Hello,
I am new on this forum ; I had not boat, but I find the "Cape Dory" very very nice (but unknow in France where I live).
I had some questions about singlehanded sailing when you have no roller-furling ... and no autopilot !
1) What is the better method for dropping the jib : jib halyard in the cockpit with OR without jib downhaul (I had read that the downhaul can be unpractical if it jam itself)... or jib halyard on the mast ?
2) If I head upwing for dropping the jib, what is the behavior or a CD 22 or 25 with the main cleated and the tiller free after the jib dropped ?
Thank you by advance
Best regards
Jacques
Questions for singlehanded sailing
Moderator: Jim Walsh
Welcome aboard Jacques!
On my CD25s, I would head upwind, leaving the main sheet cinched, but slightly loose. Go forward to un-cleat the jib halyard at the mast, drop the jib and bundle it a bit - nothing fancy... Then I would un-cleat the main halyard and leave one wrap on the winch and take halyard back it to the cockpit with me. I could then sail in the rest of the way to my slip on main only and drop it from the cockpit when I felt I could coast into the slip. By the way, I also had a paddle handy just in case I miss judged...
-michael
On my CD25s, I would head upwind, leaving the main sheet cinched, but slightly loose. Go forward to un-cleat the jib halyard at the mast, drop the jib and bundle it a bit - nothing fancy... Then I would un-cleat the main halyard and leave one wrap on the winch and take halyard back it to the cockpit with me. I could then sail in the rest of the way to my slip on main only and drop it from the cockpit when I felt I could coast into the slip. By the way, I also had a paddle handy just in case I miss judged...
-michael
-michael & Toni CDSOA #789
s/v KAYLA CD28 #318
2012 FLSTC Heritage Classic
Niceville FL
+30° 30' 24.60", -86° 26' 32.10"
"Just because it worked, doesn't mean it works." -me
No shirt + No shorts = No problem!
s/v KAYLA CD28 #318
2012 FLSTC Heritage Classic
Niceville FL
+30° 30' 24.60", -86° 26' 32.10"
"Just because it worked, doesn't mean it works." -me
No shirt + No shorts = No problem!
Singlehanded
I am sailing a Typhoon, which is quite small and has the halyards let to the cockpit. On my heavy-weather sail I always rig a downhaul. I have small block on the stem-head fitting and feed a small diameter line through the hanks. With this, I am able to get the sail down on nearly any point of sail without leaving the cockpit, and more importantly, keep it down (the windage on the bow can be significant, especially if the sail gets lifted back up the stay... )
My experience in higher winds is that you go forward, release the jib halyard, and then have to wrestle with lots of flogging canvas until you get it tied down. The downhaul is not perfect, (for example, mine will often get snagged on the mooring cleat) but it limits how much wrestling you have to do.
I was thinking of installing a Gerr downhaul, but have not tried it yet.
My experience in higher winds is that you go forward, release the jib halyard, and then have to wrestle with lots of flogging canvas until you get it tied down. The downhaul is not perfect, (for example, mine will often get snagged on the mooring cleat) but it limits how much wrestling you have to do.
I was thinking of installing a Gerr downhaul, but have not tried it yet.
Reefing CD25
on my CD25 I usually head up into the wind and heave to -- jib on port tack, backwinded, main on stbd, with the tiller pointed at the main. If I am almost single handed, my 7 year old holds the tiller pointed at the main. If I am really single handed, I tie the tiller to point at the main (toward the port side of the boat). My jib cleat and winch are on the mast, so I go forward (clipped in of course), release the halyard, and go back to the cockpit and haul on the Gerr downhaul. There's a lot of line to pull on the downhaul. At this point the boat may start to fall off on the other tack -- this is where someone to aim the tiller toward the mainsail is handy. If there is no current and the seas and wind are aligned, the boat should sit nicely. I often pull in sails just outside the harbor or near the harbor entrance where these do not work in my favor.
I use a gerr downhaul and it has worked pretty well, better than a simple downhaul, but it doesn't bunch the sail up neatly. This may be due to crinkly new sails -- it might work better with older ones. This year I plan to rig it per the Pardy's Self-Sufficient Sailor on pg 252. I will add a shackle to the forestay to which I will attach the jib halyard (where the splice is) and the Gerr downhaul (also at the splice). I think this will relive a friction issue there and ensure I always attach it. For the Gerr downhaul, I found that it is important to have blocks at all three attachment points (two at forestay fitting and one at the jib clew. I put a 1.75in bronze ring around the forestay between the 4th and 5th sail clips -- this gave a nearly 90 degree angle to the forestay. I also have a clip at the jib clew that I leave clipped to a stanchion when not in use -- it attaches to the jib clew ring.
