ProposedNewFFJib….
FivesimplereasonstowhyIwillvoteYESbyGregWells.
1. Sheetloadsandgustresponse.
ItseemstomethatoverthelasttenyearsthatFFjibshavebecomemorepowerfulandsheetedfurtheraftandverytightalongthefoot.Wehadtomoveourjibtracksaftonmylastboat.When
I’mcrewingonabreezydayIhavetoletthecarsback,sheetinandthenpullthecarsforwardslightlytogettherequiredtension.Then,whenagusthits,Ihavetoletthecarsoffratherthaneasethesheetsastheloadsarejusttoohighandthejibgoesouttoofarthusfillingthebaseofthe
jibandcausingtheboattoheel.Ibelieve“playingthejib”isagoodandrequiredskillofsailingbutwiththecurrentjibitisalmostimpossibletodoeffectivelyinanythingover15knots.Ashorterfootwithsheetingfurtherforwardwillreducesheetloadsandwillmaketheboateasiertohandleand
moreenjoyabletosailingustyconditions.Allthetestreportshavewrittenthatthisisthecase.
Yes,someboatsmayberequiredtomovetracksforwardbutnotitisnotthatfaranditisreallyquiteeasy.Asmallpainforprogress.
Therelativesheetinganglesareshowninthelefthandpicturebelowwiththespinnypoleangledontheproposedjibtomatchthecurrentjibsheetingangle(asusedinmediumweather)ontheboat
behind.Therighthandpictureshowsthetrackpositionforthenewjib.
Herearesomeshotstakenfromthehelmposition.Currentjibontheleft,proposedjibontheright.
2. Visibility.
WeallknowabouttheFFblindspotbetweenthefrontofthemainsailwindowandthebackoftheJibwindowandI’msurewehaveallhadcollisionsand/ornearmissesasaresultofthisblindspot
whenbeatingtowindward.Movingthejibleechjustafewinchesatthispointwillimprovethevisibilityofboatsintheblindspot.Seephotosbelow.Currentjibontheleft.Iappreciatethecamerawasinadifferentspot(myerror)butitisobviousthattoseethesameamountofjibleech
inthemainwindowthecameraangleismuchfurtherforwardfortheproposedjibontheright.
3. Tacking.
InthetestsIdidwewereamazedhowmucheasieritwastotacktheproposedjibinover15knots.Itispossibletogetthejibfullinwithoneropepull.Therefore,itisinbeforeitloadsup.
4. Crewspace.
Fora20’boatitisamazinghowlittleroomthereisforthecrewonaFifteenespeciallyinlighter
windswhencrewsaresittingonthefloororleewarddeck.Theproposedjibwillgiveabitmorespaceandlightwindtackingwillbeeasieragainthiswasproveninthetestswedid.
5. Looks.
Inmyopinion,thecurrentjiblooksdatedwithitslittlegapalongtheforedeckandwiththesheetingsofaraftandsotightitjustdoesnotseemrighttome.Ohandbytheway,Isuspectwithless
overlapbangingagainstthemastandspinnypolethenewjibsmaylastlongertoo!
GregWells
22ndAugust,2016
