Here's my history. I just moved up from a 14 to a 16. I have a lot of experience with sailing monohull sloop rigs, and like having a jib much better. I have a second forstay adjuster attatched to the standard one ( How I got the boat) I have the mast raked back so it's in the 5th hole from the top of that second adjuster ( equivelant to 15 holes up from the point where the bridle wires come together) Now, here's the problem. I have the halyard guide on the mast to stop the jib from hanging up on the jib halyard, but I can't seem to get the jib to pop over the mast without pulling it across. It really hangs up, and sometimes, I can't get the top battons to get across, no matter how hard I pull, the jib luff sticks WAY past the mast. Since I often sail alone, trying to juggle the jib sheets and yanking the jib around, while still handling the main sheet and tiller gets quite frustrating. I'm afraid if the wind has any speed at all, I'm gonna take a swim. My daughter has expressed some interest in racing, so I don't want to get the batten hinge set unless that's the only alternative ( not class legal?) Am I rigged wrong? I can't find any info on exactly what should be rigged in what hole, I just used the ones that looked like they had some scratches on them as if they were the ones most commonly used. If I rake my mast mor forward or aft, would that help? IF I'm not racing, can I take the battons out, or will the jib become useless, since it isn't cut for that?

Sorry about all the questions, but the *(&%^ jib is ruining my love for sailing Hobies right now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Bob

Bob,

I have seen a second forestay adjuster used for to hold the forestay before the jib is up. The jib was then fastened on the lower adjuster and once tighten caused a lot of slack in the forestay. I short bungee cord was then fastened to the top of the second adjuster and the bottom of the lower adjuster. That pulled the upper adjuster out at a right angle and took all the slack out of the forestay so it wouldn't rub on the jib.

Do you fasten the jib to the upper or lower adjuster? If the upper, do you get the shrouds tight enough? You may have too much rake. Where are the shrouds in their adjusters, top or bottom?

My jib hangs up in lighter winds and I pull it over. The trick is to do it from the lee side and push a lower batten to curve it to leeward as you push it over. In a stronger wind it should not hang up. Check the length of your battens to see if you can shorten them. Another trick I use is to use a small line to tie the jib halyard back towards the downhaul. It pulls the halyard back enough to help prevent it catching the battens. At one time there was a small hook you could buy from Hobie that mounted on the mast for that same purpose - to hook the halyard back. Is that what you mean by the halyard guide that you have?

Are you backwinding the jib and then letting it go after the main has filled? Usually there is enough force to pull the jib over.

Howard

Thanks for the reply, here are my answers.
Yes, it sounds like exactly the same set up that you’ve seen, there is even a bungee attached. The forestay is attached to the middle of the top adjuster, the jib to the middle of the bottom adjuster. The shrouds are tight, maybe too tight? I only get about an inch of play when the jib is raised. The shrouds are towards the bottom of the adjusters.
I did backwind the jib, and it came over with some force, but the winds were moderate at best. ( didn’t want to experiment too much in heavy airs) The hook on the mast is exactly what you are describing, it works well to keep the jib halyard out of the way.

Is it possible that my mast is just raked back too far? Should I leave the forestay where it is and raise the shrouds up a couple of holes and just use my jib halyard to pull the mast more forward? If I do go with the batten hinge set ( I’m just about frustrated enough to cut into my battens ) are they worth it? Do they work well? How do they work and still keep their shape when the wind is in the sail? Should I just go back to my 14 and forget all this?

Thanks again
Bob

Bob,

I would try taking some of the rake out of the mast. You can leave the forestay wherever you like because once the jib is up the forestay does nothing. The wire in the luff of the jib becomes the forestay and you use it to pull the rig tight and the mast forward. You should always backwind the jib to come about and when you get around to where the wind goes from one side to the other of the main, you let the jib go. It should come across the mast if the breeze is up. My shrouds are at the top of the adjusters and I seem to have enough rake.

I have no experience with the hinges so don't know what to tell you. I certainly would not give up on the 16 and go back to the 14. I have sailed my 16 since it was new in '85 (20 years) and haven't found the "hang up" of the battens to be much of a problem.

Howard

Jib hang ups are only a real problem in lighter air. It should just pop across with any load on it.

You should have the jib rigged low on the forestay adjuster. The jib clew blocks should touch the car when sheeted hard... if not, that could be part of the problem. You would be forcing the jib too high in the fore triangle. Lower means more room to tack through.

Be sure the jib luff is taunt. There should be NO load on the rigging "forestay". If the luff bows aft, the jib hangs up even more. The position of the "forestay" in the adjuster is irrevelant. Just be sure the wire is VERY loose when sailing. We generally have 1 foot or more of slack. That is where the bunjee comes in, It can pull out the slack, but not take any rig load.

Shorten the jib battens. They should just barely stick out of the pockets.

Tape over the batten ends. Start on the side of the jib and back over the end of the batten and to the other side. This can help prevent actual hang ups.

Tie the main halyard aft too. I pull the halyard aft then around behind the shrouds then back and hook under the downhaul cleat... and finally tie off on the halyard cleat. Be sure there is a moderate amount of tension on the halyard so it doesn't droop as the mast bends.

Don't just yank the jib through. In light air, I grab the bottom batten and shove forward which bends the jib and then pull through.