Setup for Aussie Jib Halyard

Hi All,

Quick question about the Aussie jib doohickey thingy, Ive got an older boat that didnt have one, so I added one. The thing that bugs me now is 1. The dyneema line is sooooo slick, even with gloves on, any tips for getting a good purchase? Its almost impossible to make any adjustments while on the water, its just so ackward, 2. I see on the newer boats there is a jam cleat on the mast before the jib cheek block, will adding that make adjusting the jib tension easier? If anyone could take a picture of that setup so I can copy it, it would be mucho appreiciado,

thanks guys,

Blair

_________________
Blair T

I love these calm moments before the storm, it reminds me of Beethoven...


'02 Hobie Tiger USA 1152

many carry hand held cleating tool. It makes it easy to adjust the halyard on the water. The tool is in the Hobie parts catalog. I took an old jam cleat and made it into a tool. It works well on and off the water.

The way that he dealer showed me to rig the aussie jib was to tie a slip knot in the halyard as high as you can reach after the jib is snug . You have to make sure that the loop is on the correct side of the knot or it will tighten on your line instead of keeping the loop. Then wrap the loose end of the halyard around the cheek block at the base of the mast and thread it up through the loop in the slip knot. Pulling on it gives you a 2:1 advantage to sinch up on the halyard. This is what we used to call a truckers knot used to tie down a load. Cleat it off to the horn cleat above the cheek block. I did this a few times and noticed 1) that the slip knot can get so tight that it is reluctant to slip undone and 2) the line started showing wear at the location of the knot.

New boats do not come with the cheek block and cam cleat. You can purchase that from the hobie catalog or you can buy the power pack kit that comes with the jib halyard upgrade, the 6:1 down haul and the 2:1 out haul all in one kit. (Page 25 of the new catalog) That is what I did to my new hobie 16 and I like having all three upgrades.
After I have the jib snug, I run the halyard around the cheek block at the base of the mast, up around the cheek block I installed on the side of the mast, through the cam cleat then to the aft side of the horn cleat that I installed below the cam cleat. I make a loop and just hold the two lines in my hand, grip tight and put my foot in the loop and step down to put my weight on it. This tightens my rigging tight and I have never had a reason to adjust it once under way. I plan on getting the hand held cleating tool the next time I am at the dealer. Your right about how slick that line is.

One other thing that happened to my jib was I lost the upper tattle tail because the loose forstay was beating against it constantly. I got a small piece of bungie line, tied one end to one side of my bridle then ran it between the forestay and the jib then tied it to the opposite bridle line with enough tention on it to keep the forestay off the jib.

All,
I am putting a new Aussie Jib on my 80 H16 to replace my exisiting stock 1:1 jib halyard and have a question on the jib setup. My jib currently has a jib hank for attaching to the forestay. Does the hank still get attached to the forestay or does the luff of the jib float free?
I would think that if the hank was attached, it would prevent the limp forestay from flogging the jib.
Thanks!

_________________
Eric Weller
2006 F18 Capricorn
1980 H16
Keep the pointy side up!

Eric,

As the hank is at the head, it only guides the jib along the forestay while raising and retrieving. When the rigging is tight there is still 4 to 6 inches of slack in the forestay, which floggs at the jib unless contained somehow. I lost one of my tells due to the flogging so a kind competitor at a race gave me a bit of shockcord and instructed me on how to use it to prevent the loss of another.