Winston29
Active Member
Has anyone tried this system? How to Rig a Self-Tacking Jib for Free!
I'd be installing it on a 15' day sailor/dinghy and would use the existing jib cars, cleats and fairleads to secure it, along with a few extra fairleads to guide the bridle in the right direction. I'd probably use both cars, not just the one-sided system shown in the diagram, so adjustments could be made from either side of the cockpit.
All jabs and snide remarks about not needing a self-tacking jib on a dinghy aside, would this system work? Is there any reason why it wouldn't? I'm curious if the lack of a sliding block on a track, would result in improper sail shape or not. Not that that's much of a concern to me. I won't be racing.
To my layman mind, it seems like having the ability to adjust the tension, thereby shortening the bridle and allowing the jib clew to be pulled down and back, much like the traditional sheets do now, would work OK. Am I wrong?
It does kind of look like the bridle wouldn't be able to pull the jib back enough, but only down.
Actually, come to think of it, I sit pretty darn close to the jib cleats when I'm at the tiller, so perhaps this is a non-issue.
I'd be installing it on a 15' day sailor/dinghy and would use the existing jib cars, cleats and fairleads to secure it, along with a few extra fairleads to guide the bridle in the right direction. I'd probably use both cars, not just the one-sided system shown in the diagram, so adjustments could be made from either side of the cockpit.
All jabs and snide remarks about not needing a self-tacking jib on a dinghy aside, would this system work? Is there any reason why it wouldn't? I'm curious if the lack of a sliding block on a track, would result in improper sail shape or not. Not that that's much of a concern to me. I won't be racing.
To my layman mind, it seems like having the ability to adjust the tension, thereby shortening the bridle and allowing the jib clew to be pulled down and back, much like the traditional sheets do now, would work OK. Am I wrong?
It does kind of look like the bridle wouldn't be able to pull the jib back enough, but only down.
Actually, come to think of it, I sit pretty darn close to the jib cleats when I'm at the tiller, so perhaps this is a non-issue.
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