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Are self-tacking headsails really a new invention

3K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  DBKintheMED 
#1 ·
It seems like such a simple concept and of course traveler rails have been around for so long maybe as long as people have been sailing. are these gizmos they basically just appeared to be traveler rails for a jib really a new invention and what's with all the fanfare because they're really so simple it's hard to believe that if they are new no one would've invented them until now and I'm wondering why that is
 
#3 ·
Self tacking jibs and staysails were quite common at one time ... usually fixed to a clubfoot or other type of jib-boom or staysail boom, etc..
What ended the era of self tacking headsails was the onset of overlapping headsails, jibs, etc. (LP greater than ~95%) where the extra length (LP) of the sail had too great an overlap beyond the mast.
As spinnakers and especially asymmetric spinnakers now fill the role of the extra large LP headsails, the return to shorter LP jibs, etc. inevitably, I predict, will encourage greater usage of self tacking headsails .... and for aerodynamic/efficiency advantages when going 'upwind'.

Quite a few modern boat designs use the Hoyt-Boom™, to good effect and sail efficiency. Carl Schumacher's Alerion-28 is one of the most notable sloops with a self-tacking jib.
Alerion Express 28 - Alerion Yachts
 
#7 · (Edited)
I think there has been a trend towards short handed/solo sailing due to the difficulty to get a reliable crew to show up regularly nowadays. This makes self-tacking and non-overlapping headsails so much more desirable.

As RichH said, asyms are not only popular, with the advent of top-down furlers they are even easier to set and 'douse' which is critical when the winds are picking up and one is short handed.

In addition, the development of code 0's and smaller 'reacher' type sails which are also deployed on a furler when conditions are light are changing the game. These sails can also be used as all-around sails for upwind and downwind points of sail when the wind is light taking the place of large overlapping jibs. Even better, when the sea-breeze or heavier weather rolls in, one can simply roll up the code 0 and unfurl the jib literally without leaving the helm!
 
#4 ·
Thanks for taking the time on that very informative post! Here's the website where I've been reading about them. I first saw them on a boat for sale. So you're saying that the change in headsail length was more of a modern advent? If that's the case why not design boats with a different mast placement as in further back? I guess the boats specifically made with these have that in mind, the ones on that website seem to.
http://www.windcrafthanse.com/self-tacker/
 
#5 ·
Are there published theoretical dimensions for a self tacking rig? Looking at the Hanse specifications the foot of the main is 1.125 times the foot of the jib. Is this a standard measure? Does it produce the best operating speeds? Can it be used to compare other self tacking designs?
Interesting subject.
 
#6 ·
As others have said, self-tacking jibs are nothing new. They existed in the late 19th century if not earlier. They were generally used on the forestaysail of a multi-headsail rig. As others have noted they were typically mounted on jib boom or jib club (a boom which was shorter then the foot of the sail and generally hung from the clew end of the foot of the sail, or mounted vertically.

There is no idea ratio of the mainsail foot to the jib foot length, but a boat which is intended to only use a self-tacking jib needs a very large sail plan to perform decently in light air since a non overlapping headsail is less efficient than a minimally overlapping headsail and of course smaller in area.

Generally you would expect that a boat that relied on self-tacking headsails would have an L/D that is greater than 26 or so if it is expected to have decent light air performance. That kind of L/D requires a lot of stability. Generally that results from a deep draft, fin with a bulb and a high ballast to disp ratio. Even so its hard to have enough sail area reaching and downwind without being overpowered when sailing upwind.

Personnally, I find the Hoyt boom to be a lot of hype that screws up an otherwise good sail plan. I seriously doubt that Carl Schumacher would have been pleased to see one on his Alerion design.

The reality is that minimally overlapping jibs are so easy to tack and so much more efficient that it is really hard to justify a self-tacking jib.

Jeff
 
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#10 ·
.........
Personnally, I find the Hoyt boom to be a lot of hype ............

The reality is that minimally overlapping jibs are so easy to tack and so much more efficient that it is really hard to justify a self-tacking jib.

Jeff
It could be dangerous too. A boom that sweeps the entire foredeck sends shivers down my spine.

I think the only place a self tacking jib with a boom should be used is on an inner staysail on a double headed rig.
 
#9 ·
Sail plan design is so twisted by racing rules, and the cruising boat designers that follow the trends it's hard to discuss sail plans without understanding the historic rules.

