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Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Self tacking jib

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michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/10/2010 : 08:54:34

Since I singlehand most of the time I have gotten interested in the concept of a self tacking jib arrangement. Can you set one of these up with a 110 headsail if you don't have a furler? Thanks.

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PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2010 : 09:55:47

I singlehand a lot too. But, unless you have a lot of short tacking to do the efficiency trade off is probably not worth it. River sailors are the ones who find it really handy. Maybe someone with that set up on the Sacramento River will chime in with some info. I would guess that it would work better with a 100% or smaller.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2010 : 11:54:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by PZell
 ...I would guess that it would work better with a 100% or smaller.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Yup. The typical self-tacking arrangement uses a club-footed sail, meaning a small boom from the stem fitting (or some other attachment at the bow). An out-haul to the boom end tensions the foot, while the sheet pulls the boom straight down to flatten the leech. The boom has to be able to swing past the mast on a tack, so you end up with, in effect, a blade jib. It can be rigged without the club-boom, but sail shape suffers because of the sheet angle. I have never seen a successful setup with an overlapping sail.

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aeckhart
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1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2010 : 07:50:07

And, since the dominent power-producing sail on the C25 is the gib/genoa, a blade sail hardly makes sense.

I single hand exlusively and find that the only genoa problem I have is setting the sail properly after a tack, especially when the breeze is above 12 knots with anything over a 110. It takes a little practice to execute the tack and quickly reset the genny on the new course. It is doable however by cross-sheeting the jib sheet so that you can use the windward (high side)winch.

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Tim M
1st Mate

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60 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2010 : 14:53:05

Dave is right on in that for a self-tacking sail to work it would have to be specially cut and would be smaller than a standard working jib. On a larger boat with bigger sails - less jib dependent - and wider decks for a transverse track to enable better sail shape, they work a bit better. But on our smaller boats, a jib specially cut for it would be fairly inefficient for any sailing other than something between forward of a beam reach (90 deg. to the wind) and close-hauled (45 deg. to the wind) on a windy day. If your sailing is mostly just back and forth on the bay for the afternoon then this is maybe not a problem. But for single-handed sailing using as much sail as is practically possible, I really like Al's idea of cross sheeting to the windward winch. That is a great idea and something I have not tried. Also the installation of a cam cleat near each winch is a good idea in general and essential for single-handing. Our boat came with a standard dock cleat mounted near each winch - really not suitable for single-handing and not all that safe in general.

Edited by - Tim M on 10/14/2010 15:57:13

buzzardsolo
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2010 : 18:50:30

The October 2010 issue of SAIL magazine has a nice article regarding self-tacking headsail options (pg. 34).

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2010 : 06:19:02

Tim,

I have also given up on tying off my jib sheet on the cleats. Not practical single handing, even when cross sheeting. Instead I wrap the sheet around the base of the cleat horns, essentialy making it a jamb cleat. One wrap generally suffices to hold the sheet in most wind conditions.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2010 : 06:57:45

Al,

That's funny, because after learning about cross-sheeting from discussions on this Forum, I've been happy to use it a lot when single-handing in strong winds, but I find that 3 or 4 wraps are needed to keep the sheet from slipping around the horn cleat.

So if I'm really stressed by gusts or strong winds during a tack, I wrap the sheet maybe 3 times, hold the running end until I get comfortable heeled over on the new course and get set on my seat and back cushions, with my feet up on the opposite cushion, then make an overhand loop around the cleat on top of the 3 wraps.

My sheets are 3/8" sta-set and might slip more than your sheets on the standard horn cleat.

The wraps around the horn cleat are very fast to complete, and take most of the worry out of tacking in high winds.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2010 : 07:42:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by aeckhart
 Tim,

I have also given up on tying off my jib sheet on the cleats. Not practical single handing, even when cross sheeting. Instead I wrap the sheet around the base of the cleat horns, essentialy making it a jamb cleat. One wrap generally suffices to hold the sheet in most wind conditions.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The problem with cleating the jibsheet fast to a horn cleat is that it takes too much time to uncleat it when heeling too much in a strong gust. It's too bad Catalina put horn cleats on the boats originally. My C&C has jamb cleats, and, as you point out, Al, it's very functional for a singlehander - a quick wrap cleats and uncleats the sheet. If I still had my C25, I'd replace the horn cleats with jamb cleats.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 10/15/2010 07:43:58

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2010 : 09:48:54

I agree that jamb cleats would be better but then, I also use them to secure spring lines. I'm satisfied that one, maybe two wraps around the base of the cleat, jambing the sheet under the horns, is a good alternative. I don't think I can get three wraps under the horns and I don't use the traditional cleat tie, just the wraps.

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