Tacking Jib

[Tipster1]

Finally Back on the water. Thank you to Red Witch for ideas for CB up haul, down haul and releasable clam cleats. Once adjusted, they work perfectly in shallow, unpredictable coastal NJ bays. In addition to these mods, I added a topping lift.

First mate Sue wants me to ask you all for ideas to keep jib sheets from getting tangled and hung up on mast tabernacle and the ring on front of the mast, which I assume is for the whisker pole. The mast tabernacle is a bit high because I had to shim up mast to relieve lee helm. See pic.

[K.C. Walker]

A rubber boot over the tabernacle helps. Mine is made from heavy neoprene with a Velcro closure, a zipper would be even nicer. Using a separate 1/8 inch spectra tail from the clew to the actual sheet line helped considerably. The flapping of the jib seems to be absorbed in the 10 inches of 1/8" line and the sheet lines themselves don't flap about so wildly.

[GreenLake]

A quick&dirty cover for the tabernacle could be any halfway sturdy, inverted plastic tub, with proper cut-outs to fit it around the mast. If that works, you can then work on a prettier solution.

Something else to consider are the jib sheets themselves. If you have two separate sheets, each attached with a bulky bowline, you are more likely to have them hang up on something than if you had a single continuous jib sheet attached with a soft shackle.

There's a thread Rope for Various Lines where you'll find more details on ways to do that.

My setup is non-typical in that it uses a relatively heavy jib sheet. That choice was accidental and is not ideal for light wind, but it probably helps with the flapping. Making the soft shackle (or other connector) between sheet and sail from a light material may help as well.

There's finally an aspect of technique. Is she letting go of the old jib sheet too early in the tack? Keeping the jib trimmed adds power into the turn, and letting it stay backwinded even, for a short period, may help in bringing the bow around and adds time during which the crew can get the new jib ready, so that it can be sheeted in immediately.

[Tipster1]

Thank you for ideas. This forum is great. (Should I have posted this on another section?)

Sue's tried early and late (Hobie style) jib sheet release with limited luck. I like the bucket over base idea or a foam cone. Windsurfers use a neoprene "volcano" cone over universal joint to protect toes from stubbing. May stop at kiddy beach store for bucket with personality.

I vaguely recall someone rigging a light line from clew stem and back to cockpit to untangle things. Would a light bungee do the trick and make it automatic?

We may just remove mast ring, since we haven't used whisker pole in three years. Local waters require frequent maneuvering, at least at low tide.

[rnlivingston]

We had the problem of the jib sheets hanging up on both our Mariner and Daysailer. We made a simple "Mast Bra" out of leftover Sunbrella that ties top and bottom to the mast. Velcro will work just as well. (see attached)

[UCanoe_2]

My mast boot is a 3 inch rubber plumbing coupling, on the mast stub under the tabernacle. To install it I temporarily removed the lower half of the tabernacle, lubricated with dish soap, and used plenty of inappropriate language. It's a tight fit. I cut holes for reinstalling the tabernacle screws.

Removing the forward tabernacle pin gives one less thing to foul the sheets. Others on the forum have pointed out that it is not really necessary for supporting the mast.

[TIM WEBB]

Nice looking ship Tipster1! Glad to be of assistance. Lots of great solutions to the snagging issue as well. I tried the inverted tub solution that GL suggests for awhile, until the sheets tore it off! >8~/

TRW's hinge sits much lower, almost flush with the partners, so I don't have as much of an issue with the sheets snagging on it as I do with them snagging on the halyard swivel cleats just above it. For me, technique has all but eliminated the issue - after a tack, I just make sure the lazy sheet has plenty of slack on the cuddy roof for the next tack. Having the tail/soft shackle helps a lot as well.

"I vaguely recall someone rigging a light line from clew stem and back to cockpit to untangle things. Would a light bungee do the trick and make it automatic?"

Not sure what you are referring to here, but sounds like you mean a jib downhaul? If so, very easy to rig, in a number of different ways. Most involve some kind of small dia line attached in some way to the jib head, run down to a stemhead block, and lead aft to the cockpit.

+1 on removing the foreward hinge pin as well - it's just not needed.

One last thing: the mast ring looks pretty low to be for a whisker pole. If you remove it, consider re-installing it a bit higher, where it would work better for that, and not snag sheets ... ?

[GreenLake]

Thank you for ideas. This forum is great. (Should I have posted this on another section?)

If a thread is misplaced, I can move it. This one might fit better under rigging. I may do a cleanup pass in a few weeks, so if your favorite thread seems to have disappeared, just look around a bit.

[Alan]

"I vaguely recall someone rigging a light line from clew stem and back to cockpit to untangle things. Would a light bungee do the trick and make it automatic?"

Not sure what you are referring to here, but sounds like you mean a jib downhaul? If so, very easy to rig, in a number of different ways. Most involve some kind of small dia line attached in some way to the jib head, run down to a stemhead block, and lead aft to the cockpit.

I think that refers to running a length of line from the stemhead back to the mast, pulling it tight and tying it off, so that when the jib crosses over the centerline during a tack, the jib clew and sheets slide over the tight length of line instead of tangling on stuff.

The technique is mentioned somewhere in John Vigor's "The Practical Encyclopedia of Boating," but when I went looking for it just now I got sidetracked and ended up practice-tying reef knots and bowlines in a length of Dyneema that was laying around on my desk. If I find the exact quote, I'll post it.

[GreenLake]

The technique is mentioned somewhere in John Vigor's "The Practical Encyclopedia of Boating," but when I went looking for it just now I got sidetracked and ended up practice-tying reef knots and bowlines in a length of Dyneema that was laying around on my desk.

That experience sure sounds familiar. John Vigor also writes a blog that can be equally diverting.

[TIM WEBB]

"I vaguely recall someone rigging a light line from clew stem and back to cockpit to untangle things. Would a light bungee do the trick and make it automatic?"

Not sure what you are referring to here, but sounds like you mean a jib downhaul? If so, very easy to rig, in a number of different ways. Most involve some kind of small dia line attached in some way to the jib head, run down to a stemhead block, and lead aft to the cockpit.

I think that refers to running a length of line from the stemhead back to the mast, pulling it tight and tying it off, so that when the jib crosses over the centerline during a tack, the jib clew and sheets slide over the tight length of line instead of tangling on stuff.

The technique is mentioned somewhere in John Vigor's "The Practical Encyclopedia of Boating," but when I went looking for it just now I got sidetracked and ended up practice-tying reef knots and bowlines in a length of Dyneema that was laying around on my desk. If I find the exact quote, I'll post it.

Ah, now that makes much more sense ...

[K.C. Walker]

"I vaguely recall someone rigging ... but when I went looking for it just now I got sidetracked and ended up practice-tying reef knots and bowlines ....

LOL!

[Tipster1]

Thank you for compliment, Tim. Truly appreciated.
Tying knots in dyneema can be very tricky. That stuff is wicked. We windsurfers use it.

[Tipster1]

One jib untangling line I was imagining would run from sail's clew, through bow fitting and back to cockpit to yank clew forward and release stuck sheets. Not to be confused with quick jib down haul, Cap'n Greenlake.
A line from stemhead to my mast ring is also very interesting, but, as suggested, would have to be either quickly removable, elastic or easily broken so it isn't a tripping problem. Or just take it off..... Hmmmm.
I am also admiring worn wetsuits for sacrificial arms and legs as lower mast boots.
I think my tinkering to sailing ratio is up to 4:1 these days. Is that average?

[Alan]

I think my tinkering to sailing ratio is up to 4:1 these days. Is that average?

Mine's infinity to zero, here in waterless California. That may distort the average a bit.