Author Topic: Working jib sheeting angle  (Read 4585 times)

jmcmonagle

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Working jib sheeting angle
« on: May 02, 2017, 09:49:30 PM »
Have a working jib that I want to use during the windier times of year.
With the track on the rail the sheeting angle will not allow sailing close to the wind.
Have the same issue when deeply reefing the 150% jib.
I'm thinking of putting a short track on the cabin top.
Peeking under the headliner looks like I can get a track about 28" from centerline.
Should give about an 8 degree sheeting angle.
Anyone try this?
Any thoughts?

John

selene

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Re: Working jib sheeting angle
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2017, 03:06:19 AM »
I feel your pain...the only major niggle I have with the 323 is that she does not point well.  I have tried everything to improve her performance while pointing, but you can only do so much with this design.  When I race, if we have to tack a lot, we are toast (and PHRF doesn't help).  When there are fewer tacks, and more reaches, we can (and do) win. It's fun to do that to serious racers with modern boats...

I feel that this is mainly caused by a combination of the shallow draft and the sheeting angle.  When pointing - and turning - the shallow keel means that she tends to slip sideways. The shape of the keel and rudder down not give the "bite" or lift that a deeper fin keel would. Tradeoffs....

I have looked at various options for the sheeting angle, but even with my small jib (it gets windy here, so I have an 80%) the leech always hits the fore shroud. Now my smaller jib is cut high, perhaps if I had a specially made small jib with a low foot it would not hit the shroud...not sure.

Play around on a calm day with your sail, mocking up the position of the jibsheets with a cabintop rail - see if you can come up with something. I'd love to hear you thoughts.

In the meantime, just beam reach - she sails very well like that!

jmcmonagle

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Re: Working jib sheeting angle
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2017, 10:52:44 AM »
I think because of the the hull shape it's not going to point as good as a racer but think it can do a lot better.
I think the biggest problem it has is sail trim.
Can't sail close to the wind if you can't trim the sails.
Even my 150% is not quite right but it's at least close.
Pulling the clue inboard a bit until the sail comes close to the spreader tip would help, but that’s another  issue.

Sail maker suggested also to attach to cabin top rail in a light wind.
The only easy spot I can see to attach track or pad eye is a little inboard of the cabin top rail.
I think it will make heavy weather handling a lot easier inside the shrouds.
I'd probably just run sheet  from the cabin top block to the outer track block for now.
At first looked at the deck close to the cabin top but don't see an easy way to access underneath.

I'm still on the hard so will be a few weeks before I can try anything.