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Technique for tying up a jib

6K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  Capt Len 
#1 ·
Hi There!

Recently, while on a 23' Sonar, the winds picked up and we decided to drop the jib. Not knowing what else to do, we left it, still connected to the jib halyard and jib sheets, piled up on the fore deck (is that the correct term?). As you imagine, it started to fall over the side, AND, the wind started to "pull it back up" the forestay.

When dropping a jib temporarily, what is a good technique to keep it stable but ready to be raised again?
 
#4 ·
If possible try tying it up with something like sail ties, slack in the sheets, what ever is handy. If you have life lines, wad the sail up and use bungee cords. If no life lines try to tie it to something on the fore deck to keep it from getting blown over. If conditions allow try to disconnect the halyard and secure it separately. The idea is to make a low lying lump that the wind can not catch, tied to something to keep it from falling off the deck.
 
#6 ·
If you have to pull the jib down because the weather is bad you will not want to spend too much time on the fore deck especially with no life lines. Attach the halyard to what ever is convenient that can withstand you giving it a good tug before you cleat it off. Shoe tie knots are good for bundling up the sail. What ever knot you can tie fast, maybe with one hand, that won't pull apart to attach the "lump" to the deck. Doesn't need to be sail ties. It is always good to have lots of shorter sections of line laying around for all kinds of quick fixes.
 
#9 ·
or... rig a downhaul on the halyard and back to the cockpit... haul down the headsail, cleat off the downhaul and the halyard, snug the sheet and you are good without ever leaving the cockpit (assuming your jib halyard runs back to the cockpit)
 
#10 · (Edited)
This is one of those things that I've done slightly differently just about every time I've had to do it.

One thing I've done is, after taking sail ties off the main, tie one of them to the pulpit. If you don't have a pulpit, a cleat will do. Then when the jib comes down you just put the sail tie over the jib to the opposite site of the pulpit or the opposite-side cleat.

In a pinch, another thing I've done is leave the jib halyard attached, pull a big bight of it under and around the jib and then tie it back onto itself with a rolling hitch.

Edit: I'm not crazy about jib downhauls. I haven't experimented much, but it has often jammed, during both hoists and douses; clutters the deck; and complicates the hoist/douse process.
 
#14 ·
To keep from having to go up on the foredeck to tie & untie sail stops, many people rig a length of shock cord from the forestay to a cleat or padeye in the middle of the foredeck, or perhaps even back to the base of the mast. When the jib comes down you stuff it under shock cord. Most times there's enough friction so you can leave the halyard attached. Otherwise, the simplest (and safest) thing would be to attach the halyard to the spinnaker pole ring on the mast.
 
#17 ·
Sonar = no bow pulpit, and no lifelines... Its thankfully a fractional rig, with just a jib, not a genoa. 23 foot keelboat.

Doesn't look to have much of a toe-rail to tie to either. If you do, then I'd be detaching the halyard (clip it off at the mast/spin ring), and bungee across the bow toerail to toerail to hold everything in place.

Honestly if you are going through that much trouble, you might as well remove it and stash it below (in the cubby).
 
#19 ·
Rig a downhaul (not to the top of the sail or it will jam), led aft, thread it between the hanks when you hank the sail on to keep it neat. When you need to get the jib down, tighten the sheet and cleat, back the jib, release the halyard, pull the downhaul and cleat that off once the sail is down. The sheets keep it stretched and under control, backing it keeps it over deck and the downhaul stops it self-raising. All without ever leaving the cockpit.
 
#21 ·
Build your self a roller furler. The best hundred buck you will ever spend.

I have helped friends tie a line from the bow ( pulpit) to the shrouds, around chest high, then back down to the rail, near the cockpit, giving them a chest high lifeline near the mast. Doesn't get in the way of anything, can be taken down in port, and makes going forward feel a whole lot safer.
 
#23 ·
Build your self a roller furler. The best hundred buck you will ever spend.

I have helped friends tie a line from the bow ( pulpit) to the shrouds, around chest high, then back down to the rail, near the cockpit, giving them a chest high lifeline near the mast. Doesn't get in the way of anything, can be taken down in port, and makes going forward feel a whole lot safer.
i would be inclined to disagree on the diy furler but i like the idea of the line tied to the shrouds would keep fore sheet off deck as well
 
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