Plastic wheel on end of boom / Self furling jib

[gim]

No doubt this is a stupid question, but I have seen booms with a plastic wheel on one end. Could someone kindly inform me of the purpose of this wheel please?

While I'm at it, could some one also inform me of the advantages and disadvantages of a self furling jib?

Thanks heaps.

[knobblyoldjimbo]

the end boom wheel is probably something to do with the outhaul - line goes from clew of main over the wheel and back to a cleat somewhere.

if you already have an outhaul then it might possibly be to do with a leech line adjustment, I've not seen these on cats but you never know.

furling jibs (they never self-furl, but often auto unfurl just when you don't want them too (ie wind gets into the rolls and unrolls the sail making it a horribly uncontrollable air bag)). Benefit is that you can roll the sail up between races. I've also heard of Maricats furling the jib going upwind on the basis that they point better cat rigged but that seems very far fetched to me.

[Pete]

I have a Ronstan drum winch on the outhaul of my old Maricat. It looks a bit strange but is smooth and powerful. Very much old-school, but then again so am I!!

[Loose Change]

The wheel has a groove around its circumference to which a thin rope is fitted, one end is tied off to the wheel and the other end goes to a cleat. When the rope is pulled the wheel turns and the sail outhaul wire which is fitted to the axle of the wheel winches the clew of the sail to the desired outhaul setting. Usually the wheel is about 4 inches diamater and the axle is half an inch giving you 8:1 ratio in a very simple system.

Harry

[korwich]

the end boom wheel is probably something to do with the outhaul - line goes from clew of main over the wheel and back to a cleat somewhere.

if you already have an outhaul then it might possibly be to do with a leech line adjustment, I've not seen these on cats but you never know.

furling jibs (they never self-furl, but often auto unfurl just when you don't want them too (ie wind gets into the rolls and unrolls the sail making it a horribly uncontrollable air bag)). Benefit is that you can roll the sail up between races. I've also heard of Maricats furling the jib going upwind on the basis that they point better cat rigged but that seems very far fetched to me.

Johnny Merl who did'nt use the trap used to furl his jib up wind when the wind was getting too strong, then unfurl it for the run back down hill, saw him doing that at the nats at Soldiers Point.

[gim]

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions.

Greg.