105% Jib Track Mounting Inside the Shrouds

[Steve Sayian]

I recently bought a 105% jib for heavy air as the 135% stock jib doesn't do the trick.

I tried the 105% jib using the 135% sheets and cars on the existing track and all it will do is go off the wind.  I can't get it inboard enough to go upwind.
Today I did some figuring of how to add a new track inside the shrouds on the cabin top.  The biggest problem is the forward lower shroud and how to get around that.  I think I may end up using two sheets, one for the inside track for upwind and the standard sheet for off the wind.  But the first issue is how to solve the inside track problem.

I was wondering if anyone had added an inside track for a smaller jib, where the track was actually positioned on the cabin top, how long is the track and how did the new sheet run from the car to the genny winch?

Any information would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Steve

[Gary Brockman]

Steve -

You should check with your sailmaker and verify where he designed the sail to be sheeted from and have him look at your set up. He should also be able to help you to set the optimum degree angle for placing an inside track for your new sail. You will only need a short track of 18" to 30" and can actually get by with just a single block if it is placed correctly.

Gary

[Stu Jackson]

Steve,

Gary's on the right track (PI).  The question is: did you buy a deck sweeper or a higher clew?  If you bought a low clewed sail, it is possible that the standard track is simply too short for a good lead angle from the clew to the forward-most jib fairlead car position. 

Our 110% jib has a high clew and the tack is also raised on our ProFurl furler well off the deck.  This relationship allows the clew to set just fine to the car at the front end of the track.

However, if the tack was lower, or if the sail was cut differently as if would be with a lower clew, the track would be, essentially, too short.  It's a simple matter of geometry.

[Wayne]

Ditto to Stu's comments.  I have a 105 or a 110 on my boat, and my fairlead pretty much stays put at the very front end of my track . . . beating, reaching, or whatever.  When I reef/furl my jib I wish I had another couple of feet of track going forward.
While I don't think any of us would claim that our 34's outpoint everything else on the water they do go upwind reasonably efficiently as stock equipped from the factory.  Before I started drilling holes and re-engineering I would look at the simple things first . . . like the sail.  Your existing sail could be cut to raise the clew.  What shape are your sails in overall?  How well tuned is your rig?  Have you tried 'twanging' your jibsheet inboard?
Work on the basics first, and I suspect that surgery won't be necessary.

[Stu Jackson]

Wayne got me to thinking some more.

What is your luff length?  If it is shorter than the foil length, then you have the option of putting a jib pendant at the tack of the sail and raising it up as high as it will go, rather than having a pendant at the head of the jib up top.  This may get you some more wiggle room on the fairlead issue.

With our ProFurl, I have the head of the sail as high as it will go, so coupled with what I wrote before, I have a pendant at the tack of the sail, essentially raising it even higher (as high as it will go, some distance higher than the top of the drum) in addition to the high furling drum described earlier.  The luff length of the sail is a few feet shorter than the foil.

If you still want to consider inboard tracks on the cabintop, take a look around at some C30s.  Many of them have that arrangement.

And, as mentioned, talk to your sail maker (unless you bought from a warehouse or outside your local area - another reason to consider buying sails locally - you at least have a sail maker to talk to...).

[Steve Sayian]

The sail has a very high cut clew and is not a deck sweeper.

The luff is the entire length of the furler, so no space for a pennant.

I'm going to the boat Friday morning and will put the sail on and make some measurements.

I bought it at FX Sails and will contact them for their opinion on the track/alignment.

Sincere thanks to all who offered suggestions on this.

Steve

[jkar]

Steve, what did you end up doing?  I have been thinking about doing this same thing.  I don't want to drill holes in deck and put track down necessarily though.  I have been thinking about mounting blocks to the base of the mast to "inhaul" the jib lead on its way to the regular lead.  Off the wind it is fine, it is just going to wind that I can't get it tight enough currently.  4 holes on the mast is preferable to tracks for the 2% I would use that sail.  Thoughts on this?