What to do with hanked on sails when dropped

[zachduckworth]

Hi,

I’m re-rigging my boat soon and I’m going to try hanked on sails for awhile. Where I sail regularly gets high winds in the afternoon and I want to be able to get a blade or storm jib up while single-handling (which I do often in the Catalina Channel and around the backside of the island) , which is not practical with my furler.

I am wondering how people manage hanked on sails when they are doused and another is run up the forestay. I’ve heard some peooke lash them to the foredeck. I saw someone on here describe a guy who made a doubled net system that he could open up and drop the sail into, then close it back up (perhaps tied into the lifelines).

I know that there are more bluewater cruisers who use hanked on sails than otherwise. What do they do with their genoa or working jib when they a squall hits? Finally, does anyone have a video showing someone rolling up a genoa while on a boat? I tried rolling up my storm jib on my foredeck in my slip last week and it was tricky. This seems like an important skill , I’m interested in any thoughts on it.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, zackduckworth,

What we did was to make on deck storage bags for the sails, not net, because we wanted UV protection. The design was pretty simple, because the larger sails have to be folded to fit in the bags. So, Sunbrella was the fabric, and we already knew all zips had to have a flap to cover them, so very long zipper stock, we used Ykk#10. You make as skinny a rectangle as possible. You need to be comfortable working on the foredeck. We used flat nylon tubular webbing, 1" wide, that we could tie to our perforated toe rail, as it is even stronger than regular sail gasket material.

You could through bolt pad eyes or saddles, if you have scuppers. You need one tie at the fwd end, one in the middle and one at the aft end. First, you flake the sail on the deck, yes, motion and all, that's what you do. Then you shift the sail over to the side of the boat. Next, you tie the tie down a little ways back from the front of the bag. You unhank the hanks and and fold the flakes back along the lifelines, tie down the aft tie, bring the aft end forward, then secure the middle webbing line. Finally, you zip the bag.

For rolling your storm jib, leave it hanked on. Pull the foot of it tight all the way back, as far as it will go, and flake it according to how it came down (we used to try to make it all flake to one side). Then fold the clew end forward about a foot and a half to 2 ft. forward, and tie it with a sail tie, so it still lies flat, and you can undo it without disturbing the flakes. Fold the fold in half, and roll it all the way fwd to the stay where it is all hanked on. Remove the tie, and tie the bundle very tight. You might need two sail ties to keep it all contained, one side to side, the other, fore and aft. Take it where you want it.

Now, you can have two on-deck sail bags, and store two sails up there, and that will help. If the storm jib also needs UV protection, you might be able to figure one out that would stay at the bottom of the forestay, but it is hard on a small boat, and if you're located in So Cal, you aren't going to need one, so it might reasonably live under the foreberth in normal conditions, and only rarely come out. Honestly, it can probably stay out till you've
freshwater rinsed it, dried it, and put away. It is not a sail you would expect to use often. FYI, dacron does not absorb salt, that is the reason for the freshwater rinse: to remove the sharp salt crystals that can damage it.

Ann

[GordMay]

Our first sailboat [Mirage 26 c/w hanked headsails] came with nylon sailbags, for both headsails. We used a couple of bungee cords, pulpit to toe rail, to temporarily tame the doused sail, and always bagged the doused sail, and stowed it in the vee-berth, as soon as we could.

There’s also: “Recycled-Sail Seabags”
The Original Recycled Sail Seabag is made from 100% recycled sail cloth. We make limited runs of these bags and every one is totally unique, no two are the same. This bag comes in three sizes and is fully lined with a 210 denier oxford nylon which keeps out most moisture, complete with front and end zippered pockets.
➥ https://resails.com/product/the-orig...-sail-seabags/

And, of course the various “Sew it yourself! Sail Bag Kits”, from Sailrite:
➥ https://www.sailrite.com/Sail-and-Ca...vers/Sail-Bags

[goat]

Hey Zach, I don't have the experience of Kate and Gord but I will tell you my experience with a similar boat from a similar place. I have single handed to Catalina Island many times after buying my 27 foot boat in Redondo beach. The boat came with a large roller furling genoa, I replaced all the sails after purchase and bought off-shore finished sails including a high cut 120 roller furling jib. Also a storm sail. My first offshore sail with this boat was from San Diego to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Of course there were a few squalls and such on the way down. I tried to use my staysail to ride it out but it was just too big for the conditions. I put up the storm jib that was hanked to the staysail stay. Running the sheets and getting good shape were problematic. I ended up rolling out about a square foot of jib and ran with that for a week. That does bring the forces higher than the storm sail was, but turned out to be my go to downwind setup. Downwind being the only way you can go when the wind really picks up. There have been times when no sail is the correct sail plan.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't be in too much of a rush to change things. Being a single hander I appreciate the ability to slowly roll in the jib as necessary as I come to anchor or sail in to a slip. There is a reason you see so many roller furling setups. If you are going to predominately sail offshore where your sail setup can remain unchanged for a week, hank on is a good choice, if you want to live on the boat and want the sails to stay out of your way, roller furling is pretty reliable and convenient.

