# Hoyt Jib Boom



## Quickstep192 (Jan 6, 2001)

Last year at a boat show, I listend to a very gracious Gary Hoyt explain the virtues if the Hoyt Jib boom. As a guy who often sails alone and has a heck of a time tacking (I have to let go of the tiller to tend the sheets), a boat with a Jib boom, or adding one to my boat seems interesting. Does anyone have experience with the Hoyt jib boom? Does it really perform off the wind? How does it perform upwind with just a 100% sail?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Haven't used one, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work fairly well. They've sold a lot of them.


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

I am looking at fitting one. A couple of things I am trying to check first is clearance on my stanchions and lower shrouds. The video here:-
http://www.alerionexpress.net/id116.html
Looks great, but the boats shown have no stanchions or lower shrouds. It might also remove the option of carrying a tender on the foredeck.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

I haven't sailed with Garry Hoyt's jib boom but also agree that it seems to perform as he claims in the videos. I found it interesting the first video HERE was filmed last season at my dock - a few slips east of mine, where he keeps his Alerions and tests his prototypes. As Quickstep mentioned, Garry is gracious, if not a bit off center with some of his ideas. However, many of his successful designs speak for themselves and will live on.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

I like the idea and the performance and sail handling benefits seem clear. Like all things though, there are tradeoffs which I would list as:
1. Need to clear boom 90 degrees on either side of center impacts lifelines/stanchions and may require removal creating a safety issue. 
2. Impact on dinghy storage space at sea. 
3. Has the same downside as club footed jibs...a knee-capper hazard on deck in rough seas. 

So...it is a tradeoff and you have to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks for your type of sailing.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Two other points that I would mention, in addition to cam's.

First—the hoyt jib boom limits the size of the head sail you can use. If your boat is a fractional rig that depends mainly on the main sail for power, this may be fine, but some depend on having a pretty large genny for light wind.

Second—I think having a Hoyt Jib Boom would interfere with having a roller furling headsail, so you are basically forced to go forward to do sail changes, with the risks to the ankles/knees that accompany the jib boom.


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

sailingdog said:


> Second-I think having a Hoyt Jib Boom would interfere with having a roller furling headsail, so you are basically forced to go forward to do sail changes, with the risks to the ankles/knees that accompany the jib boom.


On those web sites, both furling and non-furling/battened sails are described. It seems to work with both.

I rigged a baby stay last summer and experimented a bit with a smaller foresail, both alone and as a cutter. The process of furling the genoa, tacking, and letting it out again is more work, but on long tacks acceptable. The boat seems to go to windward just as well with only the baby staysail set (with some exceptions), so now I am looking at the Hoyt jib boom as a way to make short tacking up rivers a lot less hard work.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Dawg...I didn't list those as trade offs since:
1. The limited size of the headsail is offset by the more efficient performance and shape.
2. They ARE designed o be used with a furling mechanism as many of the IP's have just such a setup.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Cam-

My bad... I was confusing it with the Bierig Camberspar, which can't be roller furled.


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## soul searcher (Jun 28, 2006)

here is an interesting coment by Robert Perry I lifted off the ssca board


> bob perry
> 
> Joined: 22 Jun 2006
> Posts: 20
> ...


 the whole thread is athttp://64.70.221.24/DiscBoard/viewtopic.php?t=51&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=cutters&start=0
It's a pretty interesting read.
hope it helps


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Quickstep192 said:


> As a guy who often sails alone and has a heck of a time tacking (I have to let go of the tiller to tend the sheets), a boat with a Jib boom, or adding one to my boat seems interesting.


Getting back to the original post; wouldn't a tiller tamer be the simplest way to ease the trouble of single handed tacking? A step up from that would be an auto helm. Not only does this free you up from having to hold the tiller when tacking, but other times as well and it has none of the drawbacks or restrictions that would be introduced by a jib boom.


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

Capn, I use an autohelm to tack, so the tiller is no trouble. The main tacks itself, but when tacking up a narrow river, like from Harwich to Ipswich for example, it gets really sweaty work sheeting the foresail every minute or so. At sea, with a tack a day maybe, there's no problem with getting a bit of exercise.


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## captain jack (May 5, 2013)

i'm thinking about making a hoyt style jib boom. the only thing i really need to figure out is the deck attachment.


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

I found that a very strong fore-deck is needed for the Hoyt boom. The boom's own foot covers too small an area for the forces put upon it. I needed both top and bottom backing plates to spread the load. Other wise, it's self tacking and down wind capability is great.


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## captain jack (May 5, 2013)

Idiens said:


> I found that a very strong fore-deck is needed for the Hoyt boom. The boom's own foot covers too small an area for the forces put upon it. I needed both top and bottom backing plates to spread the load. Other wise, it's self tacking and down wind capability is great.


any ides, or photos, of how it is constructed inside the deck fitting? thanks


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

I used two layers of 9mm ply above the deck and one layer of 12 mm ply beneath. In area, (67 x 60 cm) they are both as big as I could make them, allowing for bolt placement and access from below. I used epoxy and glass fibre in between. Sorry no pics at the moment.


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## captain jack (May 5, 2013)

camaraderie said:


> I like the idea and the performance and sail handling benefits seem clear. Like all things though, there are tradeoffs which I would list as:
> 1. Need to clear boom 90 degrees on either side of center impacts lifelines/stanchions and may require removal creating a safety issue.


it shouldn't on most boats. the clew end of the boom raises as it moves from center.


> 2. Impact on dinghy storage space at sea.
> 3. Has the same downside as club footed jibs...a knee-capper hazard on deck in rough seas.


if you use it with a furler you probably won't need to be on deck in rough seas. however, it can be rigged with a control line that acts sort of like a preventer



> So...it is a tradeoff and you have to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks for your type of sailing.


everything in life is a trade off.


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## captain jack (May 5, 2013)

Idiens said:


> I used two layers of 9mm ply above the deck and one layer of 12 mm ply beneath. In area, (67 x 60 cm) they are both as big as I could make them, allowing for bolt placement and access from below. I used epoxy and glass fibre in between. Sorry no pics at the moment.


not sure if you were answering my question or continuing your previous post. i am thinking the former. if i am wrong, i apologize. however, if i am right, i think you misunderstood my question. i was asking if you had pics of, or knew how, the inside of the deck fitting was made. does it use bearings? how is the boom secured in the base? that kind of thing.


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## Idiens (Jan 9, 2007)

captain jack said:


> not sure if you were answering my question or continuing your previous post. i am thinking the former. if i am wrong, i apologize. however, if i am right, i think you misunderstood my question. i was asking if you had pics of, or knew how, the inside of the deck fitting was made. does it use bearings? how is the boom secured in the base? that kind of thing.


The foot or base is a casting held to the deck by six bolts around a flange. The boom pivots in this foot on ball bearings. The boom only has freedom of movement to rotate on this bearings axis. Any vertical force that is not balanced by the sail and sheet is taken by the foot. It's OK for static loads but when the sail flogs, a strong foot mounting is essential.


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## captain jack (May 5, 2013)

ball bearings. that's what i thought. thanks.


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