Hanked jib for singlehanded

V

versine

New Member
Joined
3 Jan 2010
Messages
17
Visit site
Hello,

I am new on this forum, and I have a question : how a singlehanded can drop easily his genoa or jib if he had no furler ?

By exemple, is it better to have the halyard in the cockpit or on the mast ? How make a jib changing with the autopilot out or order, etc.

Thankyou by advance

Best Regards

Jacques
 
Bring Halyard back to cockpit.
Fit downhaul to top of sail, lead back to cockpit.
To drop, pull and hold sheets in, release halyard, pull on down haul.
I find the best way to drop is to get on the wind, tack without letting the sheet go and as you get head to wind, perform above and the sail drops on deck and not over the side.
 
I recently converted my boat from a furling headsail back to hank on sails because the old furler was worn out and no-one had stocks of the plastimo furler I wanted. The halyard is at the mast. I head upwind, let the halyard go and pull the sheet as the sail drops and so far it has landed on the foredeck. It's a small boat so is no problem. I have to go to the mast to drop the main anyway.
 
I managed for some years (while saving up for roller reefing) by simply sheeting the main in, releasing the jib sheets, heading into the wind & then dealing with the jib as required (maybe just bagging it or possibly changing it).

If you have a small, lively boat, narrow side decks or other difficulty in accessing the foredeck this may not be easy, but on my Westely 25 & then my current W Pentland (the mizen helps there) it wasn't too difficult, but I still saved up for R/R at the first opportunity.
 
I like the halyards at the mast; if this is the case then you are close enough to the foredeck to release the halyard and move forward to help the sail onto the deck. If the halyard runs through a bullseye at the mast and has a knot in the end you don't have to worry about losing the halyard tail - or you can retain the halyard in one hand whilst you move forward to control the sail.
You can then secure the sail to the lifelines, release the shackle, snap in onto the pulpit and retighten the halyard.
I have tried using a jib downhaul but I find it is a complication - except that it helps when you want to haul up your anchor light on the jib halyard and bring it down again in the morning!
Mine was a small boat, 32', with a very simple rig and I worked the boat from the deck not the cockpit. With bigger boats, or if you don't want to leave the cockpit, you may need more complicated systems.
 
Hardley said:
Bring Halyard back to cockpit.
Fit downhaul to top of sail, lead back to cockpit.
To drop, pull and hold sheets in, release halyard, pull on down haul.
I find the best way to drop is to get on the wind, tack without letting the sheet go and as you get head to wind, perform above and the sail drops on deck and not over the side.
Click to expand...

This is a perfect method, I used it on our Catalina 25 for 12 years. Only thing I would add: sail on port tack and then do this but go further than head to wind, you'll end up hove to on starboard tack and when the sail drops the hanks will flake the sail because of the direction of the hanks and the wind on the sail.

It's also a lot quieter than having the sails flog if head to wind.
 
Bienvenue sur le forum Jacques

A couple of things which need thinking about when 'single-handed'.

If you take the halyard back to the cockpit and you are forward un-hanking the jib, if the halyard jams in the cockpit, you have to return to the cockpit to sort out the problem. :eek:

I prefer to have the halyard on the mast for this reason. You have to go forward to hank on the jib so you might as well have the halyard on the mast. If you have fore-stay furling, then I can see it being perfectly OK to have the halyard returned to the cockpit as you would not need to go forward to prepare the foresail.

Head to wind is the only real solution to dropping sails but try and lose your way through the water before you go forward to work the halyards otherwise if you have forward movement through the water, your yacht could start bearing away quite quickly and start to sail, loading up the sails making it difficult to hoist or drop the sails.

One final point which has not been mentioned. SAFETY LINE - CLIP ON whilst forward on the foredeck when single handed AT ALL TIMES! You must clip on.

Standing on the foredeck and looking up the mast (to see what has jammed) you can very easily be pitched over the side by a rogue wave or swell. :eek:
 
Hardley said:
Bring Halyard back to cockpit.
Fit downhaul to top of sail, lead back to cockpit.
To drop, pull and hold sheets in, release halyard, pull on down haul.
I find the best way to drop is to get on the wind, tack without letting the sheet go and as you get head to wind, perform above and the sail drops on deck and not over the side.
Click to expand...

Agreed!

Also better if you have decent sized piston hanks, since these will run free'er down a forestay.

Be careful fitting/pulling a downhaul, since it can cause the top hank to be pulled so as to jamb the fall.