Now that I've put 20,000 or so sea miles on this boat I still like the setup. I sold my storm sail last year on my trip back to Mexico from Northern B.C. Canada. The one sail I find gets used most is the good old Drifter/Reacher/Spinnaker. I replaced mine last year after a knockdown 300 miles west of Washington tore the spinny bag from the lifelines.

As usual, my advice is just my experience and not meant to change your mind, just offer another opinion. Your first option would be to listen to the old salts advice rather than that of a barnyard animal, but here we are ;^)

Good luck on your refit, you can't go wrong with either type of sail.

goat

[boatman61]

I used to have bungee cords on the lower lifelines to secure the out of use sail when single handing
Process was simple.. lash the smaller sail to the stbd side and hoist let's say the No1 jib.. when time comes to change haul the sheet tight then drop the sail and bungee it up on the port side, the sheet keeps it stretched out for you.
Next release the sheet and take it forward, Hank on smaller jib, transfer uphaul then release bungees and after the last bungee connect jib sheet and raise sail.
Changing back up, same procedure in reverse only this time you have to unclip the hanks on the No2/3 jib so the still hanked on No1 can be hoisted.
Pretty quick and easy once you get the rhythm..

[deblen]

Isn't that what the v-berth & hatch is for?

[zachduckworth]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I used to have bungee cords on the lower lifelines to secure the out of use sail when single handing
Process was simple.. lash the smaller sail to the stbd side and hoist let's say the No1 jib.. when time comes to change haul the sheet tight then drop the sail and bungee it up on the port side, the sheet keeps it stretched out for you.
Next release the sheet and take it forward, Hank on smaller jib, transfer uphaul then release bungees and after the last bungee connect jib sheet and raise sail.
Changing back up, same procedure in reverse only this time you have to unclip the hanks on the No2/3 jib so the still hanked on No1 can be hoisted.
Pretty quick and easy once you get the rhythm..

This sounds very straightforward. And if you have an autopilot or windvane once the new sail is set you can take your time flaking and rolling the other jib or genoa if the situation calls for it.

The reason I want to do this boils down to sailing in an area with a lot of obstacles to maneuver around (Port of LA) in winds than can vary from 5 kts to 25kts in one afternoon. I hate having to motor the last twenty or so minutes because I can’t point high enough to make any ground back to the marina.

[MicHughV]

As per Boatman 61, I do pretty much the same.

Leaving the sail on deck invariably means it will get drenched in salt spray, etc, so I will leave it there until it dries out.

At an anchorage, I will hoist the wet sail up with a spare halyard and let it flop about in the wind for a minute or two. This usually shakes all the salt off. I do the same thing, tied up to a marina.
I did this for years with my first boat which had hanked on sails and never had any issues.

[zachduckworth]

Originally Posted by deblen

Isn't that what the v-berth & hatch is for?

Lol yes, I should have meant aside from stuffing it through the hatch. Although my hatch goes to the head, not the v-berth.

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by zachduckworth

I know that there are more bluewater cruisers who use hanked on sails than otherwise.

This is just not true any longer, it is not even close, and has not been true for a very long time. I don't know who is telling you that, but you will look long and hard for hanked on sails at any of the ports landing boats finishing ocean crossings.

Certainly not true of our boat which has done two circumnavigations, and an additional 50,000 miles of ocean sailing with a roller furling jib, and mast furling main AND mast furling mizzen...

There are certainly furling setups that are badly done that give people grief. But, guess what? There are hanked on sails that are badly set up too. Ever get a sail slide hung up at the top of the mast in nasty weather while trying to reef?

Honestly when we bought the boat I was skeptical, but after almost 10 years, I am sold. I would never go back to hanked on sails--ever.

[NorthCoastJoe]

I third or fourth Boatmans method. I had to play around a bit to get the right length bungee cords. They worked fine on my Pearson 30. But after getting soaked and beaten on the bow enough times, I now have roller sails on that boat. Much easier to deal with changing winds in San Francisco Bay. Roll the sail in or out easily.

My new boat 44' is all roller ( 4 sails ) except for hank on a storm sail for the baby stay.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by NorthCoastJoe

I third or fourth Boatmans method. I had to play around a bit to get the right length bungee cords. ...

You can easily assemble your own bungee cord, to the exact specifications you desire; using [either] overhand knots, or hog rings.
Hooks, hog rings, & cord are all readily [separately] available.

[Rockinar]

Originally Posted by goat

Downwind being the only way you can go when the wind really picks up. There have been times when no sail is the correct sail plan.



goat

At no time is bare poles a good idea in a storm snd I would never get on any boat whos Captain thinks doing so is a good idea. Especially in a Catalina 27.