Jib Furler on 16

I want to put a jib furler on my Hobie 16. I sail out of a canal and need the control. I would like to use my jib with the battens removed. I realize the jib should be recut, but how bad is it used as is? I am looking for a furler setup with or without the correct jib.

When I had my H16, I also sailed from boat ramps and through channels, so I put a furling jib setup on. I loved how it worked and wouldn't want to sail without one for those situations. The stock jib is cut with lots of extra material (roach) on the leech (back edge of the sail). Without the battens, this area will flop around in the wind while sailing. Your best bet would be to pick up a cheap, used jib sail on Ebay and cut it down. That way, if you ever want to sail with the standard rig, you'll still have that ability. Here is a photo of my furling jib, on top of a standard jib. As you can see there is quite a bit of sail area difference.

Jack, thanks for the information. Could you tell much difference between the standard jib and the furler jib in just general sailing. This boat will never be raced. If it is even just good enough it will never go back to the battens. I like the matching colored sails. If I find a matching sail I would buy it and have that one cut. My other option was to put a net between the hulls to keep the jib out of the water when it is down. I go out of the canal with an electric motor.

Like you, I'm strictly a recreational sailor. I'm sure experienced users would notice a difference in performance, but I didn't. When I replaced my H16 with a Prindle 18, I installed a furling jib on that boat also. It is so nice to be able to depower the boat quickly, that I'm not worried about the performance trade-off. Coming into a dock or beach and being able to make the jib disapear makes some of those frightening moments a lot easier to deal with.
Jack

I agree with you Jack, I have a harken furler (drum) that i use for recreation and i must say that it is very nice to have on the 16 when the wind really begins to pick up. I sail solo most of the time, so if I ever feel i might be overpowered, I just go back in, take out the battens, and slap on the furler, that way, i can reduce sail area quickly and easily if I ever need to. Yes, the roach on the stock sail does flap around a bit when the wind picks up, but I kinda like it,.....I'm one of those people who don't mind when the rudders scream, and the roach of the jib sounds like a helicopter above you.

Thanks for the comebacks. I think I will get the original sail cut for the furler. I will look for another jib until time runs out next spring. I can't imagine ever using the boat withont the furler.

I am already starting to miss the furler that my Hobie 14 had, my Nacra lacks one. I can take the sail down on the water but that takes a matter of minutes, but the payoffs of a bigger boat is well worth that loss.

Jack, another couple of problems you may have addressed. One is putting up the main sail on the water. The hook at the top of the mast is not easy to lock into or to release. I am either thinking of altering the hook to have a larger lead into it or just tying the main halyard off at the bottom of the mast. What keeps the main up on the prindle. Also since I motor out and in with an electric motor mounted just behind the mast, I would like to drop the main with the boom and sails held up off the deck. I plan to put a cheek pulley on each side of the mast, just above where the jib top passes the mast, and run two lines down to about the midpoint of the boom. Tied off they would hold up the boom and confine the sails. They could be slacked off or unhooked from the boom when sailing.
Any suggestions.

Mako/Jack:

If you don't have one, put a 1 to 2 system on your furler. Ever inch you pull it furls 2. Makes it nice. If you need instruction on how I did it, just let me know. Just need a block with becket.

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
"Stress Free" #007

Doug, how does your system work? Any suggestion as to witch furler to buy? They seem to either attach directly to the bridle with ears on the sides with the drum down or to a short wire above the bridle.

Mako:

I have the stock Hobie furl. Hobie Super H-17 system bottom of page. http://www.murrays.com/archive/41.pdf Don't know if it would fit between your hulls. The system work like this:

http://www.thebeachcats.com/modules.php?...=view_album.php

Line tied from ----------- block w becket ------------
furler and run -----------
thru block and back
and tied to bridle

With the sail unfurled. You take the furler line and run it thru the block and back to the bridle and tie it off. Then tie a 1/4 or so line to the becket and run it thru a cleat on the crossbar. For every foot you pull the sail will furl two. Makes it easy on the beach and between race or to depower.

Hope this help,

Doug

Thanks Doug, I have been thinking the Hobie furler will work best with the present rigging. It looks like it is stable, attached at the two sides by the bridle. I understand your double pull rig. I will use it. Moving on, I am not happy with the Halyard hook on the top of mast to keep the main up. I have to put the main up on the water and it isn't easy. Is there any reason why the main can't be tied off low on the mast. A swage on the end of the wire portion of the main halyard and a hook mounted at the proper place on the lower mast, where you can reach it, should do the same job, or am I missing something. another hook above would do the reefing. The other way would be to tie off the rope portion with a cleat. Do any other boats use the Hook system on the top of the mast?

Mako:

You would have to have a lot longer piece of wire on the halyard. The only thing I can think of as you would need something up top to keep the wire to the side of the mast to miss the battens on the jib and this would put a lot of prebend to one side on the mast. I don't think it would work very good. Sorry, Hobie made it that way for a reason, and I think that is why.

Doug

Can the jib furler setup be lowered or is it fixed until you drop the mast? It looks like some boats are fixed, and cannot be lowered and some can be.

Mako:

It is up there till you come in. It is part of the forestay. Look at pics.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/modules.php?...=view_album.php

Doug

Mako:

Ever get furler figured out?


Doug

Doug
I bought a standard Harken Drum and swivel. I machined a bracket for under the drum that holds the drum and the original forestay wire. That will allow me to lower the jib without taking down the mast. The jib, drum and swivel can be taken off. I am going to try to send a picture, first time. If it makes it the hole in front holds the forestay and the one in the bottom goes to the bridle.

Picture didn't make it.