Inhauler

I think there was some interest recently in inhaulers on this list. I have been experimenting with one for several months. I got the new parts a few weeks ago and finally got a chance to try it out today. The setup is a compound 8:1. The first part is the 2:1 I get from the control line going through the ring the sheet goes through. That line is attached to 4:1 setup with two double blocks. The blocks are Garhauer 20 series, the main line is amsteel 7/64 although I think I will switch to 1/8 and the control line is 5/16 LS. The rings are 3/8x2 inch SS. The jib sheet is led inside the aft lower and upper and outside the forward lower. It was easy to control it. I would guess it was blowing about 15-20. I think the main difference is that I got a lot more power out of the sail than when it is sheeted to the rail. Fuller shape and in tighter at the same time. Basically, a lot more control of the shape of the sail, something I need to get used to as I could actually have used less power today but being my myself it is a little hard to tweak things. Allen

I've never seen this idea--I'm thinking it would work well with my jib. It looks like it not only inhauls, but also helps pull the clew down, which seems to be a problem with the jib since the sheets end up being so long and the angle is shallow coming from the rail. I find with my jib, the top 1/4 of the sail can luff when the rest is fine because the clew isn't being pulled down enough. I'll have to try rigging it up simply at first, with a slip knot on the sheets and one block connected to the winch. How do you find it when tacking? Does the inhauler get tangled or in the way? Do you think two blocks back to back would be better than a ring on the sheets? Do you think the 8:1 is necessary? Or would a 4:1 overall be sufficient? I like this idea--it may solve some problems with jib shape... --Jim --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, Allen Edwards <allen.edwards@...> wrote: > > I think there was some interest recently in inhaulers on this list. I have > been experimenting with one for several months. I got the new parts a few > weeks ago and finally got a chance to try it out today. > > The setup is a compound 8:1. The first part is the 2:1 I get from the > control line going through the ring the sheet goes through. That line > is attached to 4:1 setup with two double blocks. The blocks are Garhauer 20 > series, the main line is amsteel 7/64 although I think I will switch to 1/8 > and the control line is 5/16 LS. The rings are 3/8x2 inch SS. The jib > sheet is led inside the aft lower and upper and outside the forward lower. > > It was easy to control it. I would guess it was blowing about 15-20. I > think the main difference is that I got a lot more power out of the sail > than when it is sheeted to the rail. Fuller shape and in tighter at the > same time. Basically, a lot more control of the shape of the sail, > something I need to get used to as I could actually have used less power > today but being my myself it is a little hard to tweak things. > > > Allen >

I tried a snatch block on the sheet first. Too heavy and I was afraid it would bang stuff up too much when tacking. In my research, most people seem to use a ring like this or some very expensive equivalent. I think a block might work better but again, I wanted something that wasn't too heavy so it wouldn't bang up the paint when it came to rest. It was no problem tacking. None at all. I can't even tell you what the rings did or anything because it was just a normal tack. I also researched the purchase and 8:1 seemed to be recommended and from my limited experience yesterday it seemed just right. Although the winch should given been more leverage, it was more difficult to use than the 8:1 purchase. It could have been because I was using some thin warpspeed line and it was hard for it to grip the winch drum. The total for the parts and line was about $200 so definitely try the winch first to see if it works for you. I had not thought about it pulling down on the clew but I think you are right. Typically, they recommend that the clew be at cabin top height so that the pull would be horizontal. You could rig a second line on the same ring that pulled down if you really want to get more control of that. There is an expression "thinking outside the box" which I don't particularly like, but I think it fits with what people are doing with jib leads lately. Some of the TP-52s have the jib track athwartship with a line to pull the clew down. Just now in looking at some pictures I took, I see that they also have an inhauler so there are two eyes that the jib sheet goes through and the sheet does not go through the track block. I have to call that thinking outside the box. The point is, you can attach lines to move the clew wherever you want, you don't have to be limited by the rail or jib track. Another interesting about the photo of the TP-52 is that instead of a ring or a block, the inhauler is a line with a thimble and the jib sheet goes through the thimble. I think that if they don't need a block on a million dollar boat, you and I can safely use a ring. They are $5.50 here http://www.lfsmarineoutdoor.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=1203 I am not sure using a line as the eye would work as there would be a lot of friction. But you can certainly try it particularly if you are not re-routing the jib sheet inside rigging as I am. You can always set the jib sheet tension first and then use your test inhauler to pull the clew in or down or whatever you want. One more thing. In looking at my picture and thinking back on the day, it seems like I had too much power in the sail. I was going fast, but the 90 was pulling like a 130 and there was a lot of wind. I am thinking that the way to think of this is that the jib sheet sets the sail shape and the inhauler sets the attack angle. Without the inhauler, you don't have to think about that because the two are related to the jib sheet tension and you can't control them independently. I probably should have had less inhauler and more jib sheet to flatten the sail yet keep the attack angle the same. Alternatively, I probably could have had a sharper attack angle and pointed higher. I now have one more thing to learn. Let me know how it works out. Allen On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 10:37 PM, jimskelton <ji… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: > > > I've never seen this idea--I'm thinking it would work well with my jib. It > looks like it not only inhauls, but also helps pull the clew down, which > seems to be a problem with the jib since the sheets end up being so long and > the angle is shallow coming from the rail. I find with my jib, the top 1/4 > of the sail can luff when the rest is fine because the clew isn't being > pulled down enough. I'll have to try rigging it up simply at first, with a > slip knot on the sheets and one block connected to the winch. > > How do you find it when tacking? Does the inhauler get tangled or in the > way? Do you think two blocks back to back would be better than a ring on the > sheets? > > Do you think the 8:1 is necessary? Or would a 4:1 overall be sufficient? > > I like this idea--it may solve some problems with jib shape... > > --Jim > > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com>, Allen > Edwards <allen.edwards@...> wrote: > > > > I think there was some interest recently in inhaulers on this list. I > have > > been experimenting with one for several months. I got the new parts a few > > weeks ago and finally got a chance to try it out today. > > > > The setup is a compound 8:1. The first part is the 2:1 I get from the > > control line going through the ring the sheet goes through. That line > > is attached to 4:1 setup with two double blocks. The blocks are Garhauer > 20 > > series, the main line is amsteel 7/64 although I think I will switch to > 1/8 > > and the control line is 5/16 LS. The rings are 3/8x2 inch SS. The jib > > sheet is led inside the aft lower and upper and outside the forward > lower. > > > > It was easy to control it. I would guess it was blowing about 15-20. I > > think the main difference is that I got a lot more power out of the sail > > than when it is sheeted to the rail. Fuller shape and in tighter at the > > same time. Basically, a lot more control of the shape of the sail, > > something I need to get used to as I could actually have used less power > > today but being my myself it is a little hard to tweak things. > > > > > > Allen > > > > >

