Jib Downhaul?

Has anyone added a downhaul to their jib on their Getaway? The way the boat is set up, the only adjustment for jib luff tension has to be made before you sail. Adding a downhaul would allow corrections during the sail...however, that'd mean raising the tack and head and probably would screw up the boat balance and make the sheeting points be "off". But I thought I'd ask if anyone had done the modification and what the results were.

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

The jib has the ability to be adjusted. Likely at the top as most people don't bother. As I recall, you can swap the luff tensioner line to the bottom if desired, but it's been awhile since I looked at one.

Another way is to pull tension on the forestay wire and tension the luff before stepping the mast.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I think that's the only way you can do it on the Getaway the way it is.

However, the forestay is long enough (or the jib luff is short enough depending on how you see it) for there to be a couple fiddle blocks for a simple cascade of 4 or 5:1. If you put the cascade at the bottom, though, you will raise the tack and clew so the sheeting points may be off (and you may mess up the boat balance since you move the jib coe aft). You could put the cascade at the top and have a very long line go through the luff pocket to a cleat at the tack; then nothing gets messed up but you will get more turbulence from the hardware. I was just enquiring if any Getaway owners have done such things...I can't be the only tinkerer who owns a Getaway, right?

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

I did add a jib downhaul today. I removed the tensioner from the top of the sail and replaced with a slightly shorter piece of non stretch (vectran) line that I had lying around (a little longer than a foot long). I took the forestay shackle at the furler off and replaced with a clevis pin leaving the tack free. I took that shackle and moved it further down the forestay adjuster to an open hole. Took the tensioner line and tied it to the tack of the jib. Now I can raise the mast, unfurl the jib and wrap a few turns around the jib tack and that shackle to get as much tension on the jib luff that I will need that day for sailing (loose for light wind days, tight to very tight for windy days). AND, if I have good crew (is there any other kind?) I can have it retensioned during sailing if anything stretches. The tack will remain pretty close to where it was before, so I anticipate no issues with boat balance or sheeting.

Pretty cheap-one clevis pin and a foot or so of non stretch line.

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Sounds great tp. Do u have any pics?

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2016 Hobie Getaway
1978 Nacra 5.2

No pictures handy...I have the boat set up for winter sailing which means the jib has moved up the forestay to put tension on the leach and give a fuller jib for the light winds we see in winter. But it is a simple mod. With the mast down...1. unshackle the forestay eye from the jib tack so the jib is free to move up and down the forestay. Keep the forestay attached to the chainplate in the same hole (you can replace the shackle with a clevis pin if you want). 2. Shorten the line at the top by about an inch or two...3. Add a bow shackle near the furler with appropriate pin diameter so it fits on the bow chainplate (if you replaced the shackle with a clevis, you can reuse that shackle for this). 4. Use another line to attach to the jib tack and wrap it from the tack to that new shackle a few times and tighten the jib luff as much or as little as you want for the day's wind. Raise the mast and off you go!

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II