Headsail Luff wire twist

Fire99

Fire99

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Hi all,

Somewhere along the line (excuse the pun), the luff wire on my hank-on No.1 Jib has got a twist near the top. Is there any simple-ish remedy to straighten it out. It's a fairly old sail but in pretty got shape generally.


Thanks,

Nick
 
nigelmercier said:
I'm obviously missing something here, but can't you untwist it before you attach it?
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Maybe I am. But the wire seems to have acquired a 180 degree twist at the head when there is no tension on it. When I hoist the sail it seems to twist the halyard rather than the halyard straightening the luff out.
 
Fire99 said:
Maybe I am. But the wire seems to have acquired a 180 degree twist at the head when there is no tension on it. When I hoist the sail it seems to twist the halyard rather than the halyard straightening the luff out.
Click to expand...

I would detach the sail from wire ,untwist and resieze it in the correct plane .
.Tie sail between two strong points .Undo the lashing or webbing strap at the head .(this may be hidden under a fabric or leather cover ).pull the sail cloth along the wire to the head of sail forcing it to lie the correct way ,then re lash and put the cover back over it .If you cant make up your mind which way it has to rotate ,keep tugging the sail cloth along the wire to the loose end ,it may then decided which way it wants to sit ,then refixing sail to the wire ,so it cannot rotate again .
Cindy
 
I would simply remove the wire. The wire luff is usually used on smaller boats where the mast is stowed down so that the wire in the sail is the forestay. Without the wire you should be able to control the stretch of the luff much better with the halyard. So loose for light winds stretched for stronger winds. I presume here that you do have hanks on the luff. If you don't hanks would be a far better arrangement. Without the wire you should be able to attach a shackle or similar to the cloth loops that originally were lashed to the wire.
I have done this with dinghy jibs that make a fine heavy weather (if it is all as I imagine) good luck olewill
 
William_H said:
I would simply remove the wire. The wire luff is usually used on smaller boats where the mast is stowed down so that the wire in the sail is the forestay. Without the wire you should be able to control the stretch of the luff much better with the halyard. So loose for light winds stretched for stronger winds. I presume here that you do have hanks on the luff. If you don't hanks would be a far better arrangement. Without the wire you should be able to attach a shackle or similar to the cloth loops that originally were lashed to the wire.
I have done this with dinghy jibs that make a fine heavy weather (if it is all as I imagine) good luck olewill
Click to expand...

Thanks Olewill for the reply.. I'm a little confused. When the mast is stowed, why would you need a forestay?
 
The wire in the luff is the forestay. So you can't leave the mast up (jib up and flapping) unless you can roll the jib up in some way. So in parctice you stow the mast horizontal on top of hull so you don't need a forestay and can then stow the jib safely. Hence on a bigger boat with separate forestay you don't need the wire in the jib can leave the mast up while the jib is stowed away safely.
On reflaction perhaps you do rely on the wire in the jib to act as your forestay. In which case of course you need to keep the wire in the jib. In which case get tension on the wire then cut the lashing to the jib and allow the jib to untwist then relash it. Or perhaps it is me that is confused. olewill
 
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