OverEasy wrote: ↑Sat Feb 21, 2026 5:39 pm
I was wondering, given we mainly motor and have a roller furler, if it is possible to use a Hank-on jib via standing in the forward hatch of a Mac26X or Mac26M in stead of climbing on deck?
With some pre-planning you can use a hank-on jib without going on-deck. Obviously, the first requirement is that the jib halyard and both jib sheets be led back to the cockpit. After that you have two options.
The most effective way is to rig a down-haul line on the jib so that the jib can be struck from the cockpit. Loosen the jib halyard and the jib sheets then pull on the down-haul while keeping tension on the halyard. If you don't keep tension on the halyard you are more likely to have it jam. Pull the down-haul and jib sheets tight to pin the jib to the deck. In really windy conditions instead of pinning the jib to the deck you can pull it into the v-berth through the hatch, (mostly) closing the hatch to keep the jib from flogging on deck.
You can get a similar effect by standing in the forward hatch and pulling the jib down directly. It helps if someone can keep a slight tension on the halyard while you are pulling it down but even without help it usually comes down without jamming. Since you don't have the down-haul to hold it down to the deck you may need to pull the jib into the v-berth even if the wind is not blowing that hard.
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
Russ wrote: ↑Sun Feb 22, 2026 6:39 am
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I've done this once when my furler was "stuck" and it wouldn't furl in. Winds were howling and seas bouncing so I didn't want to walk up on deck. Which is why it wouldn't furl in. The wind was too strong.
I crawled out of the forward hatch to get to it. I still needed to sit on the deck, but at least I didn't have to walk over the cabin.
I don't think you can hank-on the jib from the hatch, but you can reduce some risk on deck.
...
To your first point: this is why I chose a hank-on over a roller furler. A friend of mine had this happen to his boat (not a Mac) and ended up capsizing and sinking. He lost the boat but on the plus-side he and his two young sons got a nice ride back to Tampa in a Coast Guard helicopter.
When I tell a sail that it needs to come down I don't want to have any arguments.
To your second point: you can sort-of hank on the jib from the hatch. The "hanking" part can be done standing in the v-berth but you can't run the jib sheets from there. You have to toss them back into the cockpit and then run them through the cars standing up in the main hatch.
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
Thanks guys, well I’ve bought the boat (collect on the weekend).
I’ll get the mast up and see what state the furler foil is in before making a decision. It’s been lying in a driveway and the foil doesn’t look super tight, needs new lines for the furler as well. I’ll get the rig tensioned up nicely and go from there.
My current 22ft trailer yacht is pretty tender and no issues with going forward, Jib is hanked on before launching. I’ve used downhauls in the past, but often going forward is easiest.
I probably should have mentioned earlier, my local sailing (in an extinct volcano) is mostly beating into a steady 16-25knt NE and then returning on a run back down to the ramp with a Spinnaker. Even a few degrees of pointing with a nicely cut Jib makes all the difference in that situation, and in those wind speeds I envisage I would be having to furl in a Genoa often.
Out of interest, is it the main or the foresail that provides most of the forward momentum on the M?
DaveR-NZ wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2026 12:53 am
Thanks guys, well I’ve bought the boat (collect on the weekend).
Out of interest, is it the main or the foresail that provides most of the forward momentum on the M?
Thanks.
Congrats!
In my opinion, both sails are somewhat equal in power. I often sail with head sail only because I'm too lazy to raise the main. It will sail but not well.
BTW, the RESOURCES section of this site has the manual and videos about your boat.
Sailing in a volcano?
That’s interesting!!
I’ve seen a couple of lakes in volcanos that I’ve seen but none had a boat ramp!
That must be an interesting place!
What kind of environment is it? Shallow? Steep sided? Volcanic rock?
Is it warmer from geological heat?
What about the aquatic life?
(I understand that NZ has some pretty unique and remarkable biodiversity!!!)
Have a google of "Banks Peninsula New Zealand". The whole thing is a series of dormant volcanoes with the two main ones being Lyttelton and Akaroa. The geography of it is quite interesting, very high volcanic cliffs full of volcanic rock.
The head of the bay is very shallow, dries out at low tide and out at the entrance/heads is 30ish meters. Our prevailing wind, the North East, blows straight down the harbour and is condensed/funned closer to the head. Often we will have 30knt at the ramp (the little pin in the picture) and no wind at the heads. It's about 5nm from the ramp to the heads.
There are a number of videos on YouTube explaining how it all formed.
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DaveR-NZ wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2026 10:58 am
Have a google of "Banks Peninsula New Zealand". The whole thing is a series of dormant volcanoes with the two main ones being Lyttelton and Akaroa. The geography of it is quite interesting, very high volcanic cliffs full of volcanic rock.
The head of the bay is very shallow, dries out at low tide and out at the entrance/heads is 30ish meters. Our prevailing wind, the North East, blows straight down the harbour and is condensed/funned closer to the head. Often we will have 30knt at the ramp (the little pin in the picture) and no wind at the heads. It's about 5nm from the ramp to the heads.
There are a number of videos on YouTube explaining how it all formed.
I did some google map exploring of that area. Looks so amazing. I can see how the wind would funnel through the tall mountain hills and amplify.
