Piston Hank fitting?

[GrandadPig]

Good afternoon all. Last autumn I bought a nice little 19’ gaff cutter. A Skanner 19. She has roller furling on both foresails. I have made and fitted a gin pole to make raising and lowering the mast a one-man job. Planning to explore the Norfolk Broads at some point. However the roller furlers/reefing are a pita to manage short handed.

On such a small boat I think piston hanks would make life simpler. A lot kesvstring on deck. The staysail can be reached from the fore hatch and the jib could run in on a bowsprit traveller (which I have spare)
Has anyone diy fitted piston hanks? What’s involved? Is it just a question of making a hole in the luff, reinforcing with a bit of sail tape and bobs your uncle or is there more to it?

thanks

Steve

 

[andsarkit]

It might be easier to pick up a second hand jib. Lots available from people who have upgrade to a furler. You then retain the option of the furler if you want to change back.
What size do you need? Someone on here probably has one tucked away in the shed.

 

[billyfish]

Why. Roller reefing is so simple. Just let it all down rolled up . Don't get the problem

 

[andsarkit]

I assume it is trying not to bend the foil when taking it down. A wire stay will just coil up on deck.

 

[vyv_cox]

When I changed a sail from roller reefing to hank-on I got a sailmaker to replace the luffstrip. Piston hanks go through brass eyes, not through holes in the cloth.

 

[billyfish]

Martin whikem . Or whatever his name is

 

[srm]

A small reinforcing patch around the luff, and a brass eyelet through the sail and patch. Originally piston hanks came with two eyes on the body and were sewn on with thread through the hank eyes and sail eye. The later incarnation was the "knock on" piston hank that had a metal tail that went through the sail eye and was then hammered closed.
You may find piston hanks difficult to source and expensive when you do.
The Wykham Martin furling gear, as used on the Drascombe boats, may answer your needs as there is no foil to dent or bend. The sail needs a wire luff (or modern equivalent) as it is also the stay. The sail furls around the luff with the aid of a top swivel and a rotating drum at the base, all in bronze. It is a furling rather than a reefing system, though I have sailed the Drascombe Longboat with jib partly furled, plus reefed main and mizzen, in strong winds.

 

[GrandadPig]

Why. Roller reefing is so simple. Just let it all down rolled up . Don't get the problem

Sorry, didn’t make myself clear, roller reefing with long foil, not WM style furler.

 

[GrandadPig]

A small reinforcing patch around the luff, and a brass eyelet through the sail and patch. Originally piston hanks came with two eyes on the body and were sewn on with thread through the hank eyes and sail eye. The later incarnation was the "knock on" piston hank that had a metal tail that went through the sail eye and was then hammered closed.
You may find piston hanks difficult to source and expensive when you do.
The Wykham Martin furling gear, as used on the Drascombe boats, may answer your needs as there is no foil to dent or bend. The sail needs a wire luff (or modern equivalent) as it is also the stay. The sail furls around the luff with the aid of a top swivel and a rotating drum at the base, all in bronze. It is a furling rather than a reefing system, though I have sailed the Drascombe Longboat with jib partly furled, plus reefed main and mizzen, in strong winds.

Thank you.

 

[GrandadPig]

I assume it is trying not to bend the foil when taking it down. A wire stay will just coil up on deck.

Correct!

 

[Refueler]

My Alacrity 19 with larger foresail than the Gaffer OP has ... was hanked on ...

The Jib had NO brass or metal eyes through the sail for the hanks. It had sailcloth patches and then hank sewn to sail round the luff.
My Snapdragon 23 - before I fitted furler - ALSO was same.

The stress is not carried by the sail 'eye' - but by the luffrope when hank is sewn .... unless the stitching is made away from the luffrope.

My Kormoran has sails from a UK racing dinghy ..... that too is without any metal eyes - hanks sewn round the luffrope.

I would only think to use metal eyes if the hanks are those 'squeeze to lock' type .... but TBH - I much prefer the sewn on type with the two eyelets .....

