'75 solcat jib interference?

i just bought an 18' solcat. i have just gotton into sailing recently and have very little sailing experience. This boat has been sitting for a decade, but seems to be in ok shape except for one problem... the battons in the jib hit the mast every time i try to move it from side to side, and i have to actually bend the battons to pull it to the other side. does anyone have any experience with a problem like this? Also the boom seems to hang very low even though the main sail is up all the way. how do i make it higher?

Thanks,
Brian

Sounds like someone added sails from a larger boat before you acquired it, thus both the main and jib are oversized. If you stay with these sails, I would just remove the battens from the jib since it should still work pretty well without them. As for the main, you probably need to do some cutting and sewing (or have it done). You could either take some off the top and make a squared-topped sail, or you coud take some off the bottom. Either one should be fairly inexpensive to have done at a local sail shop, although I've found it pretty enjoyable to do such work myself.

hmmm, yeah if i take the battons (or atleast the ones that hit) out i think it will work. I also thought at first that the sails might be from a different boat but the main sail clearly has the solcat 18 logo, and the jib also matches the main...

A picture tells a thousand words

good point. i will get a picture next time i have her rigged

I'm sailing a 76 Sol 18; I have the same issue.
My sails are original, the battens do catch on the mast.
When you get the hang of sailing the jib you will notice that when the jib inflates properly, the battens do not touch.
As you turn, Release the main 1st, keep the jib cleated until you're completing the turn and then release the Jib. it will inflate and pop to the other side. I'm a novice as well, I've just noticed I never have to yank the jib of the mast if I do it this way.

You have a line on any parts for these boats?, I found a new stick, specifically for the sol 18 at Murry's. I need a traveler for my main sheet, the track is in great shape. I only need the traveler and wonder if some universal or aftermarket would fit the track.

yeah, i have noticed that with the sails, too... except in really light wind it doesnt inflate the jib enough to move it... i have not even had to try to find parts for mine yet... luckily it's all in ok shape. I do not even know where i would start to try to look for spare parts, but from what i have seen the traveler on the solcat looks to be fairly unique, so you might need to cahnge out the whole track and everything. I have also seen a ton of solcats on craig's list. some of them with extra parts. maybe you could find a junker one for sail and pick it up for spare parts?

Thanks,

If you go here: Sol Cat 18 for Sale - Includes Brochures and Manuals you'll have all the pictures you need.

It appears that the Sol 18 has a fully battened, overlapping jib like a Hobie 16. The battens hit the mast when you tack. It's normal for that kind of boat.

I've owned two SolCats.....normal is the word.

Pretty fast boat if you can keep the weight forward and the rear crossbeam out of the water. Keep only about 2-3 inches of bow on top of the water and it will fly.

Don't release the jib until it pops backwards...
There is a gap between the downhauled sail and the boom mount, you could mount the boom on a slider to get up closer to the main.