Jib furling height - general Q

[Jado27]

New to sailing this year. Ive only had my Catalina 27 for 6 months now.

When I change out my #1 jib with a smaller jib I noticed that the smaller sail has a 8-12in long cable attatched at the head of the sail (top most grommet) so that the jib halyard connects to the cable and not the sail head, as apposed to a direct connection to the head sail grommet on the #1 jib.
This cable then prevents the jib sheet from raising up that last 8-12inches to the top of the roller furling foil.

Any Ideas why this is? Is this an intentional loss of sail area or some type of safety measure?

Any info appreciated

[cfarrar]

The sailmaker chose to achieve the smaller sail area of your #2 in part by reducing the length of the luff.

I have two #2 jibs (two different sailmakers) of similar sail area. One of them uses a strap like yours. The other retains a full length luff but uses a shorter distance from the luff to the clue (LP). This second, higher aspect ratio sail is more of a blade jib, and it performs better upwind. I use this one and keep the other in storage.

[highseas]

Ideally all your headsails shoulld reach to top 1ft. of foil (except a storm jib)so you don't need the lanyard strap.The reason you need the strap is because upper roller needs to be within 1ft of sheave at masthead,to avoid the dreaded halyard wrap when furling under heavy conditions.Boat also sails to windward better.

[Jado27]

Good stuff guys, thanks. While I'm tapping into all this knowledge, any thoughts on combo wire/rope spliced halyards. Are people still using these? If I were to change from the wire combo I think I'd have to change the pulleys ontop the masthead.

[Bash]

That cable is called a pennant. Sometimes people install a pennant on the tack rather than the head so that they can still use the original fairlead positions for the sheets. You may want to experiment with this yourself if the pennant is attached with a shackle.

Combo wire/rope halyards are pretty much a thing of the past. Dyneema halyards will eliminate stretch just as well, and you won't have to pull the meat hooks out of your hands.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.