dousing a hanked jib

[terryny]

I sail a 23'' O''Day with a hanked jib. When the wind picks up I often like to just drop the jib and sail with the main. When I come into the harbor to pick up my mooring I also like to keep the main up in case the outboard stalls but I want the jib down so I can see where I am going. Also it''s no fun having a wildly luffing jib up. If I have crew I usually turn into a run or a broad reach an let someone go forward to pull pull the jib down. What is the best way to do this when alone? Is it safe to tie down the tiller on a run and leave it untended while I go forward? Is it better to try a "Rod-Stop" with the boom out to leeward on a preventer. This, if I understand it properly, leaves the beam exposed to the waves and would permit considerable rolling. In a heave to position dropping the jib while backed seems difficult. What is the best way to do this?

[jim.mcmillan]

I was always taught where possible to drop the sails when headed into the wind that way they at least fall into the boat.When sailing my 30'' boat s/h (which has a large m/h genoa)I luff almost to the wind,ease the sheet to take strain off luff and assuming you have halyard to hand drop it.Most of it lands on deck.Make fast the sheet to hold the jib on deck,nip forward with a tie and remove the halyard to prevent it pulling the sail up again.Usually works unless its blowing so hard you should not be out there anyway...Jim

[paulk]

Tying off the tiller while you bounce around on (or off) the foredeck can have bad results. The safest thing to do might be to rig a downhaul for the jib. With a line attached to the halyard shackle and led through a block at the tack fitting and then aft to the cockpit, you should be able to throw off the halyard and then pull the jib down without leaving the cockpit. You might be able to use the downhaul line to hold the lowered jib in place on deck by lifting your end of the line over the bunched sail and then hooking the line under a guy hook or other fitting further aft, before cleating it off. You''ll have to figure out where the hooks would need to go, but it''s a lot safer than wonderding how long you can tread water while the boat sails on.

[sailsa27]

Amen on the idea of installing a downhaul. Sounds like the perfect answer for the single-handed sailor. Although I have a roller-furled jib (also an option), I have a downhaul on the main on my Newport 27 so as to avoid the walk to the mast on those blowy, choppy days.

[Jeff_H]

Maybe this looks like a pile on but I am a strong believer in jib downhauls with hank on jibs. Besides it sure makes life easy to be able to just let go of the halyard and know it won''t go up the mast. Also, if you must leave the helm, its better to put the boat on a beat or hove to. Most boats will short tack upwind with only the mainsail sheeted. If you want to stay put, and don''t plan to drop the jib, its pretty easy to hove to. I hove to to make lunch or use the head. (unless its light winds and there''s no one around at which point I put the boat on a close reach or beat.

Jeff

[TeAnuanua]

When I had my Catalina 25, I ran a small line tied to the head with a bowline through all the hanks, througha block at the baase and back to cokpit, release halyard and pull and sail comes down till you can tame it later

[MikeMoss]

While I am not sure where and how you use the boat I would get a tiller pilot. They really don''t use much power at all and make single handing a joy.

You can call up Navico or Autohelm and ask for a refurbished one and get a really good model that way at a big discount.

The way to use it is to sheet the jib in really hard and then steer the boat (with the autopilot or crew) so that the sail will drop inside the lifelines (if you have lifelines). If not steer a little higher and drop it closer to the center.

While the boat motors into the wind on autopilot you go forward and let the halyard out a little at a time as the sail stacks inside the lifelines. once it is down there most sails even deck sweapers will stay there with a little help. Some boats rig light lines on the lifelines to keep the sail inside.

Yea, get a autopilot. Then you can get yourself food while the boat sails. What''s better than that?

[Joker919]

Sorry for posting os late but this one enterests me.

I sail a J22 on Barneget bay and was challenged with this issure last year when my wife decided to take a nap. I leanned that as long as you are in light winds alls you have to do is head hard up wind, trim/over trim the main, cleat the main sheet, ease the jib, drop the tiller, drop the jib halyard, then go forward and pull the jib down. As long as the jib sheets are eased and not completly dropped, the jib should stay put until you pull it down. The tiller will tack back and forth autometically in due the main''s position. The boat will tack a few time and make verry little head way. I''v never done this in anytning over about 10 kt''s of wind but I''ll bet it will work up to about 18 Kt.

[patrick303]

I have a hanked jib on my Rhodes 19, which I lower under way when approaching the mooring.(I have no motor). I agree that the best way to douse it is to head up, cleat the main sheet hard, and go forward. This works in up to 15 -18 kts. The boat is "almost " in irons, so you don''t go very far. Give yourself some room anyway. I hurry forward, jib halyard in my left hand, an pull in the sail as it comes down. I wrap it in the sheets, tie around a cleat, crawl back to the mast and tie off the halyard. All set until I''m moored. Works every time - except on the days it doesn''t!

[Headman]

Terry,
This is so late you may never read it, but here goes anyway.
I singlehanded a 24 Columbia for two years cruising nearly 5000 miles. I tried the downhaul routine and had limited success. The downhaul line would hang-up occasionally when raising the sail, and with all the stuff I had onboard for cruising, it always seemed to be underfoot or rolling out from under foot is more like it. So, I took it off.
The safest way to lower the headsail on any vessel that is being sailed short-handed is to heave-to. With the head sail backwinded, ease the sheet enough to allow the sail to come down. Now you have a stable platform to go forward, pull down the sail, tie it to the lifelines with lines that are tied there just for this purpose, and walk back to the cockpit.
The sheets aren''t flogging. The clew isn''t trying to bean you. And, it isn''t nearly as noisy.
Tom S.