Haarstick jib-top reacher

Tyche
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:06 am
Location: Padanaram Harbor, South Dartmouth, MA

Re: Haarstick jib-top reacher

Post by Tyche »

This is the response from Steve Haarstick about the difference --

The original "Jib Top" genoas were high clew genoas that were popular for offshore racers in the early sixties/seventies. They were designed for close reaching when the wind was too high or the reach too tight for the spinnaker, but the low clew genoas were inefficient as they had too much twist in the leech, even when the leads were moved forward as the sheet were eased.

These Jib tops were either hanked to the forestay or hoisted on a headfoil, but not hoisted like a spinnaker staysail on it's own luff wire. Although fuller than an all purpose genoa, they were usually made from the same or heavier weight of cloth as they were used in moderate to heavy air.

Our "Jib Top" genoa for Freedoms also has a high clew, but it is designed especially for light airs, using our triradial genoa panel layout and a very light, low stretch Black Aramid laminate. We added a low twist, low stretch luff line, and the result was a new type of light air multi-purpose genoa especially for Freedoms.

You only have to experience sailing a Freedom with its Camber Spar jib in winds under 10 knots, to appreciate the difference a much bigger, lighter genoa can make! It is difficult, if not just painful to attempt to sail most Freedom sloops upwind or even close reaching in winds under 10 knots. While our "Jib Top" genoa can't point as high as The Camber Spar jib when the wind is up, you can sail at apparent wind angles as low as 45- 50 degrees, which is pretty close to upwind, and a lot more enjoyable. Our bigger, lighter, fuller, and much more powerful "Jib Top" genoa really gave our Freedom 35 customers a big performance boost in the lighter airs.

I hope this explains the difference between our Freedom "Jib Top" genoas, and the "Code 0" asymmetrical spinnakers.

daletournier
Posts: 181
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:25 pm

Re: Haarstick jib-top reacher

Post by daletournier »

I recently purchased a jibtop reacher and gave it a try today.
Firstly I didn't purchase from Haarsticks due to I'm currently in the Philippines where Hydes sails are manufactured thus saving me the import duty and freight.
I'm very happy with the sail, first test sail was great, as Hans said in a previous post it can be the difference between starting the engine or continuing to sail. In approx 7knots apparent and 45-50 degrees I was doing a constant 4.5 knots sog. Freeforms quite loaded up and dosent have the cleanest bottom so I'm quite happy with this
I haven't tried her on different angles but think I'm going to see a big improvement. I have a sock but I'm now going to look into a furler because I want to use it as much as possible.
Also it looks really cool.
Cheers Dale.

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Teke's Pride
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Re: Haarstick jib-top reacher

Post by Teke's Pride »

Sounds a lot like the drifter I had made for my F21. The class staysail was too heavy at 4.4 oz. to fill properly in less than 5 kts so I had Schurr Sails in Pensacola make me a tri-radial jib using Dimention-Polyant's CZ5 laminate. Will fill with 1 kt of air and increases my pointing in winds up to 9 kts. Image
Clark Myers
Teke's Pride
F21 #345

Black Finn
F40 AC CK #41

Browns Creek Sailing Association
Guntersville, AL
http://www.youtube.com/LambdaZetaTeke

Tyche
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2013 10:06 am
Location: Padanaram Harbor, South Dartmouth, MA

Re: Haarstick jib-top reacher

Post by Tyche »

We've used the Jib top reacher a couple of times this spring. It is a great sail for when the wind is too light for the jib and you need something. We were out in about 8 kts of wind, and while flying the reacher, added about 2 kts to our speed, which was awesome. We were able to point higher than we thought, given what we'd heard from Haarstick. Haarstick suggested using a snuffer sock; I think we may switch it to a small continuous roller furler, as the additional lines of the snuffer sock made things a little complicated on the foredeck.

Having just seen that Haarstick has sold the company to Quantum, I do hope that Quantum will continue to offer this sail - it is a great addition to the boat.

Wasn't able to get pictures when we had it up, but will the next time we fly it.

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