Best way to rig short sails?

jaschrumpf · #1 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007

The 1975 Newport 28 I bought in April of this year (my first boat) came with what the PO described as a "working jib" and a genny. However, neither of them are fully-cut for the forestay and neither reach the top when raised. The boat came with what I'm calling an "extension" for the tack, which is a 1' piece of 1/4" steel cable, like the forestay only a bit smaller diameter.

Leaving aside getting new sails for the moment, would it be better to get a longer extension so that the sails can be raised higher and closer to the masthead, or keep them down closer to the deck?

What would be the advantages and disadvantages of either? I can already tell that using a longer extension would let me see under the sails much better, but are there other considerations of which I am unaware?

Thanks!

T34C · #2 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007

Are you using a roller furler, or hanked on sails?

deniseO30 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007

My Oday 30 came with a working jib that had what I call a "choker" We removed so we could raise/lower it on the luff track. I think the reasoning is working jibs and smaller are lower because they are for heavier air conditions.

jaschrumpf · #4 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by T34C

Are you using a roller furler, or hanked on sails?

They're hanked on. Would it be possible to have an extension like mine with roller furling? It would seem like the cable would just twist when you tried to wind it up.

Tartan34C · #5 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007

It sounds like you are talking about a tack pennant. It’s not that uncommon in offshore boats and it’s designed to keep the foot of the sail high enough so that it won’t catch a wave during bad weather and it is easer to see under the sail with the foot raised up a bit. The problem with having a headsail going all the way to the top of a headstay is that it disturbs the airflow on the main. I don’t think you will see many headsails that do go 100% of the heradstay because of that. In daysailors and racers a deck sweeper is considered advantages because of the end effect the deck provides to the airfoil. This makes the lower part of the sail more effective and you get more horsepower per square foot then if the sail ended farther away from the deck. You also get more area so the combination of increased efficiency and added area appeals to racers. If it were my boat I would have the tack pennant so that the headsail didn’t rub on the lifelines and I could see under the sail. How high you go with the head is up to you but keep in mind the disturbed air on the mainsail if you go to high. Also keep in mind that the higher the sail is the farther aft the sheet needs to be. Don’t go up so much that you can’t trim the sail correctly
All the best,
Robert Gainer

sailingfool · #6 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaschrumpf

They're hanked on. Would it be possible to have an extension like mine with roller furling? It would seem like the cable would just twist when you tried to wind it up.

You can have, and in fact need to have, a head pennant on a short luff jib with roller furling. The pennant should be long enough so the halyard goes to full hoist. the trick is that the pennant needs to have luff tape sewn to it so ithe wire is connected to the luff foil. The full hoist ensures the proper halyard pull angle for the top swivel of the furling system.

jaschrumpf · #7 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007

The tack pennant is 30" long and allows the foot of the sail to just clear the pulpit and lifelines, but still keeps the head about two or three feet short of the top of the forestay. I can see under it just fine from the tiller, so I guess it's at about the proper height.

Thanks for all the advice on this!