It is really good to ensure that all the halyard ends are controlled. That's why I like the Pardey method to keep the jib head end. Run the Jib halyard bitter end through the cleat base and s-knot it. Do the same with the main halyard bitter end. This will prevent you from pitching side to side with the bitter ends swaying just out of reach of the boat hook (yes, that's how I learned).
Jeff
I use a gerr downhaul and it has worked pretty well, better than a simple downhaul, but it doesn't bunch the sail up neatly. This may be due to crinkly new sails -- it might work better with older ones. This year I plan to rig it per the Pardy's Self-Sufficient Sailor on pg 252. I will add a shackle to the forestay to which I will attach the jib halyard (where the splice is) and the Gerr downhaul (also at the splice). I think this will relive a friction issue there and ensure I always attach it. For the Gerr downhaul, I found that it is important to have blocks at all three attachment points (two at forestay fitting and one at the jib clew. I put a 1.75in bronze ring around the forestay between the 4th and 5th sail clips -- this gave a nearly 90 degree angle to the forestay. I also have a clip at the jib clew that I leave clipped to a stanchion when not in use -- it attaches to the jib clew ring.
It is really good to ensure that all the halyard ends are controlled. That's why I like the Pardey method to keep the jib head end. Run the Jib halyard bitter end through the cleat base and s-knot it. Do the same with the main halyard bitter end. This will prevent you from pitching side to side with the bitter ends swaying just out of reach of the boat hook (yes, that's how I learned).
Jeff
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Markst95
- Posts: 628
- Joined: Aug 5th, '08, 10:04
- Location: 1972 Typhoon Weekender "SWIFT" Hull #289 Narragansett Bay, RI
Re: Singlehanded
I've had the same experience with the downhaul and was also thinking about a Gerr downhaul. Anyone with a Typhoon using one?dsholler wrote:I am sailing a Typhoon, which is quite small and has the halyards let to the cockpit. On my heavy-weather sail I always rig a downhaul.
I was thinking of installing a Gerr downhaul, but have not tried it yet.
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Carl Thunberg
- Posts: 1305
- Joined: Nov 21st, '05, 08:20
- Location: CD28 Cruiser "Loon" Poorhouse Cove, ME
I've never had that problem
. . . of crinkly new sails that is. I never knew that having old blown-out sails would be such an advantage. Thanks for the affirmation! 
CDSOA Commodore - Member No. 725
"The more I expand the island of my knowledge, the more I expand the shoreline of my wonder"
Sir Isaac Newton
"The more I expand the island of my knowledge, the more I expand the shoreline of my wonder"
Sir Isaac Newton
Gerr Downhaul
@Jbenagh - can you post a drawing or picture of the downhaul rig?
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Oswego John
- Posts: 3535
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 20:42
- Location: '66 Typhoon "Grace", Hull # 42, Schooner "Ontario", CD 85D Hull #1
Gerr Downhaul
"If I rest, I rust"
Voting Member #490
Voting Member #490
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Angela and Tom
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Oct 11th, '05, 18:03
- Location: CD28 "Annie Goldie"
prev. Typhoon "Dog Star"
Duxbury, MA
Hi Jacques,
In response to your 2nd question: On our CD28, I've the attached the tiller to the boom with a bungee and then UN-cleated the main. As the boom moves off, the bungee pulls the tiller along with it and it steers the boat back into the wind--it repeats back and forth in a controlled, lazy dance that keeps your nose in the wind. I've only tried it a few times and in light/moderate wind. You do make a little bit of way in a snaky path, but it slows the boat nicely, leaving plenty of time to raise or lower the jib.
Also used a rudimentary down-haul to pull down the jib when we had our Typhoon. Just a line with a clasp on one end attached to a shackle that went through the top grommet and around fore stay. The other end ran through a block attached to the bow plate at the foot of the jib and back to the mast where we operated it from. Wasn't very smooth but did the job. The recommendations above are much better.
Both of us are always on the boat because neither one of us ever wants to give up any chance to sail. So we take turns "pretending" that we're single handing. The other person is supposed to act like they're not even there and not put in their 2 cents. But it's amazing how much some who's not really there has to be reminded to not butt in.
