The previous owner of our Supercat 17 (1982, with new tramp and traveller upgrade) installed a new jib system complete with a new smaller jib, I think the jib is the selftacking jib size as it doesn't even reach the mast.
But there is no selftacking hardware, so none of the advantages of selftacking with a smaller jib.

the jib blocks are now attached to the front beam:



I have found out that the Prindle 16 and 18 jibs have exactly the same luff length as the sc jib. and we have both jibs to try it with. the only problem now is where to attach the jib blocks.



1,2 and 3 are attached with rivets.
4 is a bit larger and attached with screws.

I have the manual but nothing is shown for jib block attachment in there.

Does anybody know if i can use the larger jib and if so, where to attach it.

PS, I also posted to the ARC owners forum.

--
Stefan, Denmark.
H14,H16,P16,P18,SC17,N5.8
Team StaySail
http://www.staysail.eu
--

i know nothing about the supercat jibs, or attaching prindle jibs to supercats

but when my 17' nacra 5.2 came to me it had the jib blocks mounted to the hull (instead of jib wires that run betwen main and rear beams about 1/4 width in)

it was horrible, the jib couldn't be pulled in correctly and pointing was lousy

so if i were you i would stick withe system that the boat came with

if you want to experiment with overlapping jibs that come past the mast simply attach the jib blocks to the number 3 saddles and then go try them out up wind

if you can pull in the main nice and tight for upwind sailing but the jib can not be pulled in try moving the blocks back to the number 4 position

if the jib is fully pulled in before the main is at the number 3 position then you'll have to move them forward to the number 2 position

where ever you have them use your foot or the crew to try and move the sheet position around to find the ideal position

don't be surprised if it7s closer in to the center of the boat, somewhere over the tramp...

why not contact aquarius-sail.com and see what the correct system would cost?

Does your boom have a place to connect rings to run your jib sheet through? Our SC20 had an adjustment on the boom (rings tied to a line and then run through a block and cleat) to effect the pull angle of the jib blocks. This was instead of a track to move the blocks forward and back. So we would pick one of the 3 or 4 jib block attachment points before getting on the water, and then could make minor adjustements using the system on the boom.

Like Andrew mentioned and you mentioned, the ARC/aquarious forum is where you will likely get both the as designed system and what else people are doing currently.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--

there is no boom on a sc17 (unless its optional) but i have never seen one on a Super Cat (any size)

SC20's have a boom, I have never sailed a SC17. At least the SC20 I grew up sailing did and it is the stock setup as far as I know.

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--

i have never seen a sc20, but i know the 17's and 19's are boomless

Here is my brothers SC20 with us on it. Hard to see but there is a boom.




You can also see the adjustment line for the jib I previously mentioned. You can see the blue jibsheet is pulled towards the boom. But without a boom this would not work on the SC17.




edited by: smfinley, May 18, 2010 - 04:44 PM

--
Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
--

The jib block on the Supercats is supposed to be atached to an eyelet on the tramp track. It is usually screwed in, so I would go with #4. The track on the front beam is completely wrong, but since you have a non-overlapping jib, you could make it work like the Hobie 16s. That is, if the jib is cut so that the sheeting angle is correct at the beam.

Supercats point really well with the factory jib set up. You need to get very far forward and dig the bow in to point. It almost seems like they are making their own wind since they point so well. Some people set up barber haulers, but I wouldn't worry about it until you put some time in with the correct jib.

I would get a stock Supercat 17 jib. They are huge.

All (small) Supercats except the 20 don't come with booms, BUT the lower batten pocket is oversized and takes an aluminum tube that pretty much acts like a boom.



edited by: DanBerger, May 18, 2010 - 03:23 PM

I'm loving all the pictures, i have looked at youtube films and found out that the jib is usually attached to number 4 with a line. I am going to try that.

Just had my first sail this season by the way, on a laser, also the first time sailing a laser. I am starting helping the opti kids and this was the intro sail for me. fun to plane on a broad reach, but the plain speed of catsailing is just far better.

I'll get back to all from the trials with the new to me jib system.

--
Stefan, Denmark.
H14,H16,P16,P18,SC17,N5.8
Team StaySail
http://www.staysail.eu
--