Re: Jib Down haul

hlg@pacbell.net
Sat, 10 Jul 1999 09:54:07 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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I wouldn't think you need any mechanical advantage at all to pull the jib
down. On my gunter rig, I just use a small line attached at the top hank
that runs down to a block at the stem and back through some fairleads to a
small cleat on the cabintop. Mine would jam if I ran it down inside the
hanks or if I attached it to the peak grommet instead of the top hank.
Routed outside the hanks and close to the forestay it works smoothly. You
need a cleat to tie it down because the jib can relaunch itself
unexpectedly when you turn into the wind while motoring.

Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA

>my jib came with a downhaul line but no blocks etc. all i did was by an
>itty bitty little harken block and a shackle with a 90 degree twist in it
>and i shackled the block to the bow plate below the hole that the headstay
>fastens to...so i run the line thru the block and straight aft and let it
>hang into the cockpit. for lakesailing it's fine. i usually take out the
>vented port and stick in a solid one...the vent sometimes interfered with
>the action of the line sometimes. i suppose you could bolt down a
>fairlead somewhere on the deck but with only 60 days owning my boat and
>only about 30 sailing days i haven't bothered to do the fairlead. winter
>is coming and then i'll probably add it. but the one block seems fine up
>front...you don't seem to need more leverage than that. i was lowering the
>jib without the block before...it just wouldn't come down all the way.
>
>Ken Silverman, p-15 "Vegan Lorax"