Submitted on September 21, 2004 by Don Parker

Question: I'm writing to learn more about a unique storm jib/staysail, rumored to have been developed by Dan Neri.

I am in the final stages of refitting my 1974 Allied XL-2 for live aboard retirement cruising commencing in 2006. My boat has been re-rigged from a yawl to a sloop, and I will be installing either: Schaefer's or ProFurl's mainsail boom furling system in the next few months. I carry a 135% Genoa on a Harken roller furler, but in bad weather I would like to fly a storm jib and move the center of effort back from what would be the case if using my headstay.

I've heard that Dan embeds a high-tech line into the staysail/storm jib, eliminating the need for a detachable forestay, but I'm working with hearsay. My mast is an old fashioned single spreader type that is incredibly thick and stout. Because it is so strong, and because the cap shrouds attach to the mast approximately 22" below the masthead, I'm hoping that I can somehow use Dan's easily stowed design without running backstays. I don't know whether Dan normally addresses such rigging issues, but I need to learn the details of his design before I could approach a naval architect.

I would be glad to receive literature, or pointers to internet based references acquainting me with Dan's development and how I can use it.

Thanks in advance,
Don Parker

Answer: Hi Don, the setup you are referring to is really simple. However, it requires that you have two free halyards, ideally one right above the other, or two right next to each other.

The staysail or storm jib is made in a conventional manner, with hanks and a high modulus luff rope. Then a second high modulus rope, covered vectran or urathane coated Spectra or Dyneema, is made with an eyesplice on each end and slightly shorter than the distance from the tack point to the sheave. The rope is hoisted on the halyard in the upper sheave and it acts like a stay. The jib is hanked onto this "stay" and hoisted like a normal hank on sail. Both halyards should be low stretch and they must be hoisted very tight to minimize the amount of sag in the stay.

Regards,
Dan Neri

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