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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Pros and Cons of self tacking jib

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/07/2004 : 14:26:13

I'm looking at Harken's offering for the self tacking jib set up, because I'd like to be able to sail Swimmer single handed. I'm wondering if anyone else here has tried a similiar arrangement and can tell me what their experiences have been.

Thank you.

Rick

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2004 : 17:09:20

I don't have any hands on experience but hee are my thoughts.

Seems to me that you would loose a lot of head sail area because you would have to use a sail at or less-than a 100% jib. Add in the cost of the spar (if you opt for one), reducing the size of your 110 genny and hardware, and you may as well buy roller furling ($560 for CDI w/bearings, $650 for Scaffer Snap Furl). I don't know what it would be like to reduce sail in a breeze but I'll bet it's a chore if it can be done at all. Also, I don't believe there is enough room on the coach roof to allow a long enough track enabling you to adjust sail shape.

I've put a lot of addtional hardware on GALLIVANT over the years but thid is one modification I wouldn't put it on.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2004 : 17:28:52

Self tacking jibs are usually used in situations where much of your sailing
may be short tacking and single handed. River sailors often go for that configuration. The trade off for efficiency a la regular jib or roller furler is less energy needed to run the boat.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2004 : 17:49:03

NO
Rick, you own a racing boat, a furler is all the compromise you should consider. Tacking 25 ft boats is nothing. I will admit to some pretty funny tacks while trying to film myself tacking one handed in medium high winds, but with two hands it is nothing. I am nearly always alone. My sig pict is a typical sail.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2004 : 20:55:22

'bout everything said above is true.

I had a self-tacking staysail on my cutter rigged V-23 and loved it for shorthanding on blustery days. It was a real luxury have the flexibility of that cutter rig... I wish the C25 had one.

You could leave the jib down and you've reduced headsail area and moved the center of effort closer to the mast... better than reefing. With self-tacking you could pay full attention to your driving and trim.

All that said, to get an EFFECTIVE self-tacker, you pretty much need to have a boat that 'naturally' lends itself to such a setup. This means the proper relationship of mast, sidestays, forestay & etc. I haven't looked at a Capri foredeck in awhile so I couldn't comment on that part offhand...

My C25 came out of the Sacremento river delta and the PO's had fitted a self-tacker that included a curved track with a Harken car... they had also relocated the forward lowers a bit aft to provide more clearance for the sail. By my eye, it didn't look like it would really work out all that well... so I took it off. Maybe I'll put it back on and give it a try someday.

IMHO, with a bit of practice, you should be able to single hand your Capri comfortably up to the high teens or so... beyond that point, things can happen quickly and you may be better off under main alone until you become an expert sailor. A roller-reefing headsail will probably be a great asset for comfortable single handing... as will adding jiffy reefing on the main.

Edited by - on

David Scott
1st Mate

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USA
74 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2004 : 23:16:31

I have had two boats with a self tending jibs and eventually eliminated them. One problem is safety on the bow when some one is moving forward. It can knock crew overboard or injure them if the captain does a jibe or comes about abruptly. Secondly, on a cruising boat the forward deck can be a great place to stow an inflatible dinghy.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2004 : 23:55:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by existentialsailor
 I'm looking at Harken's offering for the self tacking jib set up, because I'd like to be able to sail Swimmer single handed...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've been sailing singlehanded since basically day one and, for me, the best thing I've added to help me out is an autopilot...although if I had to give up either my roller furling or the autopilot, I think I'd keep the furler.

Edited by - dlucier on 12/08/2004 02:14:59

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2004 : 09:41:04

Thanks for all the input folks.

It would appear my money would be better spent on sailing lessons in this case.

Anyone need enthusiastic, but inexperienced crew this winter? :)

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2004 : 09:42:47

$$$$$, lots of holes in the deck, compromised sail choices/sizes, busted knee caps, did I mention $$$? On a cutter with a big foredeck, yes. On a 25-250 no.

Make it so you can work both sheets standing with the tiller between your legs, and then can crank the final inches sitting with the tiller in one hand and the winch handle in the other, this calls for a good sized self-tailing winch....$$$$$

Oh well....

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618)
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL

"Hindsight is 20/20, if I knew then what I know now, I would now be living on a small wooden sailboat, making a few bucks here and there playing a guitar and singing songs in bars."

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2004 : 09:52:02

Check out the Alerion express 28 with self tacking jib. Sweet!!

http://www.alerionexpress28.com/home.html

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2004 : 22:23:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sailgal
 Check out the Alerion express 28 with self tacking jib. Sweet
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
"Prettiest girl at the dance!"

Edited by - on

seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2004 : 21:04:48

A 'poor man's' self tending jib can be had by unfurling the jib until it just misses the mainmast. I've tried it and don't like it...although I look like a one legged butt kicker when I single hand with a full jib, she handles much better.

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At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2004 : 21:42:32

Hate to pile on, but single handling a C25/250 is a piece of cake. Got a C320 in March...still a piece of cake, as long as you plan and think a head of the boat.

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2004 : 05:24:49

At Ease,

This is really what I want to hear. As I am inexperienced, I'm not sure what improvements will make the boat more manageable for me. I've basically abandoned the self tacking jib idea. The money would be better spent elsewhere. That's the beauty of this forum and it's many helpful contributors to someone new like myself. I get the benefit of others experiences without having to make all the mistakes. I get to make new mistakes, all my own!

Edited by - on

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