Downhaul for Jib hank on

[MacGyver]

Anyone have some pics maybe of a way to make a downhaul for the hank on Jib on CP19 (or any boat really, just need ideas)

My boss has some ideas, but want a lot of ideas before i make one.

We want to lower it from the cockpit so we dont have to go up forward

Mac

[capt_nemo]

Mac,

Have used them before on my other sailboats and now, since I'm playing around with Bowsprit and headsails on my Sun Cat, will probably rig another one.

A simple jib downhaul consists of a small light line, attached to the head of the sail in some fashion which then leads down to a small turning block located at the stemhead or tack fitting and then back to the cockpit wherever you want to position it. If the jib stays hanked on you can get fancy and lead the small line from jib head to stemhead block THROUGH all the hanks, which serves to control the line and makes for a "cleaner" installation. Even if you hank the jib on every time you can still include the line in a couple of hanks along the luff to help control it. Take care to make sure it is loose and running free when you hoist the jib, then you can secure it anyway you see fit to keep it slightly snug and not blow'in in the wind! As simple as they are - they really work extremely well to control dousing the jib from the cockpit and temporarily holding it down.

capt_nemo

[HideAway]

I ll have to try running the line through the hanks.  We ve had a jib down haul on HideAway for years.  It has  saved the day many times.  We use three small blocks - two on the stanchions to control the line on deck and one at the stem head.  This one is critical - it must line up with the forestay perfectly or it tends to jam.  Be sure to instruct the crew where to attach it to the jib - I had an inexperienced crew attach the line to the ring on the pin that holds the snap shackle on the halyard.   Somehow it all worked out without a trip up the mast.

The other thing to be aware of is that if you have any difficulty at all raising the jib do not apply excessive pressure as the line is probably snagged on something. 

We don t use it everytime but I wouldn t sail without one.   Matt

[Shawn]

"I ll have to try running the line through the hanks."

I started that way with mine but it had too much friction and made it hard to raise/lower the jib.

I tie the downhaul to the jib halyard so that I can keep the line tensioned so it stays out of the way. It also means I don't have to worry about loosing the halyard. I have a small block on the bowsprit and a couple of lead blocks mounted on the stanchions to bring the line back to the cabin.

Shawn

[MacGyver]

Thanks everyone, I have been looking over the Jib today and kind of figuring out what I will do, I do like the idea of running it through each hank on, but I like also just having it run as a downhaul for the Jib halyard somewhat seperate from the Jib hanks.

I guess I will start by using it like that then see if I can figure a way to make it integrate with the Jib as that would better facilitate it coming down I would think...... I know when I took it down it kind of hung on the forestay. There arent any burrs, or anything like that, it just didnt fall like the main seems to do.

Anyone has any more information it will be greatly appreciated! I love these forums, big help for sure!

Mac

[deisher6]

I had the same problem as Shawn when I ran it through all the hanks. The down haul just got all jammed up.   I was so discouraged that I took it off and have not tried anything else since.

regards charlie

[Keith]

I originally tried running the downhaul through the hanks, but as others mentioned, it caused too much friction.  Now I just kind of weave the line from side to side outside every other hank..works fine.

Cheers,

Keith

[Greene]

Another thing that helps is to attach the end to the 2nd or 3rd hank from the top rather than all the way to the halyard.  This seemed to really help on our 16.

Mike

[HenryC]

I rigged one up for my MacGregor/Venture 22.  I put a shackle through the halyard fitting at the head of the foresail and ran a line to a small swivel block I secured to the support bracket of the forward pulpit.  I then ran this line through a few blocks on the support brackets of the port side lifeline stanchions,  all the way back to the cockpit.  My jib halyard was rigged to starboard and I didn't want the two to interfere with each other.  Since the shackle was on the halyard fitting, I could use the downhaul on all my headsails.  I had a 110  main, genoa and storm jib.

It was a jury rig, but it meant I could  haul the jib down without having to send my wife up to the foredeck in the dark in bad weather.  The procedure was she would loosen the jib halyard, then I would haul the jib down from the cockpit.  If it stuck she could help it down while gripping the mast with one hand, without having to go up forward onto the pitching, slippery foredeck.  In a pinch, I could do it all without leaving the cockpit at all.

Some things to keep in mind: 

1) Use a different colored line so you don't confuse it with the halyards.

2) When raising the jib, it may be necessary to tend the downhaul from the cockpit if it or the halyard bind as the jib goes up and down.

3) Use several oversize blocks you can move around to different points until you assure the downhaul goes back to the cockpit without fouling.

4) You may have to drill some holes in your decks to permanently install fairleads to guide the line aft, although I was able to avoid that. One advantage of my rig is if it doesn't work out you can easily remove it without leaving any damage behind.

5) You may have to experiment so that the downhaul does not interfere with the ability of the sail to come about on different tacks.  Mine was rigged forward of the forestay, but it might work on the inboard side of your forestay.

6) Once your jib is fully deployed, take any excess slack out of the downhaul so it doesn't flop around in the breeze, and tie up the loose coils in the cockpit with a rubber band so it will not get underfoot.  Take a turn or two around a railing to keep it from paying out over the side in the breeze.

It didn't look very "cool", but I felt a lot better when my wife was up forward working the headsails, and once we played around with the placement of the deck blocks, and learned how to  quickly free the occasional jam, it never gave us any trouble..