Picked up a small Harken block and swivel shackle and mounted to the tack plate (where the forestay attaches to the bow). My tack plate already had a hole in the perfect location, so no drilling was necessary. Shackle ~$5.00 / Block ~$13.00

Downhaul Block

Bought ~60ft. of 1/4 stay-set line (~$25) and a small nylon open center cleat (~$4). Mounted the cleat right under the Oday logo on the side of the cabin top. I bought fairleads to guide the line from the bow to the cockpit, but decided that it worked just as well to route the line through the little stantion support legs.

Line Routing and Cleat

Got a cheap, but effective, line organizer (~$3) to keep things neat and orderly at the cockpit. Both halyards (on right), and downhaul (on left) all together and ready to deploy.

Line Organizer

This project is applicable for a non-furler rig. A jib downhaul is a means of pulling the jib down while in the cockpit instead of running to the foredeck and wrestling with it to get it down. I have found that the best and safest way to douse the jib is to back fill it (tack without releasing jib sheet). Then using the downhaul, drop it right down on the foredeck. Here is basically how it is installed:
The downhaul line will run from the cleat at the cockpit, forward thru the stantion support legs, thru the block on the tack plate and then you will feed it thru each jib hank up the forstay(theres plenty of room using 1/4 line) and then secure it via a bowline knot to the jib halyard. I also bought some 1/8 dacron line for lacing between the lifeline and the teak trim along the edge of the boat to prevent the jib sail from blowing off the bow when doused. I also mounted a padeye on the foredeck right in front of the forward hatch, and looped a length of shock cord from it forward to the bow rail and back to the padeye (the pic doesnt show it well, sorry). In the middle of one length of the shock cord, I installed a simple plastic hook to loop over the doused jib and hook back to the other length of cord, so as to always have a means of securing the jib quickly. Very cheap and effective means of managing a jib or genoa if you dont have a furler. Good luck if you choose to try this. It is, no doubt, one of the best modifications Ive made to my O25.

Project Description and a Couple Finishing Touches