 

[DownWest]

Have a look at Classic Marine for bits. I refitted my jib with piston hanks after the plastic hanks tended to come off the stay when the sail was down.
Fitted eyelets with a Sailrite No. 2 swager. Made the holes with a sharpened tube heated to seal the cloth. I actually have a set of hanks in bronze from going from hanks to roller, but I suspect they are a bit big for your sail.

 

[srm]

My Alacrity 19 with larger foresail than the Gaffer OP has ... was hanked on ...

The Jib had NO brass or metal eyes through the sail for the hanks. It had sailcloth patches and then hank sewn to sail round the luff.
My Snapdragon 23 - before I fitted furler - ALSO was same.

The stress is not carried by the sail 'eye' - but by the luffrope when hank is sewn .... unless the stitching is made away from the luffrope.

My Kormoran has sails from a UK racing dinghy ..... that too is without any metal eyes - hanks sewn round the luffrope.

I would only think to use metal eyes if the hanks are those 'squeeze to lock' type .... but TBH - I much prefer the sewn on type with the two eyelets .....

Now you mention it I am thinking of bigger sails than the OP's. I do remember hanks sewn around the luff wire on smaller sails. Also, sewn hanks where the stitching went through one or two eyelets in the sail. The knock on / squeeze to lock hanks went through eyelets and on some sails had a plastic anti chafe patch fitted around the sail luff as did mast track slides attached with shackles. Like you I would prefer sewn on hanks, the others looked as if they might fail, though I never experienced this.

For the OP hanks sewn directly through the sail around the luff wire would be the easiest and neatest option if a DIY job and they can get the sew on type.

 

[Refueler]

25ft Saaremaa Race Yacht ..... Pirita, Tallinn .... 12 built as Class Demonstration for 1980 Olympics ....

This is the 'Prototype' first build ..... I owned for 2 years ... and photo is my winning 'Pirita' Baltsail Regatta in 2003.....

Piston hanked sails ... with NO metal eyes. All hanks - sewn by Sailmaker as original. Not bad that 23yrs later she still stonking on past more modern boats .... photo is taken from a race setup Carter 30 as we caught and passed .....

 

[GrandadPig]

Have a look at Classic Marine for bits. I refitted my jib with piston hanks after the plastic hanks tended to come off the stay when the sail was down.
Fitted eyelets with a Sailrite No. 2 swager. Made the holes with a sharpened tube heated to seal the cloth. I actually have a set of hanks in bronze from going from hanks to roller, but I suspect they are a bit big for your sail.

Thank you. Yes the foresails are not very large at all. I am thinking 50mm or 2” overall length piston hanks would do the job.

steve

 

[GrandadPig]

So, I think, the consensus is that diy hanks is doable. Knock-on or sewn I guess is down to personal preference and price! More research needed. Anyone in need of two roller reefing foils?

Thank you everyone

 

[DownWest]

I looked at Classic Marine and they don't do hanks now. Sorry about that..
Local friend trail sails his little gaff cutter. Both foresails are on furlers (wire, not foils) and he has a 2:1 tackle on each, led back to the cockpit. Gives the mast and rig a heave up on his shoulder, then pulls the lot up with the tackles, cleats off and ready to go. Does it under way too.
If you want any more info, just ask.

Just measured my hanks, more like 40mm end to end. I thread a light line through them from the head, so can pull the sail down, tie it off and forget about it 'till sorted.

 

[William_H]

I would suggest that what you need for easy forestay management is high field levers or even use "pelican clips' as used for lifelines to get easy attachment of bottom of forestays.
However if you want to go hank on jib these piston hanks style come in various sizes and simply squeeze over the luff rope and attach with self tapper screws. No reinforcing etc needed. Ronstan Piston Jib Hank Suits 8mm Wire, $11.95 | Whitworths Marine or this style more suited to dinghies but may be ok Ronstan Jib Hank Suits 3mm Wire, $1.99 | Whitworths Marine. PS 1Aus dollaris 57p take off 10% GST (VAT)
I have always had hank on jibs and find them far more effective sailing to windward like refueller. ol'will

 

[PetiteFleur]

Look on ebay - several listed, both brass and stainless, or even the dinghy type made of plastic.

 

[DownWest]

It was the Ronstan plastic dinghy ones that I changed for piston, as when the sail flaked down, they tended to come off the stay.