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.
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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
