Hello, this is my first year owning a catamaran and i have fallen in love. I have taken my cat out about 10 times in all wind conditions and feel confident in what i am doing.

the last time i took the boat out was in winds at about 20MPH with gust around 30 MPH. It was awesome until the jib riped off. The jib zipper is now distroyed. Well when i got home i was telling a friend of mine how much fun i had sailing and the story about the jib he said that i should not fly the jib in heavy winds(he sails a Lazer).

Well i have been looking around for a set of newer used sails or just a jib. My questions are,

Will a set of hobie 16 sails work on a Prindle 16?

And should i take my jib down in higher winds? (I know that i am new to the world of sailing but wouldn't that make it way harder to tack?)


Thanks for any help!

Keith Kinlaw

No a Hobie 16 jib will not work. First it is larger along the luff, second it does not have a zipper luff like the Prindle 16 it has a wire and rope halyard that requires tensioning, third it is a full battened jib where the Prindle 16 has 3 small battens on the leach approx 12-14 inches long. You can have a new zipper put on from a local sailmaker approx cost $90-$120. If you decide in the future that you really are looking for another set of sails, I have them at a real fair price, but I would not break up the set and sell the jib alone.

depending on mast position and sail design many jib equipped cats depower for solo sailing when the winds are up by removing the jib. the hobie16 apparently is not too happy without a jib but most nacras are. just remember to release the traveller or lots and lots of mainsheet in tacks to prevent going in to irons



edited by: erice, May 29, 2009 - 01:29 AM

For what its worth I think my P18 would be almost impossible to tack without a jib in 'higher' winds. That said, if you were having fun and in control with the jib in those winds, just get it fixed or replaced and resume sailing. As long as the jib isn't luffing it shouldn't take too much wear and tear to use in high wind.

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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Just a quick question to throw in here since we're talking about Prindle Jibs. I had no idea how to rig my jib halyard and kinda jury rigged it. It works very much like putting a flag up a flag pole with a block on top and on bottom but I don't know if it is right and would like to know if there is a better way to do this.

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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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OP: Don't sail without a jib as tacking will be ultimately difficult. I set up my P-18 with a roller furling system so I can reduce sail but it did require a sailmaker re-doing my battens.

I just re-did the zipper on my jib. cost was about $50.

Dustin: Jib on the P-18 requires a pigtail with the forestay. The pigtail has a ring. Your halyard will have an "S" hook. When you raise the sail, go slightly higher than the ring, then drop so that the S catches the ring as it drops. To release, reverse the process.

Sailing without a jib requires a different tacking technique. It isn't that much harder once you get used to it.

nesdog

OP: Don't sail without a jib as tacking will be ultimately difficult. I set up my P-18 with a roller furling system so I can reduce sail but it did require a sailmaker re-doing my battens.

I just re-did the zipper on my jib. cost was about $50.

Dustin: Jib on the P-18 requires a pigtail with the forestay. The pigtail has a ring. Your halyard will have an "S" hook. When you raise the sail, go slightly higher than the ring, then drop so that the S catches the ring as it drops. To release, reverse the process.

Yes I have this and understand that part. The problem I had was there was no halyard at all and I had to devise one and though it seems to work it can very difficult to set the ring on the jib and I am not sure if there is a better way that I am not aware of.

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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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i have furled my h18 jib when way over powered. I still do om my mystere, but not often.

It does change the helm, handling, tacking, pointing... but when you gotta reduce power... you do it.

In high wind, preferably you have get a furler.. but if not... i would just make sure you have crew.. stay near shore, be careful.... etc