We used one for a while on our first boat, a Shark 24... It is helpful to claw down the sail from the cockpit but it will do little to keep the rest of the sail on deck.. esp dousing downwind. Best used head-to-wind so that the entire sail falls on deck (and hopefully inside the lifelines)

You also want to use a line that is not prone to kinking and provide a clean run (and remember to untie/release ) it so it won't interfere with the hoist..

 

Faster, simple Life line webbing was suggested to solve that problem. Did it bring the jib down with out too much trouble? This couple is pretty nervous. Season is almost over here so it's not that important now. but I'd like to help him this winter.

 

Just remember, don't tie the line to the head of the sail, just to the hanks... starting at the top one. If you tie it to the head of the sail, that can cause the sail to get stuck when the head of the sail twists as you pull down on it.

I'd recommend using something like 1/8" line for the downhaul.

 

I used either 1/8" or 3/16" for my jib downhaul. What I found helpful is to not run the line through the hanks; when the lower part of the jib falls, it'll pinch the line and make it hard, or even impossible, to pull down the rest of the sail.

What works best for me is to put the last turning block right at the base of the forestay and run the downhaul line parallel to it up to the next-to-last hank on the jib, and attach the line to that. When I drop the main I always turn into the wind, use the sheets to pull the jib's clew to the center of the boat and cleat it there, then pop the jib halyard and haul away on the downhaul.

Works great.

 

Buy a number of Dutchman Sail Flaking System gomets and have them set in the sail in a straight line from the head to a point along the foot, about one-third of the way aft of the tack. Then attach a 1/8" line to the head of the sail and pass it through the gromets, alternating from side to side to the foot. Pass the line through a small block which is itself shackled to a small pad-eye in the center of the fore-deck. Run the line aft and leave enough slack to allow the sail set on a broad reach or run. With the down-haul loose it will have no appreciable effect on the set of the sail.

When you're ready to "furl", turn head to wind (roughly), tighten the sheets, cast off the jib halyard and haul in the down haul. The sail will collect itself in the center of the foredeck, hands free.

FWIW...

 

What works best for me is to put the last turning block right at the base of the forestay and run the downhaul line parallel to it up to the next-to-last hank on the jib, and attach the line to that. When I drop the main I always turn into the wind, use the sheets to pull the jib's clew to the center of the boat and cleat it there, then pop the jib halyard and haul away on the downhaul.

Cool. That would probably work better on my new boat. Trying to get used to not having roller furling. I had problems with the downhaul getting pinched under the fallling sail. That should work. I need to go sailing now...

 

I might be misunderstanding what you are all talking about regarding threading the line through the hanks or even grommets..wouldn’t that mean you would have to remove the line and re-thread every time you wanted to put the sail away?
I have a San Juan 7.7 (26ft). I rigged up a 1/8 inch line from the cockpit that threads through turning blocks attached to each station and then through another block just aft of the forestay. I added a snap shackle to the business end of the line and after hanking on, I clip the connection to the halyard and haul away. When it’s time to haul down, I point into the wind, tighten the sheets and release the halyard while gathering in the cockpit end of the downhaul line. Works like a charm for me.

 

I would add a recommendation that you use the same sort of line for your downhaul that you would for your halyard: low-stretch. I have only rigged a downhaul once but I did it with braided nylon line and ended up doing 50% more work to bring the jib down than should have been necessary. This was in about 30 kt; maybe it's not as big of a deal in lighter winds.

 

Hey

I use a downhaul on my 26 footer and love it. My setup is as follows,

- The downhaul is attached to the end of the jib halyard, where it connects to the jib.
- I have 4 SS rings about 1 inch in dia that the forestay passes thru, when the boat is at dock, when no jib is set, they collect at the bottom of the fore stay.
- The down-haul comes forward along the side deck, passes thru a pulley secured to the base of the bow and passes up thru the rings as well.
- When I hank on the sail I set the first 2 hanks and then slide the top ring up the forestay.
- The next two hanks are set below the first ring so that the ring sits between the 2'nd and 3'rd hank.
- Another ring is slide up the forestay then two more hanks are set.
- Continue to set all hanks sliding a ring up the forestay after every two hanks are set.

When the sail is hauled up the down-haul is held relatively tight to the forestay by the rings.

When setting the hanks you will find that the down haul runs parallel to the forestay and you should always set the hank so that the down-haul sits always to port or starboard as you connect the hank, I make a habit of connecting the hank with the down-haul to port.

SD mentioned connecting the down-haul below the top of the jib to the first hank. I don't currently do this but have been thinking about changing my setup a bit. As SD mentioned I have had issues with the down-haul wrapping around the forestay if the head of the sail twists around the stay before being raised. Very seldom but it has happened.

My thinking is that I am going to add a 5'th ring and connect the down-haul to the top ring.

When lowering the jib, point the boat into the wind, haul the jib down and cleat off the down-haul the jib sits quite nicely on the foredeck.

Not sure if I have done a great job of describing my setup perhaps other can jump in if they have a similar setup.

John

 

I had a small block near the tack point and a standard hank attached to a 3/16 line. I'd attach the sail in the normal fashion then attach the downhaul hank above the second or third hank of the sail. When the sail was raised the downhaul followed up the forestay.
This setup was particularly nice when changing headsails, no extra threading or such.

 

I use a downhaul on my C&C 30. It keeps me from having to leave the cockpit to douse the jib, which is handy when singlehanding, especially in rough weather. It doesn't need to be complicated. A 1/8" line is large enough. From the bow, it runs through a block at the base of the headstay then to a block along the toerail just forward of the mast (like a roller furler would use), then back to the cockpit. I mounted a small nylon cleat to a stanchion beside the cockpit with wire ties, and I use the cleat to secure it when I've hauled it in. I tie the aft end to the base of the stanchion so it can't go anywhere. Sailingdog is right (as usual)-- tie the forward end to the topmost hank, not to the head of the sail or halyard, or the sail can jam as it is brought down (it puts a funny angle on the hanks and they bind on the headstay). I do not weave it in and out thru the hanks as I've seen described in some places as this also caused jamming- just too much friction. I just attach the bottom half of the hanks on the headstay, leaving the downhaul line on the same side of those hanks, then attach the upper hanks onto the headstay with the downhaul on the other side of the hanks.
Watch when you haul it in not to let it go over the side and get into the prop.
When I remove the jib I tie the downhaul temporarily to the halyard.

 

I had the end of the downhaul attached to the end of the halyard (actually, the downhaul WAS the halyard tail...). A short piece of smaller line would go through the top hank, with a knot to make the pull on the top hank, and not the head. This was on a Montgomery 17 that I had back then. worked great all of the time (especially after I added the knot).