# pros/cons of boom footed jib?



## bshamblin (May 30, 2012)

sailors,

im thinking of fitting a boom footed jib to a compac 23 to be able to tack with less sail tending, but ive never used a jib with a boom before. can anyone who has give me advise about the pros and cons?

not too easy to get a boom footed jib in a sail bag i bet.


----------



## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

Weight, cost, take up most of the foredeck, limit jib size, complexity... There are others.

But as you pointed out they make sail trim too easy for short handed sailing. If you are considering it, take a look at the system the Alerion Express uses, I can't remember the manufacturer, but they are rediculously easy, well made systems.


----------



## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Stumble said:


> .....but as you pointed out they make sail trim too easy for short handed sailing. If you are considering it, take a look at the system the Alerion Express uses, I can't remember the manufacturer, but they are rediculously easy, well made systems.


I believe that's called the 'hoyt boom'.. Island Packet uses them as well.


----------



## dylanwinter1 (Jan 15, 2010)

*when they are good they are great*

Bolger designed one for the Spartina


----------



## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

Sooner or later it will get your shins. But, they do make tacking up a narrow channel less work.


----------



## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

They are called "club footed" jibs for a reason.  A boomed staysail on a cutter rig makes a lot of sense to me though - sure makes tacking easier.


----------



## Capt.aaron (Dec 14, 2011)

It makes single handling easy and you can short tack like sports car up a narrow channel. I used to carry a genoa with a wire luff for light air and use my club foot for everything else. When I was a yall, I could sail my boat like a witch with the main down and just the mizzen and club foot up. In storms I could reef my head sail down and still keep it nice and flat. I miss that set up and i'm thinking about going back to it.


----------



## WDS123 (Apr 2, 2011)

The Gary Hoyt invention 'Hoyt Jib Boom' can be retrofitted to existing boats.

We use the Hoyt boom on our Harbor line of Daysailers. The advantages shone self tacking are:

1) ability to trim slot and draft independently with great precision resulting in a highly efficient sailplan. I can outpoint and sail faster upwind in a Harbor 25 than most anything.

2) ability to wing on wing Downwind, not as much power as a chute, but signicantly more than gennie on a whisker pole. 

Disadvantages:

1) foredeck has a boom sweeping it. This is only a problem if you store stuff there. Downwind if a leggy crew is available, send her forewarded with a tall one, she can trim the boom lounging on the fordeck with one leg proped against the boom.

2) lifelines and pulpits versus jib boom sweep geometry is silly complicated to get right. The Harbor 25 and 30 have lifeline & pulpit options, but I doubt a retrofit would be simple, unless one would abandon the forward lifelines.

3) retrofit sailplan - since the jib is a 85-90% jib, the main needs a lot of horsepower. If I'd retrofit, I check sailplan numbers carefully.


----------



## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

I've had three. In addition to tacking easier, they sheet easier too. The pull of the sail is transmitted through the boom instead of all on the sheet. In 21 years I don't think I've been hit by one. You can bag it if the clew detaches from the boom, I used to do this.


----------



## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

A big disadvantage if you are in a light wind area is you are limited to a working jib. I sail regularly on a friend's Alerion 28. The jib boom was removed long ago and replaced by a genny on a roller furler.


----------



## WDS123 (Apr 2, 2011)

Regarding light air - I have heard that the AE28s have issues in light air, but don't understand why. 

Harbor 25s sail routinely in the very light air of southern California quite nicely. The H25 and AE28 have the same waterline and beam.

It might be because the AE28 is 1,300 heavier than the H25. But I am not sure


----------



## NateCP16 (Dec 28, 2008)

I also have a ComPac 23. A club footed jib would not work for me. The lower forward shrouds (and lifelines) are going to really limit the size of the jib. The boat is no race horse to begin with, and I wouldn't want to sail with anything smaller than my 135. Maybe you sail in a windier area. Another issue is the boat has some significant weather helm already (which is why they added a bowspirt in the second generation), and reducing the jib size isn't going to help with that.


----------



## mmpvail (Mar 14, 2018)

JimsCAL said:


> A big disadvantage if you are in a light wind area is you are limited to a working jib. I sail regularly on a friend's Alerion 28. The jib boom was removed long ago and replaced by a genny on a roller furler.


