenLake » Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:40 am

Wow!
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