Club footed jib

Greetings Dave…Welcome to the forum…I’m sure the “boys” from down south of the Mason/Dixon line will chime in RE: what is the name of your boat & PLEASE join the Dickerson Association. All good stuff!!

IRIS, our 1973 Dickerson 36 had a club foot rig set up when made -There was a “club” bracket on the headstay above the turnbuckle – but the prior owner had removed the club rig & just went with “standard” jib/Genoa set-up. I thought very hard about putting the “club-foot” rig back in place when I had all new sails made for the boat 4 years ago. I went with a new Furler (the boat was all hank-on sails) and a high cut 135 genoa (we sail in Buzzards Bay -windy all summer)….which has worked very well for us. There is plenty of “drive” and I’ve found that the new sails “changed the boat” – faster, flatter sailing. I did not want a “hard boom” up on my foredeck to contend with…..just me.

I have jibs that are pretty much the same size you mention sitting in the attic in sail bags….That’s pretty common sizing, I think for the 35/36. My old 10’3″ (or so) sail had grommets at the bottom of the sail with sail track sliders ( to hold it on the club)…An interesting arrangement. I’d suspect today there is no real need for the sliders…Kinda’ like a more modern loose footed mainsail that most sailmakers now like….

The club foot design was used by Dickerson, Cape Dory/Robinhood marine, as well as may other builders as a method to make the head sail “self-tending”..Which is a delightful & easy sail to use -especially when sailing short handed. No winches needed when tacking – turn the wheel…and off you go on a new tack….easy. The boom helps keep the sail full a bit when off the wind ( and Hoyt improved that on his patented”jib-boom” design).

Google “herreshoff Newport 29” – made by Brion Reiff in Maine..That boat has a beautiful “non – clubbed” self tending Jib set-up – pretty nice since there is nothing to “whack” you on the head if up on the foredeck. This is a nice set-up – I see no need for a club.

The dimension from mast to headstay dictates the boom clearance…..and if you install a traveler or Mule to anchor the boom its going to be just in front of the mast & behind the fore hatch……Most of the “drive” to weather on a headsail is derived from the leading edge of the sail – that’s the key to “blade” jibs…you might find that a thinner/taller sail sails better than a “fatter” shorter sail . I think the headstay on the 35/36 is about 40 feet.

So..a long answer to a short question…I suspect if you are going to use the club, the foot of the sail is dictated by the length of the club…I’d measure what you have & fit to that & you will probably be fine.

Another consideration…Many of the older dickersons headsails seemed to (as shown in my builder’s drawing) not hoist headsails to the top of the mast…helped to keep the center of effort lower, perhaps. More recent, modern, sails often do hoist to the top of the mast. I’d suspect a good sailmaker could provide good insight for a jib design/cut for you based on how/where you sail.

Hope this is of some help…
Mike