Linnett Deck Sweeper Jib Bridle

[Paul White]

This was developed by Bryan Linnett in Australia and has two main benefits
– It lowers the jib onto the deck of the bow – making the sail much more effective by cleaning up the airflow (allegedly this improves the pointing ability and power of the sail).
– It brings the jib forward around 5cm which means that the clew attachment holes on the Self Tacking Jib are now in front of the track instead of only the front two  – providing more options for adjustment.

Requirements
1.5m x 4mm Dyneema (for Bridle Loops)
1m x 2.5mm Dyneema (for Soft Shackle)
50cm of 2.5mm Dyneema to pull the Loops through the holes (Puller)
2cm wide Stainless Steel Shackle
Fid or coat hanger wire
D Splicer
Clear sticky tape
Ruler
Marker Pen

Preparation
1. Create the Bridle Line by splicing a Brummel Loop in both ends of the 4mm Dyneema rope using a Fid or D Splicer.
Instruction videos:
For both ends free
For one end fixed
2. Mark the middle of the looped Bridle line with a marker pen
3. Create a small soft shackle (2.5cm diameter or less) using the 2.5mm Dyneema
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekm1-N1E8_M
TIP: You may find it easier to use the coat hanger wire to pull the buried end through the narrow hollow core of the 2.5mm rope. Push the wire through the core then butt the end of the Dyneema to the end of the wire and wrap tape around both in line with the wire.  Then pull the wire back through the core.

Installation
The aim is to thread the bridle rope through the holes in the deck twice, so the rope wraps around the nose of the boat with the middle of the bridle on the deck at the mid point between the two holes. The Brummel loops should be the same height above the deck.

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1. Push the D splicer through one of the holes in the deck and pull one end of your 50cm length of Dyneema through
2. Thread the 2.5mm Puller through the Loop you spliced on one end of the 4mm Bridle then use the D splicer to pull the end of the Puller underneath the deck.
3. Now grab both ends of the Puller and use it to pull a bridle Loop through the deck leaving the other Loop around 10cm long above the deck.
4. Use the D link to pull the ends of the Puller through the other hole in the deck. Then use the Puller to pull the Loop up above the deck.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until both Brummel loops are the same height above the deck.
5. Join the two Brummel loops with the stainless steel shackle
6. Use a Fid to create a hole through the middle of the Bridle on the deck and thread the Soft Shackle through it.

Rigging
1. Prepare the boat for rigging as normal until you get to the point where you step the mast.
2. Step the mast as normal and keep hold of the forestay then use the lashing line attached to the forestay ring to tie it loosely to the Shackle attached to the Bridle (This makes it easier to hoist the main up the track as the mast can flex more easily).
3. Then hoist the gennaker and cleat it tight
(TIP: Ease the gennaker halyard 3-5cm when sailing downwind to make the sail fuller – tighten before furling for a tight furl).
4. Now tighten the forestay lashing which will have been loosened by tightening the gennaker until the floats rise
5. Now attach the tack of the jib to the soft shackle on the deck at the bow.
6. Then attach the clew to the jib sheets/self tacker car  – generally the forward holes are for stronger winds when you want to flatten the sail – The rear holes are for lighter winds when you want a fuller sail.

Optional
Brian’s installation has the addition of a Stay Adjuster for the Forestay (to fix the tension setting) and a block and tackle which hooks onto the bow to tension the forestay while rigging.
He also has removed the central support for the ST mast track to allow the furler to go either side of the mast and either side of the bridle at the bow to keep the deck clear.  An alternative may be to temporarily detach the central support so that you can feed the furler line through and then either side of the mast and then refix the track. The disadvantage is you can’t remove the furler from the boat once installed. The return block can then be attached to the central pad eye in the cockpit.

To prevent the holes in the deck from eroding the gelcoat, you could add an aluminium Allen Deck Bush which are available in multiple lengths and 6 colours.

• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 5 months ago by Paul White.
• This topic was modified 3 weeks, 2 days ago by Paul White.

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