Allen Edwards wrote: > > [Attachment(s) <#TopText> from Allen Edwards included below] > I think there was some interest recently in inhaulers on this list. I > have been experimenting with one for several months. I got the new > parts a few weeks ago and finally got a chance to try it out today. > > The setup is a compound 8:1. The first part is the 2:1 I get from the > control line going through the ring the sheet goes through. That line > is attached to 4:1 setup with two double blocks. The blocks are > Garhauer 20 series, the main line is amsteel 7/64 although I think I > will switch to 1/8 and the control line is 5/16 LS. The rings are > 3/8x2 inch SS. The jib sheet is led inside the aft lower and upper > and outside the forward lower. Thanks for posting the description and photos. This looks like something I need to try. My question is about the ring--I take it that you simply re-reeve the sheet when you no longer need the inhauler (release the sheet, remove it from the ring, run it back outside the shrouds after you tack). If you stay on the same tack and fall off considerably, I suppose you could use the lazy sheet, remove it from the other side, run it outside the shrouds, release the inner sheet, and run that one back over on the other side for the next tack. Could you use some sort of positive-locking carabiner sort of device in place of the ring to make it easier to remove the inhauler from the sheet? Chris Campbell

I would think you could use any device; a correctly rated carabineer, hook, shapshackle or snatchblock, if you saw the need to detach the inhaul. From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 4:12 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Inhauler Thanks for posting the description and photos. This looks like something I need to try. My question is about the ring--I take it that you simply re-reeve the sheet when you no longer need the inhauler (release the sheet, remove it from the ring, run it back outside the shrouds after you tack). If you stay on the same tack and fall off considerably, I suppose you could use the lazy sheet, remove it from the other side, run it outside the shrouds, release the inner sheet, and run that one back over on the other side for the next tack. Could you use some sort of positive-locking carabiner sort of device in place of the ring to make it easier to remove the inhauler from the sheet? Chris Campbell

What I have done in my limited testing is to let the inhauler control out so that the sheet is near the rail and leave it set up. I am not sure how much better the 90 would be on a reach if the sheet was on the rail instead of against the forward lower. If I wanted to remove it, I would do as you said and re-rig. Anything works if strong enough and you can calculate the required strength. I did that by using the jib sheet rated strength as the goal and looked at the angles that the sheet would be making. Using that you can calculate the load on the inhauler. Allen On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:11 AM, Chris Campbell < cl… [at] charterinternet.com> wrote: > > > Allen Edwards wrote: > > > I think there was some interest recently in inhaulers on this list. I have > been experimenting with one for several months. I got the new parts a few > weeks ago and finally got a chance to try it out today. > > The setup is a compound 8:1. The first part is the 2:1 I get from the > control line going through the ring the sheet goes through. That line > is attached to 4:1 setup with two double blocks. The blocks are Garhauer 20 > series, the main line is amsteel 7/64 although I think I will switch to 1/8 > and the control line is 5/16 LS. The rings are 3/8x2 inch SS. The jib > sheet is led inside the aft lower and upper and outside the forward lower. > > > Thanks for posting the description and photos. This looks like something I > need to try. > > My question is about the ring--I take it that you simply re-reeve the sheet > when you no longer need the inhauler (release the sheet, remove it from the > ring, run it back outside the shrouds after you tack). If you stay on the > same tack and fall off considerably, I suppose you could use the lazy sheet, > remove it from the other side, run it outside the shrouds, release the inner > sheet, and run that one back over on the other side for the next tack. > > Could you use some sort of positive-locking carabiner sort of device in > place of the ring to make it easier to remove the inhauler from the sheet? > > Chris Campbell > > >