Pointing under Jib only

Moderator: GreenLake

Re: Pointing under Jib only

Postby ChrisB » Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:34 am

I also have a clam cleat on the top of the cuddy for the jib downhaul. It keeps the downhaul line (1/8") taut so it doesn't flap while under sail. Once the jib is down, the cleated downhaul keeps the head of the jib from "climbing" the forestay. If I'm still sailing under main alone, I sheet the downed jib to the windward side of the boat to keep it out of the water. In my case, I don't have a crew to "Send forward to...." so that's the best way I've found to keep it on the deck. Once all sails are down and I'm at anchor, I use a mesh gym-ball drawstring bag (Wal Mart, Dick's Sporting Goods, etc) as a "sailbag" for the jib. Slide it over the jib and cinch up the drawstring and it keeps the jib contained while allowing it to dry.

Love the idea of the reverse-purchase bullet block. I'll be giving that a try.
Chris B.
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Re: Pointing under Jib only

Postby UCanoe_2 » Fri Jun 13, 2014 4:24 pm

My jib downhaul passes outside the hanks as Tim described. When I drop the jib, I tighten both sheets to keep the sail centered on deck, and belay the sheets to their cam cleats on the thwart. That keeps the sail out of the water most of the time. The downhaul runs through a fairlead and belays to a cleat on the port side of the cuddy. The free end of the downhaul stows in a crab net that I keep under the port gunwale.

The downhaul does double duty as a belaying line for mast raising. I tie off the jib halyard to its cheek block with two half hitches. Then I clip the halyard shackle to an eye splice on the end of the downhaul. Without unrigging the downhaul, I can pull out some slack and belay the downhaul to the halyard cleat on the cuddy roof. I can lift the mast with my right hand and belay with the left. When the mast is fully raised, I can tie off the downhaul line to the halyard cleat, leaving the mast fully supported while I go forward to attach the forestay to the stemhead.
"George Washington as a boy was ignorant of the commonest accomplishments of youth. He could not even lie."
-- Mark Twain
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