Jib Bag

[hinmo]

As an alternate to roller furling (at least for next year), I am considering a jib bag...the kind that attaches to the head stay.Can anyone recommend a manufacturer, and/or the correct size?

I see one on ebay for about $60.

How does the sail fold/flake into one? How does it handle wind/weather on the forestay?

Thanks

[Craig]

Jib bag does solve hassle of unhanking the jib. In my sloop days I just used a good quality waterproof  duffle lashed down to my slotted toerail with a bungee. Disconnected the jib sheets and simply stuffed the jib into it and pulled the drawstring tight around the jib hanks. Put a couple of grommets on one side for ventilation/drainage.(make sure the grommets face the deck).  Not perfect but the price was right. If you can get a jib bag that will fit at a decent price it is even better. Not as convenient as roller furling but does save time in getting underway. Consider putting a jib downhaul on as well. Allows you to pull the jib down quickly and secure it on deck by tying off the downhaul  and pulling one of the jib sheets tight. May flap a bit but will  give you the time to go forward to tie down at your leisure. I had netting between the lifelines and deck and never needed to go forward once the jib was doused and the sheet tightened.

[MacGyver]

Hinmo,

I ordered a kit from Sailrite, and they can finish one for you as well. I bought the kit and made it myself which was very rewarding. It has been a great addition to our boat as well. When done sailing we just stuff the Jib back into it.

When we switch to the 155, it too will fit into the bag. The zipper zips from the top down, which when seeing others this is backwards from the norm, but to me makes perfect sense! And this was what Sailrite recommended. The material is Sunbrella.

The only thing that disconnects is the Job Halyard, which then connects to hold the bag up and the end facing stern.

I like mine so much it has kept me from buying a roller furling, that and the fact that I would have to redo every sail I own.......
Highly recommend one, and there are a few places to have one made, as well as Sailrite to buy the kit from.

Mac

[Spartan]

Here's a picture of my boat with Jib bag and mailsail cover I purchased on ebay, the jib halyard could let down a bit and yes it zips top down, the jib sail still hanked on forestay:




Here' s the link to the guy I bought them from :

http://stores.ebay.com/thesailcoverstore/

Cheers

[hinmo]

Folks = 2 questions
1) can't I leave my sheets on deck, pulled tight in their jam cleats and use a snap hook for connection to the sail....or does this get jammed on the shrouds when tacking?
2) do you have to remove the bag from deck/stay when underway?
Thanks

[capt_nemo]

hinmo,

Answers are based on my personal experience with jib bags.

Question 2 first. NO, you do not have to remove the bag from the stay or sail while underway. However, I would release the halyard holding it up, lower it to the deck, and secure it to the bow pulpit with a bungee cord. This will not only prevent CHAFING damage to the otherwise swinging wildly bag/sail but will lower the whole unit to the deck to provide BETTER VISIBILITY while underway.

Question 1. YES, you can leave your sheets on deck pulled tight in their jam cleats. However, instead of using a METALLIC connection to the sail which can do quite a bit of damage to the human body if attached to a wildly flogging sail clew, use a time-tested and proven TRADITIONAL TEXTILE attachment.

Find the center of your jib sheet and construct what you see in this photo.



To attach push the large loop through the clew cringle as shown here.



Now reach under and grab the small seized double line and feed it through the loop protruding through the cringle as shown here.



Snug it all up by pulling underneath on the large loop while pulling out on the end of the small sliding double line like this.



Easy to attach and remove, it will NEVER PULL OUT even in a wildly flogging clew.

I attached mine to the halyard holding the bag up which kept my jib sheet dry and off the deck.

Hope this helps.

capt_nemo

[hinmo]

Capt - the textile attachment is real nice. I will try that. Thanks for the info!

[skip1930]

capt_nemo, wow! That is an excellent idea to install and hold the sheets onto the clew of a jib.

A loop and a jam. How simple. "Don't I feel stupid." [that I didn't think of it] Thank you for the visuals posted.


This is why I hang on CPYOA. skip.

[Craig]

Can also testify as to the effectiveness of the system Don so nicely illustrated. Used it on my Seidelmann 25 whe I sailed the Bay.  Has the added safety of not having a chunk of metal flailing about if the jib does flog.

[carry-on]

Is there a method to determine the dimensions of the jib bag based on the dimensions of the jib?

Adverse results from stuffing the jib in the bag?

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[capt_nemo]

carry-on,

Not really. It depends on how you typically fold or roll up your jib.

Take loose measurements of the COMPACT "bundle" once you have prepared it for storage.

And, don't try to stuff it in too tightly.

Remember, it is much easier to fold/roll a jib once you disconnect the sheet and get it out of the way. If you have the sheet semi-permanently attached to the clew, reconsider using a quick release method such as the one I described in a post above.

capt_nemo

[Salty19]

The "zip down" design is to avoid a flailing cover should the bag become unzipped accidentally.   If the zipper slider is at the top, it has more chances of unzipping (gravity assist) than a slider at bottom.  That's how I made my mainsail cover..slider is down when zipped..no problems with unzipping during storms.

Yep, I would just measure the rough bundle of sail and sew the cover with inside dimensions a tad larger than your measurement to avoid crunching the sail into the bag too much.  Be cognizant that the bag might want to cover a new sail (stiff material, more bag volume will be needed) or a larger sail someday.  A bag sized for an old, soft 110% jib will be to small for a new stiff 155% genoa.

One of the boats in my marina has a bag with a gap below the zipper to allow the sheets to exit. I can't comment how effective it is.