It seems to get stuck up there and I'm afraid of ripping the zipper. Any tips on how to get that bugger to slide through more easily.
Thanks
Definitely need more info here. I just have an air block attached at the top of my forestay. My jib halyard consists of 2 pieces of dyneema line attached by sister clips . I haul the job up to the top. Attach the bottom to the pin adjuster at the spreaders. Remove the majority of the leftover line with the sister clip, and downhaul into s cleat on the pin adjuster. Only the line and the sister clip have to go though the zipper. Pics here ,not greatly illustrative though
http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=74387
http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=74384
Tie the halyard line through the block, not the thimble so everything is lined up when you hoist (i.e., the block is not flopping around separately). You can also just cut the block off of the halyard and just use the thimble. The later halyards were not supplied with a block as the block really isn't necessary.
This is one of the PITA factors on the H18, but usually after a couple tries, the block/thimble will pass through the opening in the top of the luff sleeve. Make sure everything on the halyard is as low profile as possible.
sm
Had the same issue with my new Jib.
In the end I replaced the block with a tiny 16mm block with becket. There's no shackles or thimbles involved, I spliced the jib luff (dyneema) to the block and hand tie a downhaul which I remove after feeding the actual downhaul through the block.
The most streamlined end points down because the becket end will snag every time.