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Jib Downhaul hangs

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gbeardjr
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/01/2006 : 23:35:49

Hello all,

About a month ago I installed a jib downhaul that iI ordered from catalina direct. However it has come with its own problems. The installation was very simple for the most part. Except the installation instructions were very unclear about how to install the four brass rings. I am having constant problems with the jib hanging now when trying to bring it down. Some days it works perfect then some days its a real pain. Has anyone else installed this kit. If so how are those rings supposed to clip on correctly.

There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those that understand binary and those that don't

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 11:24:58

I have not seen their kit, the secret is too connect the downhaul to the top hank not the head cringle. I don't know what the brass rings are for but we simple wove the down haul through between the hanks a couple times. Never failed.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 11:43:06

I was out by myself yesterday in a 12-15 Knot wind. I followed Franks advice from a previous thread about weaving the downhaul line thru the hanks.
Worked vey nicely, allowed me to sail right up to my mooring ball.

Edited by - on

gbeardjr
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 11:58:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 I have not seen their kit, the secret is too connect the downhaul to the top hank not the head cringle. I don't know what the brass rings are for but we simple wove the down haul through between the hanks a couple times. Never failed.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When you say weve between the hanks. Do you actually clip the line to the forestay.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 12:52:37

No, it is coming up from the block you installed at the bow, skip a couple of hanks and pass it between the luff of the sail and the forestay, skip a few more hanks weave it back the other direction between the luff and the forestay, maybe one more time, clip it to the top hank. I have actually done it weaving trough the hanks themselves every few hanks but you need large hanks and small line for that and I am not sure it gets you anything. One of the beauties of these is that you can cleat the downhaul after the sail is down and no amount of wind can blow it back up the forestay. I also used to have a large velcro strap at the stantion close to the mast and at back of the pulpit to bundle the sail on the deck so wind can't get to it that way either. My web pages are so unorganized now that it is hard to say what is where but if you look at the pages closely you may see the downhaul in action.
I use this cleat mounted on the outside of the coaming. It is called a lance cleat. They make port and starboard. Now that I have a furler I still run my line trough it as a temporary furler cleat.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 10/02/2006 13:05:07

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 13:13:01

I use a jib down haul (dowsing line) just as Frank describes above. At the top end, I tied a loop in the line which I slip around the top hank just before clipping it to the forestay. My line doesn't pass inside the jaws of any of the hanks. Just as Frank said, there's usually not enough extra room inside the jaws to prevent the line from binding.

I haul the jib down while pointing as high as I can with the mainsail. I try to keep enough tentsion on the working jib sheet to hold the jib up out of the water. Once the luff is compressed as close to the deck as practical, I reach over the life line and grab the sheet just ahead of the lead block with one hand, while easing the tail of the sheet with the other hand. I then use the sheet to flip the sail up over the life line onto the deck inboard of the stanchions. I can then retension the sheet (the part used to flip the sail, not the part through the lead block) to help keep the sail from blowing around until I can tie it down better, or remove it.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2006 : 08:18:28

Maybe the brass rings that came with your kit are meant to be slipped onto the forestay with the dousing line ran through them instead of running it through the hanks.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2006 : 10:16:10

I read the catalinadirect product description and they tell people to connect to the head, if you do that it folds the sail over at the first hank and twists the hank over sideways which jams the hank on the forestay and causes the downhaul to hang up. Remember pass the line between the hanks, not through them.

Edited by - on

gbeardjr
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2006 : 13:54:10

Thanks for the info everyone. I weaved the line betwen the first four hanks and the downhaul works great now.

Edited by - on

brian
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2006 : 00:32:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gbeardjr
 Thanks for the info everyone. I weaved the line betwen the first four hanks and the downhaul works great now.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The Brass rings are for you to connect them to the top 4 jib hanks. I have the same setup, as I bought it from CD aswell. I connect the clip to the shakle after I connect the top of the sail. The I go back open the top for jib hanks and pop and brass ring inside. The brass rings should have the downhaul line running thru them.

So let me try and explain better... Downhaul should have on the line, Clip at one end. Then line should be running thru 4 brass rings.

Now rig up your sail just like normal. Once all hanked on and shackle is connected to top of sail. Grab the downhaul line and run it on the side of the sail that has the hank opennings. Then connect the clip to the shackle next to the sail. Slide the brass rings up and open each of the top 4 hanks just enough to pop a brass ring in. The brass rings are nothing more than a guide for the downhaul.

Hope this helps. The kit was nice, other than they want you to put the fairleads screwed into the deck. I am not a fan of putting holes in my boat, so I am looking at getting something to run using the stachions(spelling?).

I'll try and get some pics next time I am out.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2006 : 06:50:16

Brian,
Your downhail will hang up if you connect to the shackle, watch the head of the sail fold over and twist the first hank on the forestay, that is what will get you one of these days.

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2006 : 09:09:09

Brian,

I run my jib downhaul line aft through the little diagonal braces at the base of the stanchions. It seems to be working out OK so far.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

brian
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2006 : 22:31:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 Brian,
Your downhail will hang up if you connect to the shackle, watch the head of the sail fold over and twist the first hank on the forestay, that is what will get you one of these days.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Will have to take a look at it. Only had it up there for a week or so, and it has worked so far.. I bought it for a safety thing, so I will take your advice..

Thanks

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 10/18/2006 : 17:48:04

An easier way to do a jib take-down: sail on port tack, heave to, so the jib is back-winded above the deck with the wind coming from the starboard bow about at 2 o'clock, use the jib downhaul to pull the jib down on the deck.

Doing it this way almost folds the sail all by itself and it's really quiet, since the sail isn't flogging by heading up into the wind.

Once the jib is down, you'll need to tend to the tiller immediately, but the downhaul and the starboard jib sheet, still tight on the winch, keep the sail right where it belongs on the foredeck.

Try it, using the methods of attachment to the top hank described by these posts.

When you get to the dock, all you have to do is either disconnect or reeve the jib sheets and fold up or roll up the sail, since by having the wind come across the jib that way, the sail is already folded between the hanks!

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2006 : 13:18:10

What Stu suggests works very well. That's the method we often use on Sparky when coming into Brisbane. The wind really honks coming into the marina there and that saves flogging the sail coming to the wind or getting blown away from the marina trying a downwind douse. Since we are usually coming in on a reach we just haul the jib to backwind it and keep on going for the mark.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2006 : 13:29:38

I was always back winded as well.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2006 : 20:16:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 ...the secret is too connect the downhaul to the top hank not the head cringle.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
My work here is done.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/19/2006 20:22:35

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2006 : 20:38:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 ...the secret is to connect the downhaul to the top hank not the head cringle.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
My work here is done.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Goof, did you teach me that trick? You certainly may have.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2006 : 22:55:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 Goof, did you teach me that trick? You certainly may have.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Figured it out some 20 years ago on our Day Sailer and mentioned it here a few years back... Didn't need it on Passage--she had a roller, which transformed our approach to sailing. Often as not, we'd just pull out the genny.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/19/2006 23:01:52

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2006 : 23:07:24

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Leon Sisson
 I run my jib downhaul line aft through the little diagonal braces at the base of the stanchions. It seems to be working out OK so far.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I tried that with my furler line and found that when a good tug was required, the line would bind in a corner of the triangles. I added little blocks to a couple of stanchion bases and it worked much better. Clamp-on fairleads would work well, too.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/19/2006 23:11:10

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