I've just inherited a 2008 Alerion 38, and am considering getting rid of the hoyt jib boom - You mentioned a friend that did so - are they happy with the change?

I'd love to hear from anyone who has input on this - especially with this boat!

Btw: we're also wondering if we can raise the boom enough to accommodate a Bimini - any ideas??


----------



## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I don't know about the Jim's friend from his 2012 post, but I have talked with an acquaintance who owned an Alerion 28 and he removed the Hoyt boom and added a genoa. He was thrilled and amazed how much of an improvement it was. In fairness he really hated Hoyt booms. (I don't particularly like them either). But the Alerion 28 was originally designed to have both a bigger rig (same mast as a J-27) and overlapping headsails. The addition of the Hoyt Boom meant that the working jib was wildly reduced in size from something like a 110% to an 90% or less. It also meant that a larger genoa was out of the question. 

I would have assumed that Alerion 38 was designed from scratch for the Hoyt boom but it has the same SA/D as the 28 and a much heavier L/D so that assumption is not correct. 

On a fractionally rigged sloop, tacking a 110 jib is a piece of cake. On my 38 footer with similar rig proportions, I rarely have to use a winch handle if I get my timing right. The 150 Genny is another story. 

Jeff


----------



## mmpvail (Mar 14, 2018)

Thanks, Jeff -

So far, it sounds like losing the Hoyt is the way to go - we still won't be able to fly a big genoa, but we'll have more choices than we do now, along with a cleaner foredeck and the ability to install an anchor windlass.

As less-than-spry cruisers- rather than nimble and well-muscled racers- those advantages are pretty attractive!

Mary


----------



## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

The OP asks about a club-footed jib as a way to make sailtending easier and for us to discuss positives and negatives. In light air the weight of the club drags on the sail and keeps it from performing. The Hoyt system avoids this problem by making the boom a self-supported strut. Downwind the club-foot may make it easier to pole out the jib - but the weight of the club will be counterproductive, tending to pull the sail in to the centerline, so you would still need a whisker pole to hold the jib out. 

A better solution might be to install a self-tacking jib -- without a club. This has been used extensively on Solings, Etchells, and many other boats. It avoids the "shin-cracker" and light-air performace impact of the club, but makes upwind sailtending essentially effortless. On our Soling we had the sailmaker add a clew fitting with a series of holes that enabled us to adjust the "lead" forward or aft according to the windspeed. A track mounted athwartship forward of the mast carried the jib car/traveller with a block on it that the jibsheet (wire) ran through. 
The sheet then ran forward to a turning block near the tack, and then aft to a cleat in the cockpit. Simple and effective. Until we could afford a ball-bearing traveler and track we used a block mounted on a steel ring that slid P&S on a stainless steel pipe that we bent into a gentle curve by putting it up on blocks and standing on it. 
It doesn't have to be fancy to work.


----------



## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

If I was single handing a 50 ft cutter I would want a staysail boom.

But on a 23 ft cutter it seems unnecessary, the loads are small and except in heavy airs I don't think I would need a winch to sheet it home.

Simpler is often better. 

BTW I single hand a 44ft cutter without a boom on the staysail at 70. OK where I sail tacking is rare.


----------



## Damon Gannon (Mar 3, 2017)

You don't necessarily need a clubfoot to have a self-tacking jib.


----------



## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

You can do the same thing by installing a traveler on the foredeck or a couple of pad eyes and develop a sheeting arrangement. Cheaper, easier and less invasive.


----------



## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

A cutter rig on a 23' is a little over the top to my mind - a style thing more than a useful rig.


----------



## mmpvail (Mar 14, 2018)

Thanks, that might do the trick -
Mary


----------



## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Have owned cutters with club footed jibs and those without in the 28-37’ range. 
Makes it PIA to anchor.
Makes it harder in a tight slip if you need two bow lines.
Once you set the outhaul that’s it as long as the sail is under load. Somehow I could never get it right so always had lousy sail shape.
A trip hazard at night.
Barked shins.
Agree with Jeff even singling tacking a jib 90% or under should be a no winch activity or maybe a turn or two after you come to your final course. We do that with the solent on a 46’ and I’m old and clumsy. Going upwind in tight surroundings the jenny is rolled up and the solent goes out. Don’t think you lose much even in light air. Also easier to see that boat that’s going to hit you from the leeward side &#55357;&#56835;


----------

