Hi, on our Freedom 40/40, we a line that runs from the helm, attached to the stanchion poles, to the Camber Spar which we’re not entirely sure what it is used for. We are thinking that it might be a downhaul for the jib. Has anyone seen this before?
Many thanks
Haven’t seen that before but I suspect your guess is correct, and also a clever idea.
Mark
On this forum there is a lot of prior discussion about the camberspar rig. I found this by using the search bar. Hope this helps.
I have F 40/40 #16 and have no such line. Try asking the previous owner. Perhaps it may facilitate pulling the jib down. I have to go up on the bow to manually pull it down and then flake it onto the camberspar. Let us know if that is it and especially if it turns out that it works. I would love to be able to pull it down from the cockpit. Can you post a few more pictures?
Would love to ask them but they’re no longer with us. It looks like they added this at sometime to be able to pull the job down from the cockpit. Soon as we get her out, I will let you know if it works
Thanks. Would love to try it if it works. Dropping the job in a blow or rough water is a challenge.
I remember having one on my 40/40 when I got her. It really didn’t work well, as you needed to flake the sail, so you were up there anyhow. I scrapped it.
I have a Freedom 32 and single hand a lot so I put a similar downhaul back to cockpit so in heavier winds easier to drop jib ! Works great for me !
when I bought my 45, the PO had rigged a pull-down line similar to this. It rand from the head of the sail down through some brass rings interspersed with the jib hanks, and then to blocks attached to the stanchions. I found it too cumbersome and took it off, but I could see doing it in the future to keep anyone from having to go on the foredeck to drop the jib in poor conditions.
Can you sends pictures and diagrams? I am having a hard time conceptualizing how it is set up. I don’t mind going up on the bow to flake it but there have been a few times in bad squalls when it is difficult or dangerous to get up there to bring it down manually. Of course the best thing is to drop and flake it before a squall hits but sometimes squalls come up quickly and unexpectedly on Lake Ontario. Twice I have gotten caught in 60 kn winds out in open water. The first time I did not anticipate and only got the main down. The second time I did anticipate and glad I did
The downhaul just forces it all to come down. You still have to flake it.
