Self-tacking jib

[heyross]

I would like to put a self-tacking jib for No.3 and No.4 making single handed sailing easier.
The big loss with a self-tacking jib is that it is almost impossible to move the jib cars fore and aft to de-power or power up the rig. With varying winds I can end up moving the jib cars almost two feet to suit the conditions.

I find it really makes a difference to my yacht (Pabati - pronounced PARBARTEE which is Zulu for Chieftan's canoe).

The only solution I can see is to run one track for the self-tacking jib. This would have one sheet and a set of blocks to a jammer in the cockpit. This can be pulled on and released at any time. I would then run a set of normal jib leads to outer cars located at either end of the self-tacking track. These outer cars would run a track at 90 degrees to the self-tacking track enabling the jib cars to move forward and aft.

On port tack this would involve:
-port jib sheet pulled on
-place the starboard outer jib car in its position
-tighten self-tacking sheet to similar tension as port jib sheet
-release port jib sheet
-tack with pressure still in jib
-on new tack jib is still under pressure
-tighten starboard jib sheet to similar tension as self-tacking sheet
-release self-tacking sheet so jib is pulling from relocated jib car

Not too difficult but surely there must be a simpler way!
Any suggestions?

Many thanks!
Ross

[Faster]

Self tackers are usually on an athwarship track, traveller style, often curved to maintain sheet tension with track position changes. If you had the single jib sheet plus the block on an adjustable line you could raise/lower the block relative to the track to effectively change the jib lead position.

Depending on the height of the jib traveller, you may need to consider clew height to give you a good effective range of adjustment, but otherwise this would leave you with one selftacking sheet led aft, plus one block adjuster led aft beside it. In this case I think you could get away with track stops rather than a mainsheet-style traveller adjusting tackle.

[RichH]

Consider a 'clubfoot' or (better) a "Hoyt Boom" .... requires NO fairleads just an athwartship 'track'.
http://www.forespar.com/pdf/hoytJibBoom.pdf

The Hoyt Boom doesnt require a 'vang'. The clubfoot needs a vang to prevent the clew from rising when on a reach when the boom in outboard from the centerline.

:-)

[heyross]

Many thanks for your ideas! The Hoyt Boom sounds great but I should have mentioned that not only do my wife and I cruise but we also race the boat and have a #1 with 150% overlap and a #2 with a 120% overlap. These are crucial sails in light weather especially when racing. If the Hoyt Boom was easily detachable and easy to store I might have a solution.

Thanks again. Fair winds!
Ross

[Liquorice]

You need one of these:
http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/...r/DSCN8674.JPG

[heyross]

Thanks Liquorice! Love the "Tardis". Can you give me a bit more detail on how the bloody thing works.

Ross

[heyross]

Liquorice, I just shortened the search to http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/self-tacking-jib and saw the other photos. It still doesn't allow for the repositioning of the jib cars along the boat. Even still, many thanks for the advice.

Ross

[sailak]

A boat here in Seward with a self-tacker is setup so that the entire traveler track can be adjusted fore and aft.