SunCat With Jib

[capt_nemo]

Went for a solo sail in "Frisky" today, December 23, temps in low 70's and winds NNW at 10 and less. Decided winds were light enough to justify my light air jib. Yes, I did say jib. Some naysayers, skeptics, and Catboat purists think those of us who try jibs are nuts. Well, it is well known that with 150 square feet of mainsail the rig was designed as underpowered for a 1500 pound boat, which is all too apparent when trying to sail in light air. So, I decided to do something about my boat's light air performance. I made my light air jib, really a drifter set "flying", from about 38 square feet of JoAnne Fabrics Orange Rip Stop Nylon using my wife's old sewing machine. Dimensions are luff 11', leech 12.5', and foot 7'. It transforms "Frisky" from a very slow moving, lumbering, rolling, sail slatting sea cow into a Light Air Rocket, relatively speaking. By adjusting halyard tension from the cockpit, together with sheet adjustment, the shape can easily be changed to be effective from a very close reach all the way round to a broad reach and even a run. Downwind, wing and wing (without needing a pole to stay full) the darn thing looks like and performs like a small spinnaker!  Sheets are led outboard of the shrouds and pass through a fairlead and captive camcleat mounted to a piece of wood and attached with stainless steel hose clamps to the midship cleats I installed for this and other purposes. I came across a solo sailer in a Rhodes 19 Class performance boat and tacked round to follow him. Well, I not only followed him maintaining a constant distance between us for quite some time but, as the wind lessened I steadily gained on him and eventually passed him. I told him as politely as I could that I wouldn't tell his sailor friends that he was passed by a Catboat! What's next? The Captain is exploring design alternatives for a long bowsprit, which would provide a larger foretriangle for an even larger nylon drifter. Then there's the light air main'sl, also set "flying" (nylon already purchased, measurements underway). Rip Stop Nylon - the answer to the light air blues!

[Suncat a Lula]

Love to see some pics!  Sounds like you are sailing somewhere in Florida. (70degree weather)

[capt_nemo]

Go to http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/catboat/index.cgi and click on "Tom Scott took a picture ..."

[Tom Ray]

That's a lot of trouble!

[Tim Gardner]

"The Captain is exploring design alternatives for a long bowsprit, which would provide a larger foretriangle for an even larger nylon drifter."

Take a look at how Dale Smith did it:


I like his method, personally

TG

[Tom Ray]

That image has to be hosted somewhere other than a Yahoo group to display here, Tim.

[Tim Gardner]

You're right tom - corrected  tg

[cavie]

I like the retractible one used on the Martin 16's

[capt_nemo]

Tim,
Thanks for the Dale Smith Bowsprit image and details. Although my stem fitting is different, it certainly provided excellent food for thought.