On Jun 17, 2008, at 9:54 AM, David Schuster wrote:
1. Concerning the front stay and jib, we hank on our jib, it falls short by 12" or so from reaching the top of the mast. I was wondering what others have done to length the tack cringle attachment. This is where the jib attached at the bow deck point.
My original Reggie Armstrong working jib did the same thing, when attached to the stem head fitting at deck level. In normal weather, probably not a bad thing, as it lowers the center of gravity. I always attach my tack at the deck level. But when the wind pipes up, if you were to take a wave over the bow (I never have), a wave hitting the jib would not be good. For that, you can carry a small pendant of stainless cable, with eyes swaged to both ends, a little shorter than the distance the head falls short of going to the masthead. That would get your jib up off the deck. That way, you can still tension the luff of the jib with the halyard. Tie on the pendant to the sail tack with a shackle. But for that level of weather, you would want a smaller storm jib anyway. BTW, for those who have not seen it, GREAT.....no better than that.....article by Jerry Montgomery on heavy weather sails and setup for an M17. Once wind tops 25 knots, I'm down to a double reefed main and Ullman 65% storm jib with high clew. Just a little blade hanging up there. Still going fast and in control.