Jib furling on a Storm 15

[Paul Cross]

Hi all

Inspired by Claus's club boom improvement, we decided to try fitting a jib furling system to the Storm 15.

Having played around with a variety of multi-line ideas with securing strops to stop the boom hitting the deck etc, we decided that simplicity was the best option and went for a single line with enough slack to secure around a cleat on the mast when furled.

The sail now sits a little further away from the boom due to the furling drum. We reduced the length of the boom strop to allow the sail to set at about the same height as before and to allow for the extra length of the furling drum and swivel. (we still have about and inch of halyard left at the top of the mast)

This setup has now been used in a variety of conditions (windy bank holiday weekend) and gives us a number of benefits:
1. Easy furling lets you keep the jib rigged on the boat and allows you to reef on the water.
2. Keeping the jib rigged secures the mast in the boat.
3. Usual benefits when in harbour or pulled up the beach
4. The whole assembly folds up neatly and stows alongside the mast. allowing you to keep the halyard tight and set up the rig very quickly.

Please forgive the cheap nylon cord in the photos, this will soon be replaced with nicer stuff.

My only thought now is whether to dispense with the jib halyard altogether and to simply attach the top swivel to the top of the mast. Any thoughts?

PC

[Matt Newland]

Paul,
Thanks for posting this. It was good to meet you last weekend.
Is it possible to post a picture of the aft end of the boom? I thought this was the clever bit as you only have the one line.
Any chance of a few more photos?
Regards,
Matt

[Michael Rogers]

Paul

Can I echo Matt's remarks and request. It was good to meet 3 generations of the Cross family at Teifi BC, and to indulge in mutual admiring of boats and exchange of ideas (not to mention "interesting" sailing!).

I want to roller furl the jib on Cadenza (Storm Petrel), and like Matt I would welcome a photo or two of the other (after) end of your jib-boom. Re your comments about the jib halyard, I suppose one could use a short wire strop between the upper swivel and the masthead, but how then could one (easily) do an occasional tauten up of the jib luff?

Michael

[Paul Cross]

The aft end of the club boom is really simple. There is no 'clew tie down' . The single line from the clew passes through a hole in the end of the boom, into a clamcleat and on to the furling drum. The sheet is secured with a bowline around the boom and left loose enough to clear the furling line. We were initially concerned that the lack of a clew tie down independent of jib tension would not allow us to adjust the curve in the jib but, in reality we never adjust it and this relatively small sail seems to set well in all conditions. If the system were scaled up for a larger boat, i would use a velcro strap tie down for the clew that would slide along the boom for adjustment and is easily attached/detached for furling.

[Craic]

Paul,
very well thought out, and thanks for the pics. Lovely setting you are in, too.

Two comments, if you permit: Your single rope solution, neat as it is, could not really work for larger boats where the diameter of the sail clew rope would need to be a good bit thicker than that of the furling drum rope.
And, the s/s eye fitting holding the furling drum to your clubboom, I myself would fasten that to the boom using through-bolts, as the mast and entire rig is held by it.

Otherwise, great.

C.

[Paul Cross]

Thanks Claus

I agree, I'm sure that trying to scale this up for larger boats would present problems.
As regards the bolt through fittings, we did consider this and may well change this winter but bear in mind that the Storm 15 mast is unstayed and so the load on the furling drum is not great and the consequences of failure are limited to the foresail rig only.

The setting is the bottom end of lake Bala, Mid wales. This is a favorite campsite of ours where you can pitch your tent right next to the beach and have hassle free freshwater sailing....small dinghy heaven!

Regards

P

[Matt Newland]

Thanks Paul for those pics.
Talking of lake Bala, I think next summer (2009) we should really hold a rally there over a weekend. There are quite a few of our customers in the vicinity and the fact that its always high water is a big plus...
Let me know if you are interested, or perhaps we should start a new thread for next summers rally.
Best wishes,
Matt

[Paul Cross]

Matt

You can definitely count us in for a rally at Bala

Regards

P