I have been having a problem with my Jib. When ever I am tacking and I turn the Jib gets stuck on the mast. I have to stand up and help it over the mast. Is this normal?

Yep. In light winds you'll have to help it across, no doubt about it. In moderate to heavy winds it should go across on it's own. If your battens are really long, you can trim them down so that they barely stick out enough to adjust; that should cut back on the sticking.

Another thing to prevent the batten hang up is to pull the jib halyard back and tie it off to the downhaul so that the halyard is pulled away from the front of the mast. There used to be an accessory that you could put on the mast - a little clip that you could hook the halyard on. I don't know if it is still available.

Howard

yeah, also swtiching the jib at the right time helps it to clear the mast too. If you wait until after the widn switches on the jib but dont change it's angle, so the jib is tied down one way but the wind is inflating it in the opposite direction. This not only helps you come about much quicker, but it lets the jib already be taught, so that when you switch it the battons might nick the mast but they will be a little further out so it probably wont snag. I guess if your in really light wind it still would though.

I used to have the same problem. I bought some hinges for the back of the batten which allows it to brush past the mast. They are in the Hobie Catalogue. They work great and you forget they're there.

I stretch a long bungy cord from one side over the boom, and then down to the other side. My jib sheets hang over the bungy. The bungy guides the sheets up and around the mast. It seems to help.

I just heard that some guys add a patch at the aft of each pocket that hangs out beyond the tip of the batten. This would be a clear batten pocket protector material sewn to both sides of the pockets. It would add reinforcement where the jib rubs the mast and halyards and helps to smooth the transition of these lines over the grommets and batten cap. That would help prevent hang ups.

I've not used them, but the batten hinge in the Hobie catalog might help. Someone already mentioned it.

Part # 20390001 - one hinge - $5.00
Part # 20392001 - four hinges - $18.00