The jib halyard is probably the most complicated thing on the boat. It is exactly like the one described on Mr. Winchester's page. The halyard is led out through the bottom of the mast then then through a loop top block that is attached to a micro block system seen in the picture at left. The halyard is then turned upwards and goes through a thru-deck fairlead centered directly behind the mast step. Here, it cleats in a camcleat. Once the jib is hoisted, it can be tensioned using the system of micro blocks seen between the stantions in the picture. I did not attach the micro block system to the CB tank because I was afraid it would pull out, but instead used an eyestrap attached to the stantion to anchor it.
The micro block system is held in place and retracted by a bungee cord which is led through a single micro block undeneath the grate and then deadended on an eyestrap underneath the front of the grate.
The last picture illustrates the cleating system used to place the final tension on the halyard. The end of the line running thorough the micro block system is tied to a free floating micro block. Another line which begins as a deadend on the thwart passes through this block and then through a camcleat that is placed on the side of the CB trunk. Finally, the line is turned upward via a micro block on an eyestrap on the top of the thwart. This allows tensioning of the jib halyard from any position on the boat as Mr. Winchester advertises. The only drawback of this system is that you have to remember to uncleat your tensioning line each time that the jib is lowered and raised again or you will soon lose the ability to pull it taught due to the fact that your tensioning system will be maxed out. |
