Reefing the Jib

[OutnBacker]

Alright, I'm ready for the inevitable suggestions that I go roller furler, but I've ruled that out for now. I need to take the boat, a 22, home with me and I don't want to add complexity when setting up and breaking down the rig for travel. Plus, I'm working with what I have instead of whipping out the credit card ....for now.

I have seen the old style jibs with the standard reef lines, and they work well for most situations, but my headsails don't have the cringles. I could install them along with the required reinforcing, but let's consider the following.

The Norse and other medieval sailors would simply gather the clews of their square sails together and then twist the sail, creating a reduced lateen of sorts. In looking at their efforts, I have an idea that I haven't seen in searching the web:

Why not reef the jib, which is a lateen, by gathering in the top. By using 1/4" lines, about 10" long run thru the hanks, I could simply bundle the cloth to the forestay as I would the boom when reefing the main, thus reducing the top of the sail without changing its shape much. It would also lift the clew somewhat, reducing that area as well and allowing wind to pass under. I would think that two or three hanks might be sufficient for quick and dirty reefing on the fly.

Well? Your thoughts, gentlemen. Heckling, snickering and violent rebuttal are welcome.

John aka OutnBacker

[EmergencyExit]

Interesting thought ! Only input I can come up with is wondering how much would you have to reef from the head of the sail to be the same reduction as reefing from the foot..

If the sail had a foot length of 10', then furling 12" down there reduces sail by about 10 sf. So that's a lot you'd need to reduce at the pointy end..

You also might modify this DIY headsail furl to only pinch the top 1/3 of the jib..

http://www.widgetsailor.com/myboat/downhaul/index.html

Likely the main issue is going to be how bad it screws the sail shape up...

[OutnBacker]

Good for dumping wind fast. There is a similar system in use on other small wooden sailboats for the main when there is no jib. What I'm thinking of is what you do if you don't have a full suit to choose from and you're still at the dock. And I agree that taking cloth from the top is not going to be as effective in reducing area as rolling up the foot. Still, it reduces height and you could always go to the next hank dwon.

I should have tried it yesterday when I was out and the wind was up a bit. Maybe next time, but it'll be at least two weeks before I'll be out in my boat again. There is another boat I'll be crewing on for a race this saturday so some practice is in order on that boat, which is much bigger than mine.

[CaptainScott]

Hey John,
What is the over all goal here?

Are you looking to sail in heavier winds than your standard 110 can handle? Or are looking for the safety and spilling wind in gusts?

The reason I ask, the standard method of spilling wind in a gust is to simply loosen the jib sheet. However you already know that. There is more relief to be had if you are sailing with your smallest jib and know the breeze is a little much then you can move your blocks the jib sheet goes through at the toe rail aft. This will allow twist in the sail at the top effectively spilling more wind and power. Also flattens the boat in the water!

If you are sailing in winds that are still to much, reefing the jib is affective however can the sail material handle the larger winds that what it is not likely designed for?

IF the wind is THAT breezy, then I'd be looking for a quick and simple down haul system to drop your jib flat on the deck. Just sayin'!

FWIW a lateen sail is a triagular sail with a boom at the foot and a gaff on top or at the luff. Picture a sunfish!


However if you are going to make a reefing JIB, take note and photos along the way! I'm sure we'll all be watching to see how well it works so we can copy you!

Scott

[OutnBacker]

Thanks for chiming in here, Scott.

I didn't go far enough in identifying the classic lateen, as used in the Mediterrainean and Arabian seas centuries ago. From what I've read, pretty much all triangular sails used today are descended from those early lateens. The Arabs figured out how to sail upwind before Europeans and commonly sailed much further from home. The oars on their galleys were only used when there was no wind, and for manuever in combat. Rumor has it that the Portugese, no slouches at sailing, established their colonies in Macao and Goa, India because once they got there, they couldn't sail back, due to the bulbous ships with square sails. So, they just waited for other ships to arrive and then moved in. They eventually returned to Portugal in lateen driven ships. Another effective up-winder was the felluca, seen on Egyptian river scows, sailing upwind and against the current.

I think those little lateens we see on canoes are yet other versions of the original and are sparred at the foot just to keep them from flapping about too much and to add a measure of control in a very narrow craft with just one sheet and halyard.

My thinking in asking about this whole thing is that I don't have a smaller jib than the 110, and I was just theorising on another way to reef such a sail in case of need. But yes, after all is thought through, I'd probably just pull it down if it got scary. Being new to this, I scare easy.

To wit:

Saturday, Jeff and I were out and I had the 110 up to start. Very little wind. So, we put up the big one, 135 maybe, I don't know. In about five minutes, the wind started shootin down from Camano from the WNW and we were flying - and I was crying. We should have left the smaller jib up IMO, because the boat has issues relating to worn out turnbuckles at the shrouds, meaning they cannot be adjusted well enough. In the chop, I could clearly see daylight under the weather side of the mast foot, opening and closing. You could slide a credit card or two in there. In view of all that, I like your comment on flattening the boat in the water. She was over to the 20degree mark where "they" say she should stiffen. I prefer a more level playing field, or more meat on the rails.

Last year, with my 18ft open sailer, I put in a downhaul line that did allow me to pull it down solo. Rudimentary, but it worked.

[windnutlarry]

From a safety standpoint any loose sail must be secured, and securing the top of the jib would be really difficult. Any unsecured sail would become a twisted ball of dacron and line in short order. I've been sailing an American Fiberglass17 2+2 this summer while working on the C22, and have it equipped with a Gerr downhaul because it has a small foredeck and no front hatch. The Gerr system incorporates a brailing line to draw the sail up to the forestay, then down to the bow. It's all or nothing, but it allows you to raise the jib again if you want. Details and video available online.

[OutnBacker]

In retrospect, my question was a bit out there. But, as newbie to "real" sailboats, rather than backyard canoe trimaran conversions, it had to asked. The Gerr downhaul is pretty cool.