As stated above & others, dropping when in a 'hove too' position works well, with little chance of sail falling outboard.

Remember, when hoisting/rehoisting foresail, its best done off the wind,
 
A Method That Works With No Hassle

Versine,

You don't say what size your boat is which could be relevant for the method you use. My own boat is 41' and displaces 16.5 ton. Single handed this is how I change the head sails: -

1. If I am sailing close hauled I ease the sheets so that there is no tension in the foot or leach due to sheet tension.
2. Tack the boat and hove too. Let the main all the way out and then just sheet in a bit to stop the flogging.
3. Let the boat settle down and lock of the wheel (with a tiller I tie it off but make sure you can release quickly.
4. Get the sail bag and next sail and take up to the fore deck and secure.
5. Go up to the mast and prepare the halyard. Check halyard is free to run.
6. Release the halyard and let the sail drop. If the sail only partly drops go forward with sheet in hand and pull down on luff.
7. Tie off sail and halyard onto windward pull pit.
8. Usually I have to go back to the wheel and main sheet and make some adjustments to stabilise the boat direction. My boat will lie a hull with main only and bob along just shy of a beam reach.
9. Take the sheets off the old sail and tie off against the guard rail
10. Pull the clew up to the tack and depending on the sail size, double it up again.
11. Stuff the sail into the bag up to the luff
13. Undo the piston hanks and poke the luff into the bag
14. Undo the head from the halyard and poke into bag
15. Take off tack and poke into bag and tie off sail bag to secure
16. Take the tack out the sail bag of the next sail and fasten it to deck
17. Undo sail bag and pull up to fore stay
18. Work up the luff starting from tack and fasten on all piston hanks
19. Fasten halyard to head and tie off with sail tie to pull pit
20. Pull sail down leeward side and out of bag
21. Take sail bag and old sail back to cockpit and store away
22. Loosen sheets
23. Untie sheets from windward rail and re rout and tie onto new clew
24. Check all is free to run and conform that halyard has not wrapped itself around anything
25. Undo sail tie holding head and halyard on pull pit
26. Hoist sail
27. Lock off halyard, coil up rope and stow
28. Release wheel lock
29. Pull in jib sheet by hand
30. Adjust main
31. Curse as I watch the halyard winch handle slide off the coach roof into the oggin.

I will refold my sails once back in the Marina or anchor. If the weather is nice and I can be bothered i will fold the sail properly before preparing the next sail for hoisting.

In winds less than F3 I normally ease the sheet, get the boat stable and then just go up to the mast, ease the halyard, go forward to the luff with the halyard, grab the foot, and ease the sail down pulling in the sail from the foot to keep it out the water. At about F3 it is much simpler to hove too.
 
Thank you

Thank you for yours advices ; il is very interesting to have various opinions. I understand now that the "good" solution is not always the same for a little or a big boat.

In fact, my "anxiety" is to leave the boat without control when I go forward (without autopilot of course !).

Good evening


Jacques
 
versine said:
Thank you for yours advices . . . . " solution is not always the same for a little or a big boat.

In fact, my "anxiety" is to leave the boat without control when I go forward (without autopilot of course !).
Click to expand...

It is important to realise that, is if you are sailing solo and you go forward, then if there is any 'way' (forward movement) on the yacht then you will struggle to raise or lower sails as the yacht will probably try bear away from the wind and start sailing due to the forward motion, known as steerage.

Get the yacht 'dead in the water' with the head into wind, 'in irons', and then adjusting sails will be far, far easier. This is the same for both large and small boats.

Once she starts making way through the water again she will become more and more unmanageable!

Stationary is very important in this respect dead into the wind.

Bon chance. :)

ps: Sailing solo and fore deck work . . . . CLIP ON!
 
Last edited:
Versine, I understand your concern reagrding leaving the helm to go forward and handle sail. You need to be able to lock the tiller - you can arrange a line across the boat with a wrap around the tiller or you can use a device such as our Tiller-Hand or other similar devices. This will allow you to heave-to if necessary, or just keep the boat heading up to the wind.
I think it is important on a small boat to realise that you cannot stay in the 'safety' of the cockpit at all times - it is not possible, you need to be confident to work your boat from the deck. Even in heavy weather, with a harness clipped to a jackstay, you should have the confidence to go forward or there will come a situation where someone needs to go forward to sort out something and no-one will be ready to do it.
 
