Storm Jib?

C

christopherc

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With a roller foresail, do i still really need a storm jib? I know it gives better sail shape, but are there other reasons? In conditions that would need it, I can't see me relishing the idea of unfurling all the way, dropping the foresail and hoisting storm jib. Have seen versions that go over the furled sail, but agree with posts that suggest it would be tricky to do this in practice in storm conditions. The only other reason i can think of is to help deal with or avoid failure of the furling mech in such conditions, which sounds like reason enough!
 
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Also reduces the risk of ruining your large and expencive genoa...........

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Like this one coming round Egypt Point this afternoon:

sj.jpg
 
Have you considered fitting a removable second forestay?

I have sailed on a Bav34 with one fitted. When not in use it fits on the starboard side next to the other rigging, then when required, the furler is rolled tight, tied and sheets removed. The forestay is moved forward and fixed in place in front of the furler. It would allow you to use a proper sail without removing the furler.... we use it for the storm jib and the smaller working jib (they decided they wanted to either use the whole furling sail or none of it - just an easier way to sail I think /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)
 
Or you can get a nice sensible cutter with a fixed forestay to the stemhead, used for the staysail, which itself can be reefed (old-fashioned style by moving tack and clew down).

When you've got that far, then think of a storm jib on the same stay, swap for staysail.

One assumes the genny on the end of the bowsprit is well lashed round, as earlier post, by this time.

Correct that: one hopes so.

C
 
Correct

Oh I see my wording.... yes in front of the furler meaning as you look at it in front of not actually in front of in terms of the boat..... my mistake.
 
Sounds interesting alternative. About to buy the boat, so need to get on and buy the kit needed for passages. I'll have a look at your suggestion. Certainly unfurling and taking down full genoa in approaching storm conditions does not sound fun at all.
 
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Like this one coming round Egypt Point this afternoon:

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I know this boat - was rafted outside her in the Bag Salcombe a month ago. She's an Oyster 435

Suspect they didn't keep the sheets under enough control. In this pic, you can see her sheets going forward from the bottom of the picture (white braided lines with blue specks). Made off loosely at the granny bars but not enough tension to keep it under control

O435_Genoa.JPG


We had the same thing happen to us a few years back in winds recorded up to 58 knots true, even though she was furled. The sail was a write off, and the storm jib and inner forestay we subsequently fitted cost about half the cost of the replacement genoa.

Lesson learned. Furl tight in big winds and make off the sheets with no slack
 
The deployable inner forestay is a good and flexible solution that I have used on my boat and her predecessor. It can also accommodate a hanked staysail so that the boat can be sailed with genoa + staysail as a "slutter" (sloop trying to be a cutter). This allows progressive rolling-up of the genoa as wind increases until just the staysail is set - small enough for most heavy weather.
 
I cruised for 10 years in the Med, Atlantic, Caribbean and on around the world and a few times got into some windy weather. I had a storm jib on board and never set it once.. Always used the roller. The only caution is the weight of your sail cloth. Mine was heavy long distance stuff.

Michael
 
If you are just cruising in coastal or offshore waters then you are highly unlikely ever to need a storm jib - and certainly in my opinion a smaller roller genoa/jib should come much higher up you list of purchases.

IMHO storm jibs are only essential if you are trying to go to windward in heavy weather - on all other points of sailing you can manage with deeply reefed main and roller.

If you are trying to go to windward then a part-furled Genoa will have ceased to be effective long before the storm jib is any use at all.
 
Couple of questions about sailing as a "slutter":-

How far aft of the permanent forestay is the tempoary inner forestay?

Do you have to furl the genoa when tacking with the inner forestay rigged or is there room for it to pass easily between the two forestays?
 
Yes but Dulcibella is clearly referring to sailing with both headsails set, i.e. what he calls a "slutter". That's what I'm interested in, not sailing with one or t'other.
 
fair comment.

I cant see the benefit of sailing as a slutter, with the inner forestay close to the main permenant one. Apart from the difficulty in tacking you mentioned, unless there is sufficient distance between the luff of the two sails, there is little to gain IMO.
 
Om mine you can just about get away with tacking the genoa, but it would be very bad for the sail so normal procedure when the inner forestay's rigged is to furl genoa away then unfurl it on the new tack.

As for the slutter rig, I've tried sailing like that. It worked but the slot isn't big enough for the extra sail to add anything so little point, though it'd be good for flying twin headsails on a dead run. In an arrangement where there was a decent sized slot you've really converted your boat to a cutter and the extra forestay will need some kind of support like running backstays.

On my boat's arrangement the extra forestay is fitted close to the top of the mast so no extra backstays needed. But as the two forestays aren't parallel but rather converging this means that the sheeting angles are completely out, and the usual genoa sheet tracks in the wrong place. As is happens the spinnakers sheet blocks on the stern quarters are just in the right place, but you get a very long sheet run and have to be careful not to be brained by flogging sheets in the cockpit.
 
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If you are just cruising in coastal or offshore waters then you are highly unlikely ever to need a storm jib - and certainly in my opinion a smaller roller genoa/jib should come much higher up you list of purchases.

IMHO storm jibs are only essential if you are trying to go to windward in heavy weather - on all other points of sailing you can manage with deeply reefed main and roller.

If you are trying to go to windward then a part-furled Genoa will have ceased to be effective long before the storm jib is any use at all.

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Yes coastal and limited offshore. Thats kind of what I thought, I would only ever need it if I made the mistake of getting caught out in conditions I would normally want to avoid, and hence not sure whether to bother. However, we can all get caught out. If I have one and never use it, that might be good news. If I don't have one and find myself wanting, that could be bad and expensive news I guess. I hadn't thought about a smaller roller gen/jib, but that sounds expensive and might be just as likely not to be used.

Removeable forestay sounds interesting, but I'm sailing a 31', perhaps not a lot of room for this arrangement. I'm wondereing where would the forestay anchor to on deck and how would it be tensioned? I guess this is a job for the boatyard.
 
To tension the removable forestay.... there is a type of bottle-screw arrangement with a ratchet on - like the ones you get in a socket set. I am sure someone here will know the proper name for it, but if I can find a pic I will post it.

As for space, it shouldn't matter... it only seems to have a couple of u bolt type fixings on the deck no more than about 2" square.

If you want to know anymore let me know.
 
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