Updated BRe Jib Arrangements

The BayRaider Expedition (BRe) originally came with the same jib furling arrangements as on the BayRaider. This works but meant lowering the sprayhood, if raised, and leaning forward out of the cockpit, which for shorter sailors meant standing in the companionway and working at full stretch. That made managing the jib harder than is ideal. This article details an alternative arrangement, which became the standard setup, for jib furling on the BRe that brings the furling and unfurling lines back to the cockpit and all sail actions are now available from the cockpit.

Updated Jib Furling Setup

The new setup is simple. The unfurling line is attached to the aft port side of the jib boom by a metal deck clip. It is routed through the jib clew and back to a small cheek block on the jib boom’s aft end on the starboard side. Because of the potential forces on the metal clip and cheek block, a bolt running through the full width of the jib boom is used to secure these. This arrangement gives a 2:1 advantage for unfurling and raising the jib boom.

The unfurling line is taken forward to a new swivel block (Harken micro block recommended) attached to the shackle connecting the jib boom’s rope strop to the stem head. The positioning of this block on the jib boom’s pivot point means the unfurling line has almost no effect on the jib boom’s motion. Finally, the line is brought aft via an additional bulls eye at the front starboard side of the cabin roof, from where is it routed through the existing triple fairlead and back to the cleat.

The furling line needs very little adaptation from the original arrangement. It is routed via a new deck clip on the starboard side of the jib boom, just forward of the rope strop, aft through a new bulls eye at the forward starboard side of the cabin’s roof – next to the new bulls eye used for the unfurling line – and then aft through the standard fairlead and cleat.

Finally, the jib sheets need moving so they cannot snag the (un)furling lines. A new bulls eye is fitted to the forward end of the wooden grab rails on either side of the cabin roof. The bulls eye underneath the jib boom, through which the job sheet runs, is moved aft so it is just forward of the rubber jib boom support. The jib sheet is then re-routed through these bulls eyes and thus over the cabin roof rather than in front of the cabin.

The new arrangement is shown in the following pictures. In the first photo the boat still has the original jib furling hardware still fitted, but this can be removed, and the deck clip to route the furling line had not been fitted. This was added to prevent the furling line from snagging. This boat does not have an asymmetric spinnaker and that means there are standard cleats available for use with the jib but on a boat that uses an asymmetric then additional cleats may be required.

Updated BRe Jib Furling Arrangements

Updated BRe Jib Furling Arrangements

In the following picture the jib boom deck clip to route the furling line has been added. The jib boom sits to the boat’s port side when the jib is furled because the deck clip is forward of the jib boom’s pivot point, hence the furling line is now pulling on the jib boom. This was not intended but is useful because it keeps the jib boom neatly to one side, and away from the cabin hatch, when the jib is furled. Also note in this picture the aft cam cleat on the top of the jib boom has been re-used to hold a topping lift and the forward twisted shackle at the stem head has been replaced with a swivel shackle – both are unrelated but recommended improvements.

BRe Jib Boom Arrangements

New Setup in Use

In tests, the new arrangement has caused no noticeable effects on the sailing operation of the jib and jib boom, i.e. the jib boom swings as easily as with the original configuration. But the unfurling and furling of the jib is now much easier, faster and potentially safer.

This new arrangement became the standard on BayRaider Expeditions and SwallowBoats can provide a fittings kit to retrofit this arrangement to existing boats.