Jens rig pointing issue

altair

Member
Last weekend I sailed in a regatta with winds 18-22..I weigh about 142..put in a large jens..moved halyard down almost two clips and had about 21" of mast exposed..this really helped me sail upwind with the 190lb guys but I noticed something strange on starboard tack. I could not point near as high as anyone else..even when I was above someone by about 10 boat lengths I would slowly come down and end up right on top of them and be forced to tack away? On port it was not as bad but still could not point as high. I believe I had the gosseneck at about 20". Any thoughts on why this occured would be appreciated since I will be using this setup again.
 
The biggest thing that is going to affect your point is the gooseneck. Just like you would without the jens, try to find a balance between point and weather helm by moving the gooseneck. Forward for more point, back for less helm. Your ability to keep the boat flat is also critical in this balance. A healed up boat is going to have a heavier helm, while simultaniously sliding more to leeward and stalling out. Outhaul and cunningham will will help you de-power, but it is more critical that you work the main until your arm falls off. So keep it flat.
I was trimming skinnaker on a lightning this weekend so I know what it was like. I weigh 135 and have never used bigger than a 12" jens, so I don't know for sure how 21" behaves. I do know that I would have my gooseneck further forward and put on a good bit of cunningham and outhaul without taking too much power out. The water was pretty rough this weekend. I aslo find that it is benificial to foot in that heavy chop. I find that you can crack off a degree or two and move significantly faster and flatter.
 
Last weekend I sailed in a regatta with winds 18-22..I weigh about 142..put in a large jens..moved halyard down almost two clips and had about 21" of mast exposed..this really helped me sail upwind with the 190lb guys but I noticed something strange on starboard tack. I could not point near as high as anyone else..even when I was above someone by about 10 boat lengths I would slowly come down and end up right on top of them and be forced to tack away? On port it was not as bad but still could not point as high. I believe I had the gosseneck at about 20". Any thoughts on why this occured would be appreciated since I will be using this setup again.

That is a really big jens. I don't have experience sailing with one that big. With a jens that big, I think you have to have the gooseneck back like that or your weather helm offwind will be just terrible.

The purpose of a jens is to help the leach open and spill air. However, a sailboat won't point as well if the leach is really open, so you dont want a Jens bigger than you need. Did you have a lot of vang on? Vang should help keep the leach tight enough that you could still point.

Next time you might try more vang, and if that does not work see if you can get away with a smaller Jens. Chris
 

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