tacking problems on a cutter

[lmonson]

Hi, I am a new sailor and have just bought a 41' Islander. I have previously only sailed sloops and I am having trouble squeezing thenJib between the Jibstay and Forestay when I tack or Jibe. I have to go foreward and loosen it and push it over manually.
Any tips greatly appreciated.
Laurel

[Faster]

Deliberately backwinding the sail during the tack will help "blow it by" obstructions like the inner headstay or a babystay. By that I mean don't release the sheet on the tack till the sail fills on the new side.

Another technique used by some (with furlers) is to partially furl the sail before tacking. OK offshore perhaps but a pain on a nice afternoon upwind leg.

Making your sheet bowlines or shackles as compact as possible can help avoid hangups too.

Getting a technique down that works is probably all it will take for you to resolve this problem.

[jr438234606]

I have a 44' cutter and this too drives me nuts. I'm thinking about putting a cover on the inner stay like are on the shrouds now. This way, the jib sheet will have less friction while trying to pull the sail through. Has anyone else ever done that? Would it help?

[Surfesq]

Faster is absolutely correct. On a Cutter Rig, you have to backwind the jib when you come about you will find that jib pulls through more easily.
So what this means is that your start to come about and do not release the jib. Instead allow the wind to blow the boat around. Just as you reach the point where you have completed the tack, release the sheet and winch it in on other side. It should pop right through.

[Faster]

JR:

A cover such as you describe would indeed solve the hangups during tacks, but wouldn't it interfere with the hanks on your staysail? If not, go ahead.
A thought: Rather than buy the thin "turnbuckle covers", remove the stay and slide a 3 - 4 foot long piece of 2" black ABS pipe over it then reattach. It visually shows up less than a white cover, the longer length and larger diameter works even better. (you can clean off the factory markings with solvent or sand it off)

[jr438234606]

Faster: It's true, I would have to remove the cover in order to use the staysail. Since I primarily just use the Main and the Jib, maybe a cover would work. But, I wouldn't want to have to do surgery to remove the cover in order to hank on the staysail when I DID want to use it. My inner stay is removable, but I have no place to put it once i remove it; so it's inconvenient and I tend not to remove it. It bangs around all over the place. I've tried lashing it down a hundred different ways, but the loose stay still bangs around along the length of the mast.

This is why I've been considering a cover. Maybe someone could describe the best way to secure this beast and I could forget this silly cover idea.

[Faster]

JR: Maybe as a temporary trial you could take that piece of plastic pipe and slit it lengthwise, snap it on your stay, and tape it in place. See if that deals with your hangups, and take it from there. If it's temporary that might be good enough. Remove it on the rare occasions you use the staysail.

[TrueBlue]

I have found that after wrapping shroud covers (the slit type by Davis) over my inner forestay, my genoa doesn't hang up as much when tacking or jibing.

I have this problem mostly in lighter winds, which sometimes requires furling the headsail partway with the control line, prior to winching in the leeward sheet. Since I solo-sail quite often and my winches aren't self-tailing, this is when I wish I had four arms.

[T34C]

Rigging only offers a "storage plate" for your inner forestay when not attached. Never tried it, but might be worth a look.

[Rockter]

Imo...

Welcome to cutters.

A big jib really hangs up all the time, and I roll it up each time. Even then, the flailing lines still get caught up often.

It must be difficult if you haven't got a roller.