Rigging a cunningham? Jens rig?

[George Hart]

What does it look like and what is its used for?

I been skimming around the site and see a lot of comments about it but can understand what it looks like?

 

[beldar boathead]

Cunningham is used to adjust luff tension. This guide has a section on how to set one up. https://www.sunfishclass.org/documents/tuning_guide.pdf There is a somewhat more sophisticated way to do it now, but this gives you an idea. The Jens depowers the rig. The rules have changed to make it easier to rig, but I don't know the easiest way to do it these days. BB

 

[George Hart]

I guess if I knew what Luff was I would be on track?

I am guessing Luff is created in the sail when you bring the Boom and the Jib closer together?

 

[beldar boathead]

Google "sail luff" and Wikipedia will show you what it is. Btw a Sunfish does not have a jib.

 

[George Hart]

I guess I will have to go back to scoop before I can have a conversation with Sailers!

I assume we are talking about a "Luff of Bread" and the Jury is still out on what a Wikipedia is?

I guess my Boat has a "Top Boom and Bottom Boom!!

Is there a site available like "Paint by the Numbers" for "Full Figured, Old want to be Sailers?

 

[beldar boathead]

Some people here recommend a book called The Sunfish Bible as a primer. I haven't seen it in years and can't recall what is in it. Also, people who sail boats are sailors, not sailers. BB

 

[George Hart]

Well I cant spell either so I guess I will just lurk around and read from most of your blog post that are dated 2o11 and see if I can self teach myself how to spell and learn about what ever kind of boat I have.... Thanks

 

[tag]

George, if you are just starting sailing (in general or in a Sunfish), you don't really need to know what a cunningham or Jens rig are - I'm no pro, but I've never used either, and quite frankly never really even considered it. If you plan to race, then it will probably be in your best interest to learn them, but both will require additional line and parts.

The Jens rig is useful to depower the sail for days with stronger winds. If you are a heavy(ier) sailor, this becomes slightly less important, and if you are not a racer, you can always just skip sailing that day and stay home and read a book or something. While I'm sure it could be useful and might not be hard to learn to use, I've never even tried to install a Jens rig, and sail just fine without either the Jens rig or the cunningham. But I also don't race, so...

If you haven't read it yet, look at the Sunfish Tuning Guide for Racers (https://www.sunfishclass.org/documents/tuning_guide.pdf)
There is also a decent write-up at Wind Line Sails here: Sunfish Racing Sail Bending on and Tuning Guide
There are excellent pictures showing the various lines and setups at Starboard Passage: Rigging and set up

And this picture shows a lot of the basic rigging information:

 

[George Hart]

Thanks for the reply "Tag" the link to the Sunfish Racing Sail Bending really gave me a good understanding of my questions about Cunningham.

 

[Wavedancer]

I agree with tag; a beginner doesn't need to know how to rig a C'ham or a Jens rig.

With respect to the C'ham adjustment, racers have found the greatest power from their sail in medium to light winds when the luff has scallops. But to flatten that sail in heavy breeze, one needs to tighten the luff to the max. To make that adjustment on the water, one needs to rig a C'ham line.

 

[George Hart]

I think you guys are right! I will never be as good as you guys are, my days have passed. Like a "Walk Over" I don't need to know how to do it, its way beyond my abilities, but understanding how it is done is very interesting to me. So far my major project has been trying to get my legs over the rail to get into a boat under sail, before it leaves with out me! So for a guy like myself its fun to simply read about young men and there adventures, and if I am lucky I can set in a bar and talk about my ship shank loop knot over the board with the stern passing up the starboard side as I pulled my zip line in and hauled out my boom and lost my hiking stick and try to make it believable to my friends and family. You guys have fun live your life to the fullest, it will be over before you know it. I will move on to read past post and work on understanding what a jib is on my own. Thanks for allowing me to be able to read about your adventures and instructions to young men that need to know how you do it.....