Should my new boat have a self tacker???

[roland_trim]

I appreciate having good control of the jib.
Born slippy has a neat traingle system on the jib sheets. At any point the end of the mainsheet gives you the live jib sheet.

Do I fit a self tacker to the new boat? Or have a larger overlapping jib?

I'd love to hear why I need one. All thoughts appreciated

[pratn0]

I'm of the view that a self tacker is better.

The benefits of having a sail able to flop over to the correct side without crew input is helpful and could save a few swims.

if you have new crew in the boat it reduces the need to have them pass main to helm, tack body position while switching Jib sheets and then take main back from the helm post tack (and no. i know the two of us have attempted in Born slippy the helm tacking the jib which ended in tears for both us and you unable to walk.)

Even if the Jib is sized larger and it needs to be cracked slightly pre-tack but if you setup the sheet and cleat position nicely the tri angle you speak of could still exist enabling the help to ease slightly pre-tack and squeeze back on post tack as they step out to the trapeze leaving the crew to worry about the main and getting across the boat.

I would suggest the jib sheet lead going forward (29er style) vs out the side method seen on some boats.  the side method means each tack the clew block travels across a large amount of rope vs just having the low friction car moving across the boat.

just my two cents.

[Clive Everest]

I think that the jibs on Cherubs have become too big and tend to take control in a bad way.
Going upwind, if you bear off slightly the jib pulls you off further, luff up and it loses lift and the boat ties to luff further.
You end up fighting it with the rudder.
The main does not do this as it is not cleated.
We have got to this situation as we have been pushing the rigs further back to try and make it comfortable to trapeze above the T foil.
Most of the Skiff classes have the same issue.
On the foiling rig for A+E we moved the mast step forward 18” and raked the rig to keep the hounds in the same place. The jib is a lot smaller.
This worked really well from a sailing perspective, and I would have repeated it on a non-foiling boat.
It meant that the compromises of a tracked jib were diminished.
However, I did not foresee the structural implications.
Shortening the distance from the mast foot to the jib tack and increasing the distance from the mast foot to the crew massively increased the leverage on the forestay amplifying the forestay loads and the mast compression.
It did not help that by this stage Alex was double the weight of when we started.
The mast centre section became unstable despite doubling the laminate.
If I had the chance for another iteration, I would have dropped the hounds to regain stability of the centre span, moved the mast foot back about 6” keeping the jib at the same reduced area.

I would have also gone for a round trackless mast and simply attached the main with straps.
Much simpler to build and rig.
We could have added a zip up luff sleeve, but I doubt that it would have gained much.

[Phil Alderson]

I have to say I like the self tacker. I had an old Int 14 with a large overlapping jib and it was just a pain, it would catch and cause swins both on a tack and a jybe.
I also think that the jib lasts longer with a self tacker as it spends less time flapping

[JP233]

Personaly id go with a self tacking jib. But maybe add backing lines to the car, i belive this was done on The Pasta Frenzy, if you arent sailing with a regular crew?

I do agree with clive though, i wonder if our jibs have got toooooo big.The jib size that shiny has is very confortable to sail with, where as poppys jib is just too violent
(thank you clive for making me put two and two together there!)