H18 Jib trim

Only way to know for sure is to move the car around and see if the wrinkles go away. They don’t look like car position problem wrinkles to me. Looks like the window is sewn in odd. Luff tension looks fine but you might try playing with that too.

That sail is pushing 40 years old (late ‘70s early ‘80s sail pattern) and no amount of halyard or jib lead tweaking is going to get rid of those wrinkles. As Matt said, they look to be coming from the window. My guess is the vinyl window stretched/shrank at a different rate than the surrounding dacron. Those old jibs also had a tendency to flutter along the foot in a breeze.

sm

window looks high on the jib and closer to the seam than on all pics i see on google

could easily be a replacement window, and sewn on by a person lacking a professional skill set - and sewn it flat: on a sail with draft . thus creating a poor fit and unequal pull on the surrounding fabric aka wrinkles

Edited by MN3 on Jul 21, 2018 - 01:43 PM.

Thanks for the replies I'll move the blocks around and adjusting halyard see if that helps ?

But I think your right it's the window

Anyone know a good sail loft In or close to southern Indiana ?

You would be throwing good money after bad having a sail loft work on that window. It’s a 35-40 year old sail and certainly blown out. Just sail it as is and if the wrinkles/fluttering bother you that much, save your pennies (and the money you would have spent on replacing the window) for a new jib.

sm

For a new jib I assume hobie doesn't make that pattern anymore ?

I like to support local business is why I ask about local sail loft

Thanks

You might be lucky and have your stripes actually on the seams of the jib. Many hobie color stripes were dyed on a large roll and cannot be replicated anymore. Even if they do have the colors they aren’t going to match the uv faded ones of the main. Just slap a solid color on the front and be done with it. If you get a whirlwind sail from Chip it’s sorta still a hobie sail since he was the guy running the sail loft at Hobie back in the day lol.

Ooooorrr you can just have some wrinkles on the sail and that will be that

Edited by tamumpower1 on Jul 23, 2018 - 02:34 AM.

Kinda like putting new low profile tires on your new car - sure it may look nice and handle a little differently but that's not gonna change the car all that much - certainly not gonna make you noticeably faster (unless your racing and can now beat the boat you were neck and neck with last race)

i wouldn't worry about it at the moment unless your jib is in real bad shape and not usable
Sure a new jib will enhance your sailing a little - but really ... just a little

I would save the money and put it towards a sailing lesson or 2 (for real)
or just save the money for when your rudders break, or your castings break or when you need a new transmission for your car

or just wait a season or 2 until you really need a new sail and or your skills are such that you will really feel and understand the difference

Unless you have lots of funds - then by all means get new sails, upgrade your rudders, get new lines and blocks all around