Salty John said:
I think it is important on a small boat to realise that you cannot stay in the 'safety' of the cockpit at all times - it is not possible, you need to be confident to work your boat from the deck. Even in heavy weather, with a harness clipped to a jackstay, you should have the confidence to go forward or there will come a situation where someone needs to go forward to sort out something and no-one will be ready to do it.
Click to expand...

Very wise words, I think.

When I find I cannot face leaving the safety of the cockpit, whether through decrepitude or fear, I reckon it will be time to pack it in and join the lawn bowls club.:(
 
versine said:
Thank you for yours advices ; il is very interesting to have various opinions. I understand now that the "good" solution is not always the same for a little or a big boat.

In fact, my "anxiety" is to leave the boat without control when I go forward (without autopilot of course !).

Good evening


Jacques
Click to expand...

There is no hard and fast rule here. Every boat is different. I have found the best routine on my quarter tonner is to sail close hauled, main cleated. Round the boat up into the wind with the genoa cleated off still. Leave the tiller free, let the genoa halyard go and walk briskly forward. Pull the genoa down by the luff, sail will stay on the foredeck generally. By this time the boat will fall back on a close reach and gradually round up again then fall back in a series of gentle round ups while I change sails.
 
As already stated, every boat is different. See what works on YOUR boat. On mine (a Westerly25 at the time) I found I could centre the main & point into the wind with a little way on. The tiller could be held amidships with a shock cord I had time to walk forward & down or change the foresail. I would take the sail bag with me to stuff the sail into (still hanked on) & tie it to the pulpit. If changing a sail, it may be necessary to return to the tiller & set her up again before taking the new sail forward to complete the change.

When reefing down, do it early & if moving to a larger jib, do it late. that way you get the benefit of smoother water for foredeck work. If in doubt - apply the 20 minute rule, just wait 20mins & you should KNOW by then if the wind is getting stronger or not.

Oh, & start saving for R/R gear, you don't need to replace the sail, it isn't hard to swop a luff wire to a plastic one & replace the head cringle with a tape & shackle. A converted Genoa won't be quite as efficient as a purpose built new one, but it will do the job & also save you a few hundred quid on the full conversion cost.
 
I've only sailed charter boats with furling foresails, all my boats have been hanked jibs/genoas. I've often considered replacing with furler but I just like the set of the correct sail for the job. Anyway, I agree with all that has been said and I've used different methods depending on conditions; one not mentioned yet is to bear away and blanket the jib with the main, then tighten sheet and let go halyard; sail tumbles onto deck ready for handling and it's suprising how a large, full headsail can become docile off the wind.
 
Blowing Old Boots: that is quite a procedure for changing headsails, and is the main reason that I am going to buy a slab-reefing (hanked on) headsail this season. I am still trying to figure out if it is possible to create a system to reef without leaving the cockpit, but I fear that would just mean too many pieces of string.

But even without a fully remote reefing system, the procedure should be much shorter:
1. Attach new sheet to reef cringle and lead through turning block (block should be big enough to accomodate two blocks, or I'll put a second block in front of the first).
2. Drop halyard enough to reef.
3. Go forward and snap tack onto fitting.
4. Pull zipline to hold the reefed part of sail (this is a line that zig-zags up and down the sail from the reef cringles to the bottom of the sail, and is permanently fitted. Pull it tight and the bag of the sail is held tight. Needs a clam cleat on the sail somewhere.)
5. Back to cockpit and re-tension halyard.
6. Tension new sheet.

I think I could accomplish this procedure in less a minute or two, at least after step 1. And if I am sailing on one tack for a long time, I could even do step 1 five, 10 or 60 minutes in advance of the actual reefing.

Edit - one additional thing that can be handy on any foredeck, but particularly if you have hanked on headsails. On each side of the foredeck, run a bungy from the base of the pulpit to the base of a stanchion near the mast, with a plastic hook in the middle. Instead of using a sail tie to tie the sail to the lifelines, just wrap the bungy around the sail and clip the hook onto a lifeline. Quick and easy way to tame the sail without tying any knots.
 
Last edited:
For me, headsail changing while sailing off the wind makes more sense as my boat will not keep head to wind unless there is someone on the tiller, or the autopilot. Lashing the tiller won't keep her head to wind, but will keep her on any other course.

I can drop the sail very quickly, and as I have bungee cord rigged along the guardwires I can tidy it up very quickly too.

For quicker sail changes, it is possible to have one sail in use and another at the ready, stowed along the guardrail.

Drop the first sail and tidy up with bungee, then attach the hanks and halyard and sheets to second sail and hoist.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top