Enjoy your boat and single handing!
A
In response to your 2nd question: On our CD28, I've the attached the tiller to the boom with a bungee and then UN-cleated the main. As the boom moves off, the bungee pulls the tiller along with it and it steers the boat back into the wind--it repeats back and forth in a controlled, lazy dance that keeps your nose in the wind. I've only tried it a few times and in light/moderate wind. You do make a little bit of way in a snaky path, but it slows the boat nicely, leaving plenty of time to raise or lower the jib.
Also used a rudimentary down-haul to pull down the jib when we had our Typhoon. Just a line with a clasp on one end attached to a shackle that went through the top grommet and around fore stay. The other end ran through a block attached to the bow plate at the foot of the jib and back to the mast where we operated it from. Wasn't very smooth but did the job. The recommendations above are much better.
Both of us are always on the boat because neither one of us ever wants to give up any chance to sail. So we take turns "pretending" that we're single handing. The other person is supposed to act like they're not even there and not put in their 2 cents. But it's amazing how much some who's not really there has to be reminded to not butt in.
Enjoy your boat and single handing!
A
almost just like OJ said
In 18 days, I can send you a picture -- Sprite goes in on the 26th. I think with everything apart a picture would not be useful. I will try to remember to post a "how to" once the mast is up and I can rig sails. There are a couple important details in bending on the jib in addition to the base setup.
My setup is very close to the one shown in OJ's link. The big difference is that I think you need blocks everywhere the line changes direction. The good news is that 1/4in blocks are cheap. I used a bronze ring on the forestay, with two swivel blocks attached to it, one on either side of the sail. I used a swivel block and snap hook at the clew grommet as friction killed the setup when I jut ran the line through the clew grommet. This year I will, per Pardey's book, tie the jib halyard and the downhaul to the forestay with a shackle to keel everything from fouling on the way down -- last year there seemed to be a lot of friction there. Also, I'm adding another 1/4 swivel to a stanchion to keep the line off the deck -- I will tie it off to another stanchion in use.
I think I am into this for $50-75 ($30 just for 75 ft of 1/4in line). Adding this up made me wonder whether a roller furler would be more bang for the buck. I think this is still a better solution due to the simplicity -- if there is a problem, I can see it, still get the sail in and I can fix a failure with $10 worth of parts.
Jeff
PS Carl: who would have thought that someone could find a disadvantage in new sails? Bu from BigE's earlier post, I retired them just in time.
My setup is very close to the one shown in OJ's link. The big difference is that I think you need blocks everywhere the line changes direction. The good news is that 1/4in blocks are cheap. I used a bronze ring on the forestay, with two swivel blocks attached to it, one on either side of the sail. I used a swivel block and snap hook at the clew grommet as friction killed the setup when I jut ran the line through the clew grommet. This year I will, per Pardey's book, tie the jib halyard and the downhaul to the forestay with a shackle to keel everything from fouling on the way down -- last year there seemed to be a lot of friction there. Also, I'm adding another 1/4 swivel to a stanchion to keep the line off the deck -- I will tie it off to another stanchion in use.
I think I am into this for $50-75 ($30 just for 75 ft of 1/4in line). Adding this up made me wonder whether a roller furler would be more bang for the buck. I think this is still a better solution due to the simplicity -- if there is a problem, I can see it, still get the sail in and I can fix a failure with $10 worth of parts.
Jeff
PS Carl: who would have thought that someone could find a disadvantage in new sails? Bu from BigE's earlier post, I retired them just in time.
thanks O J
Interesting site OJ. in my favorites now. thanks.
downhaul
I am not sure about the popularity. Most boats I see (even those as small as mine) have headsail furlers these days. The reality is that most of the people who own cape dory boats have already made a choice to have a more traditional kind of boat, so it is not surprising the more of them than average go for a more traditional kind of rig..
some pictures
I put together a short "how to" section with some photos http://www.jbenagh.com/GerrDownhaul.html
Jeff
Jeff
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Markst95
- Posts: 628
- Joined: Aug 5th, '08, 10:04
- Location: 1972 Typhoon Weekender "SWIFT" Hull #289 Narragansett Bay, RI
Great tutorial, Thanks. The only thing that bothers me is the block at the clew of the jib, I could see getting hammered if I had to go up and undo a tangle. Also does it hang on the rigging or mast while tacking with a genoa? I wonder if I could get by running the line through the clew grommet on my Ty? Maybe use a much thinner high tech line?