Converting is actually relative easy. You'll need to a drill and a good rivet tang that can blind rivet 4.9 mm monel rivets. You can't use plain alu rivets as then you'll just pull the track of the beam. Apart from that you'll just have to invest some time to carefully position the track in the right place.

AHPC can supply the selftacking track and required fittings and I must say that this track (that I have on my own boat) work well. All the other stuff is just standard Ronstan gear.

1 new jib cut for the selftacking system (I don't know know if the old jib can be recut)
1 curved track (AHPC)
1 car + small block attached
8 monel rivets
4 small blocks or 2 cheek blocks + 2 small blocks (depending on how you inmplement the sheeting system)
piece small (about 3mm )diameter line (for final stage of cascading purchase in sheet line)
piece of larger diameter line (about 6 mm) (for first stage of cascading purchase in sheet line)
2 360 degrees swivelcleats (RF57)

possibly a piece of 5 mm bungee line and a plastic or alu ring. This is used to pull the sheet line tight to the tramp while leading it all the way back to close to the rearbeam. This is handy in high winds as then both crew and skipper are way back on the boat and you really can't get the jib sheet if it stays near the mainbeam.

Personally I advice that you'll use a 4:1 purchase in the sheet line. I sailed with 2:1 for a while but that is just too little. Also with 4:1 you can more accurately control the jib sheet. With 2:1 very small adjustments on the jib sheet create big movements of the jib leech. It is too sensitive then. I know old jibs do fine with 2:1 but the selftackers really like a 4:1 system. Additional costs are just 1 small block ; about 12 AUS$ so why not have a 4:1 system over a 2:1 ?



I think I build my selftacking system (excl cost of the jib sail itself) for 200 Euro's (=about 300 Aus$) and as such it is just as expensive or even slightly less expensive as making the old system.





Take a look at the drawing. This is the setup I have right now and I'm very happy with that. Blue is the larger diameter sheet line (first stage) and red is the thinner diameter line (second stage) Grey is the jib sail itself. Bladck is the track. The thin black line near the rearbeam is the bungee cord. You'll need to have a spi pole of a short replacement pole goign from the mainbeam to the bidles wires to sheet a selftacker on a Taipan 4.9. This will also allow you to bring the foot of the jib sail below the bridle strop and win back a sizeable amount of jib area that you will loose when removing the overlapping part of the jib. This pole is a 30 dollar item. If you sail with a spinnaker already then you have this pole already. But just short 1.5 mtr pole to the bridles will work too if you don't sail with a spi. Must not forget the bridle strut though.

Anyway, AHPC and some other first lead the jib sheet from the cleats to the base of the pole and then forward to the small blocks at the tack of the jib. I think this is without good reason. First you'll have to have more small blocks (= extra cost) and you have added work. But also the jib sheet load is highest in strong winds when both the crew is way back on the boat, especially in reaching or going downwind without a spinnaker. In my setup the jib sheet goes through the swivel cleat in a perfect straight line if the crew is way back on the luff hull and right on the mainbeam. Ergo there is no friction because the line doesn't angle inward through the guiding eye of the swivelcleat. THis makes careful sheeting just a bit easier. Also the jib sheet line is now away from other line running along the spi pole lihe the external spi halyards and the jib luff tensioning line. (no foil ups)

Also the way the jib sheet runs over the trampoline means that the skipper can bedn forward and grap the jib sheet and adjust it. Something that the skipper WILL do when the crew is playing the mainsheet. And this reversal of sheets is VERY FAST when done right.

The bungee is tied a little bit different then what you would expect but there are good reasons for it. The bungee is tied paraller to the rear beam and it runs through the ring (free) just like the jib sheet itself. Now the bungee will pull the jib sheet towards the rearbeam (=tight) but it will not pull it to the centre of the rearbeam when the skipper lets it fall on the trampoline after or when he is/has adjusted the jib. This make handling it more comfortable. You also need less sheet line as the ring itself will move about the trampoline in an elliptical arc. Always keeping it relatively tight while allowing sheeting from nearly anywhere on the trampoline.

My advice is to start with this setup and see if you like it as well. I have gone through several setups and this is the lastest version and I'm actually pretty satisfied with. I think that I'm keeping it.

In teh conditions I had over the last months it had to work very well or you were in alot of trouble. We consistantly has over 20 knots of wind during our races with a very confused and rought seastate.

In the follow up posts are some photographs.


Good luck

Wouter