Squib mainsail

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Goody

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Hi

Is it possible to use an Inmast furling mainsail on a Squib. If not is there anything similar for easy launching of the mainsail ?

Many thanks
 
Hah!

The problem with the Squib mainsail is that it uses a luff rope in the groove, like a dinghy, which means thar the mainsail has to come off when you lower it, which means that the boom comes off. The usual practice is to just dump the boom with the mainsail on it in the bottom of the boat.

We are thinking of making eyelets in the luff and using slugs in the groove so it can stow on the boom, and leaving the boom on the goose next with a boom crutch aft. But that’s with the “camping” mainsail, not the “racing” one.
 
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The Squib is an elegant and simple boat, responsive and fun to sail. Over-complicating it with such a monstrosity would be a travesty in my opinion.
Why not try gaff or square rig instead? :)
 
Just converting a Jeanneau Flirt (yes, really!) from luff groove to slugs and lazy jacks. The boom has a key type goose-neck that is stops the boom falling off. It enters inverted then locks rightway up. Bloke not going to race and on learning curve, so needs easy to handle.
 
I have recently converted a Jaguar 21 from luff rope to slugs and full length battens. No lazyjacks.

It is not as neat a set up but it is very much easier to handle the main single handed.
 
The Squib is basically a dinghy with a fixed keel, its main advantage is its simplicity.
When I was an ISA Keelboat Instructor I was among a group of similar instructors doing our 3-year Revalidation. The session was taking place on a fleet of Squibs and the Trainer briefed us that he wanted to see us lowering and raising both sails frequently during and between the manoeuvres as required, to reduce windage, as, he said, it was a quick and easy operation, done in a few seconds which should be part of our skill-set.
Granted, sliders would help in getting the main up and down quickly, but on this boat it's probably an unnecessary sophistication.
 
Minn said:
Hah!

The problem with the Squib mainsail is that it uses a luff rope in the groove, like a dinghy, which means thar the mainsail has to come off when you lower it, which means that the boom comes off. The usual practice is to just dump the boom with the mainsail on it in the bottom of the boat.

We are thinking of making eyelets in the luff and using slugs in the groove so it can stow on the boom, and leaving the boom on the goose next with a boom crutch aft. But that’s with the “camping” mainsail, not the “racing” one.
Click to expand...

Hi Minn

Would it therefore have a negative effect on your racing Sail, please explain?
 
Goody said:
Thanks Dan

I need to go away and look up what those 2 options are
Click to expand...

To avoid any confusion, I was being facetious. In no way was I suggesting that you should consider gaff rig or square rig on a Squib. Merely trying to say that you should keep the Squib rig as simple as possible, that is, as Oliver Lee designed it. You have made a good choice of boat, enjoy it.
 
Teflon spray lubricant on the boltrope will get it sliding up and down much more smoothly. My previous boat, a UFO 27 had a similar arrangement and at first required the use of the winch to raise the last 1/3 of the mainsail hoisted, but when I lubed it I could easily get it all the way to the masthead manually (and I only weigh 11stone 10).
 
With dinghy-type bolt-rope mains, there is a huge variation in how easy they are to hoist. Mostly it seems to be about the entry to the slot and the size of the bolt rope.
Some almost need one person to feed it in, while the other person hoists.
Sometimes a 'prefeeder' can help align the bolt rope. Sometimes replacing the worn plastic slot mouth will help.
Sometimes it's a matter of adding a pulley for the halyard tail, so you can hoist and feed more easily.
Check the sheave at the top of the mast.
I find simple Tesco's cheapest aerosol wax polish is good for keeping the slot clean and lubed.
 
The bolt rope in luff groove mainsail on the Squib is simple and aerodynamically good, BUT...

1. It leaves you having to use the main halyard to tension the cockpit cover, which involves a bit of faffing around as you prepare to go ashore. It would be easier if the boom stayed in place on the gooseneck and there was a boom crutch.

2. Yes, we always use the Teflon spray.

3. Getting the halyard “two blocks” (well, there are no blocks) then pulling the boom down to get it on the gooseneck is a bit more faffing around.

4. The Plastimo roller on our jib has improved our Squib no end.

5. Squibs are brilliant little boats.
 
A bolt rope main does not prevent storing the boom on the gooseneck. There are goosenecks around which latch on, or you can drill through and put a pin into the boom.

A boom crutch could be made, they take many forms.
 
lw395 said:
A bolt rope main does not prevent storing the boom on the gooseneck. There are goosenecks around which latch on, or you can drill through and put a pin into the boom.

A boom crutch could be made, they take many forms.
Click to expand...

1. Thank you; I did know that. But if you have a luff groove mainsail, it won’t sit nicely on the boom whilst you get a tyer round it, it flops onto the bottom boards in a heap, thereby defeating the object of the exercise.

2. I have made a few in my time, from the evil “X” type to the rather better “Y” type and the best of all on a bigger boat which is a rigid three position gallows. I am not suggesting the latter for a Squib!
 
I assume the Squib has a bolt rope foot to the main? This makes it a little awkward to roll up. put a sail tie on it and then hang it from the boom, which is what I do with my dinghy, which is loose footed. Keen people will roll it around a plastic tube of some sort, the hidden advantage of a swinging mooring is that a tender is very handy for dumping covers, plastic tubes, boom crutches and other luggage in while you go racing.
When I raced dayboats, we used to roll the main parallel-ish to the battens, which means the rolling ends when you reach the tack, leaving the bottom bit of the leach unrolled. Some loose ties kept the whole thing out of the bilge until the next race.
Or you can flake it on the boom keeping the leach together so the battens are parallel to the boom. Bit of a faff solo, but takes seconds if there's two of you.
 
My old E-Boat had a mainsail with a luff rope that went up the sail track at the back of the mast.

No problems with raising or lowering the sail were ever experienced but I always made a point of rolling the sail from the head right down to the boom and stowed it on top or beside the boom using sail ties.

I would never entertain the idea of inmast reefing on a boat such as a Squib or E-Boat. If inmast reefing is so important to you then I suggest a change of boat may be cheaper and certainly better for you.
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
Teflon spray lubricant on the boltrope will get it sliding up and down much more smoothly. My previous boat, a UFO 27 had a similar arrangement and at first required the use of the winch to raise the last 1/3 of the mainsail hoisted, but when I lubed it I could easily get it all the way to the masthead manually (and I only weigh 11stone 10).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip?
 
lw395 said:
With dinghy-type bolt-rope mains, there is a huge variation in how easy they are to hoist. Mostly it seems to be about the entry to the slot and the size of the bolt rope.
Some almost need one person to feed it in, while the other person hoists.
Sometimes a 'prefeeder' can help align the bolt rope. Sometimes replacing the worn plastic slot mouth will help.
Sometimes it's a matter of adding a pulley for the halyard tail, so you can hoist and feed more easily.
Check the sheave at the top of the mast.
I find simple Tesco's cheapest aerosol wax polish is good for keeping the slot clean and lubed.
Click to expand...
Thanks ��
 
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