Due to a rule set by the IOR overlapping headsails were not penalized, so up to a 150% J length jib was considered free sail area. This obviously pushed headsails to grow right up to the rule limit. At the same time IOR heavily penalized main sail size, so main sails got smaller. The effect of this rule is that masts moved backwards the J got bigger, booms got smaller, and so you wound up with heavily distorted sail plans.

It's bad enough that boats designed to the rule followed this trend, but cruising boats went along for the ride.

Today's race rules typically rate a boat based on total sail area without regard for where it is located so there has been a steady move towards large mains, and smaller minimally overlapping jibs or non-overlapping jibs. Simply because large mains are far more efficient per square foot than jibs are.

The downside to this move is that it leaves the boat lacking upwind power, particularly in chop. Which is why Code zero's were designed, to add horsepower at low wind speeds when maximum sail area is critically important.
 
#14 ·
Sail plan design is so twisted by racing rules, and the cruising boat designers that follow the trends it's hard to discuss sail plans without understanding the historic rules. Due to a rule set by the IOR overlapping headsails were not penalized, so up to a 150% J length jib was considered free sail area. This obviously pushed headsails to grow right up to the rule limit. At the same time IOR heavily penalized main sail size, so main sails got smaller. The effect of this rule is that masts moved backwards the J got bigger, booms got smaller, and so you wound up with heavily distorted sail plans. It's bad enough that boats designed to the rule followed this trend, but cruising boats went along for the ride. Today's race rules typically rate a boat based on total sail area without regard for where it is located so there has been a steady move towards large mains, and smaller minimally overlapping jibs or non-overlapping jibs. Simply because large mains are far more efficient per square foot than jibs are. The downside to this move is that it leaves the boat lacking upwind power, particularly in chop. Which is why Code zero's were designed, to add horsepower at low wind speeds when maximum sail area is critically important.
Great post. Answered many questions I’ve had for a while. Thanks!
 
#11 · (Edited)
Here on the Southeast Coast, we use our boats all year long, with the best sailing conditions during the fall, winter and early spring. Great sailing can be had during a cold front's entry and exit thru the area. Wind is from the western quadrant with speeds a blustery 20 to 50 mph. As we all know the modern roller-furler's sail shape in the semi-furled condition is sadly deficient. I went to a local sail maker, who with the aid of several photos of my boat at dock with the sails up, and a computer program, designed for the boat what is essentially a Solent rigged, 85% boomed high clewed, high cut, hanked on staysail with two sets of reef points. The aft end of the staysail boom is approx. 3 ft. forward of the main mast. This rig is set up in the fall and removed in late spring. Adding two sets of reefs points to my mizzen completed my high wind requirements. The self-tacking requirements were necessary due to the narrow creeks and rivers that have to be negotiated in these areas. When you're short-tacking up a mile of shallow 90 ft. wide tidal creek, a missed tack is not something you want to happen.
 
#12 ·
This discussion is of great interest to me, as we just bought a Freedom 40/40 with a self-tacking 95% jib. We have sailed her for only a few days, beating into the (mostly light) wind all the way down from Maine, so I'm just learning how to get the most out of the rig and how to handle it properly.

The jib is hanked-on and fullly battened, with a camberspar that's not at the foot of the sail (which is high cut), but a bit higher, and on a traveler which is located on a raised bridge that straddles the front of the cabin. When tacking, the end of the camberspar tends to hit the carbon mast, leaving marks. It also hit me once when I was up on mast steps trying to get the head of the main all the way down for stowing, leaving marks on my legs. Ouch!

That said, tacking is fun, as you don't have to worry about anything, just turn the wheel. The main is YUGE, fully battened and with a full roach, a mylar composite. It must weigh close to 150-200 lbs and I think its S/A is over 650 ft.
However, when raised, the bottom part of the luff (roughly the area between the boom and second to last car) still has quite a bit of slack in it. I think the sail is all the way up, but I'm afraid to try raise it the last few inches as the halyard is already under a lot of strain, and the line clutch and the electric winch are creaking ominously.

I know there are some Freedom 40/40 owners on this forum, as well as general sailing experts, so any tips on how to deal with these issues and how to maximize the efficiency of the rig would be greatly appreciated!
 
#13 ·
My Cal is a masthead sloop with hank on sails, I have a furler for lazy nice weather 100% I find that in ruff conditions it will fail to close and has to be dropped. So my boom sail is the way to go in the ruff weather, 75% hanked on sail with a boom attached to the deck. Easy to sail and when dropped stays on deck, no trouble and easy to single hand! For real sailing Hank on a 170 % and go!..Dale
 
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