Self tending roller furler

[steve]

For medical reasons I have to reduce the amount of effort necessary to sail and would like to rig my roller furling headsail to be self tending. I've seen one setup where the sheet was led, by way of two blocks, to a semicircular track, and from there up to a point slightly below the spreaders, down the inside of the mast and back to the cockpit. Does anyone know of another (simpler) system? Peak performance is not a priority. Also, can you heave to or back the jib with a system like this?

 

[steve_cronin]

Self Tacking jib

The system you describe is the standard fitting on most Hunter boats.

It is about as simple as you can get, the only complication being the curved track. I suppose that you COULD get away with a straight track but sheeting hard in would result in the sail pulling to amidships and spoil the set.

I have just ended seven years of living with this set-up coupled with the mainsheet clipped onto a ring in the cockpit floor rather than using a track for that either. This made for very simple tacking up a river (not encouraged by Harbour authorities these days) it was an absolute pain sailing down wind when the jib would keep gybing with the traveller crashing from stop to stop with annoying irregularity!

Steve Cronin

 

[steve]

Re: Self Tacking jib

Hmmm. Can I suppose from your answer that there's no way of blocking the track from the cockpit and so no way to back/heave to without going forward?

 

[JimC]

My Hunter Horizon 23 has this system as standard and it works very well indeed. The only drawback is that you cannot have a very big jib as it mustn't come further back than the traveller system which must obviously be forward of the mast. You can heave to by manually roping the jib clew to a stanchion base etc.

Regards
JimC

 

[steve_cronin]

Re: Self Tacking jib

Sorry I dodn't answer that bit did I?

Yes you can back the jib and many Hunters are fitted with the gear. A line is taken on each side from the traveller via a block on each toe rail and back to the stern side deck cleats where it can be made off after heaving the jib to windward. Heaving to is tricky with such a small foresail though.

Steve Cronin

 

[steve]

Thanks very much for the information. NM

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