Terry Spragg wrote:

The beauty of a hanked jib with downhaul is that if you decide to
change jibs, one pull on the downhaul and the sail in on deck,
easing motion considerably. A little siezing and it will stay
there, still hanked on, while the main is reefed, or a smaller jib
is hanked above it onto the forestay. This is half a dozen or so
hanks sticking out the front of a jib bag, not some monster flailing
and flogging while you try to get it up. Snap on the tack pennant,
change halyard connections and sheets, if you don't keep sheets
attached to each spare sail, even pre leading them with the whole
mess ready to pop out of the forehatch when you pull on the halyard
from the cockpit.

It's a small thing to do, really, nothing like pulling a soaking
sail down the forehatch, then prefeeding it's replacement, hoping it
will prefeed all in one go and where is the halyard located? Manage
that while singlhanding.

When winds ease, taking off a small jib and then hauling up the big
lazy jib already hanked on is easy.

I had a furler, and it's problems, that's why I prefer the idea
mentioned above. It's do-able, cheap, and dependable. Did I mention
sailing performance when the weather gets snotty?

Is it safer to worry about changing or bagging along as it gets
rougher and rougher, and when you need the performance, and have a
huge wild bag to stow loose on deck and all over the place?

I've been using hanked-on sails and a jib downhaul for years, and I think
the system has merit (obviously). However singing this system's praises
without mentioning the "cons" is oversimplification.

First, the downhaul itself is an additional component of the running
rigging, requiring shackles, blocks, cleats, fairleads, etc. (or at least
_some_ of these).

Next, the downhaul has to run either inside the hanks (usually not good), or
alongside the headstay. In this position, and depending on the point of
sail, it slaps against the luff, causing chafe and just one more unwelcome
noise.

Next, it is the rare set up that allows the jib to be handed with only a
single pull on the downhaul. Usually there is some hang-up or friction that
means going forward to make adjustments.

All in all, I think it's a good rig if furlers are not chosen, but it is
useful to add in both sides of the issue.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare