ProposedNewFFJib….

FivesimplereasonstowhyIwillvoteYESbyGregWells.

1. Sheetloadsandgustresponse.

ItseemstomethatoverthelasttenyearsthatFFjibshavebecomemorepowerfulandsheetedfurtheraftandverytightalongthefoot.Wehadtomoveourjibtracksaftonmylastboat.When

I’mcrewingonabreezydayIhavetoletthecarsback,sheetinandthenpullthecarsforwardslightlytogettherequiredtension.Then,whenagusthits,Ihavetoletthecarsoffratherthaneasethesheetsastheloadsarejusttoohighandthejibgoesouttoofarthusfillingthebaseofthe

jibandcausingtheboattoheel.Ibelieve“playingthejib”isagoodandrequiredskillofsailingbutwiththecurrentjibitisalmostimpossibletodoeffectivelyinanythingover15knots.Ashorterfootwithsheetingfurtherforwardwillreducesheetloadsandwillmaketheboateasiertohandleand

moreenjoyabletosailingustyconditions.Allthetestreportshavewrittenthatthisisthecase.

Yes,someboatsmayberequiredtomovetracksforwardbutnotitisnotthatfaranditisreallyquiteeasy.Asmallpainforprogress.

Therelativesheetinganglesareshowninthelefthandpicturebelowwiththespinnypoleangledontheproposedjibtomatchthecurrentjibsheetingangle(asusedinmediumweather)ontheboat

behind.Therighthandpictureshowsthetrackpositionforthenewjib.

Herearesomeshotstakenfromthehelmposition.Currentjibontheleft,proposedjibontheright.

2. Visibility.

WeallknowabouttheFFblindspotbetweenthefrontofthemainsailwindowandthebackoftheJibwindowandI’msurewehaveallhadcollisionsand/ornearmissesasaresultofthisblindspot

whenbeatingtowindward.Movingthejibleechjustafewinchesatthispointwillimprovethevisibilityofboatsintheblindspot.Seephotosbelow.Currentjibontheleft.Iappreciatethecamerawasinadifferentspot(myerror)butitisobviousthattoseethesameamountofjibleech

inthemainwindowthecameraangleismuchfurtherforwardfortheproposedjibontheright.

3. Tacking.

InthetestsIdidwewereamazedhowmucheasieritwastotacktheproposedjibinover15knots.Itispossibletogetthejibfullinwithoneropepull.Therefore,itisinbeforeitloadsup.

4. Crewspace.

Fora20’boatitisamazinghowlittleroomthereisforthecrewonaFifteenespeciallyinlighter

windswhencrewsaresittingonthefloororleewarddeck.Theproposedjibwillgiveabitmorespaceandlightwindtackingwillbeeasieragainthiswasproveninthetestswedid.

5. Looks.

Inmyopinion,thecurrentjiblooksdatedwithitslittlegapalongtheforedeckandwiththesheetingsofaraftandsotightitjustdoesnotseemrighttome.Ohandbytheway,Isuspectwithless

overlapbangingagainstthemastandspinnypolethenewjibsmaylastlongertoo!

GregWells

22ndAugust,2016