Lazy Sheet as Barber Hauler?

[Dockhead]

Anybody ever try this?

No good when you're short tacking, but I find this is the easiest way to rig an in-f****r for the jib clew.

The twings for my blade jib are on the rail, so need to be tweaked inboard when sailing upwind. But I find that all jibs need inboard-outboard clew position adjustment for best performance, so some kind of barber hauler has always been part of my kit on all my boats.

I normally use my staysail sheet for this, but lately I've been using the staysail upwind more often, which makes the staysail sheet unavailable. Rather than creating an even bigger mess of spaghetti on deck, I've started using the lazy sheet, and find it is really easy to rig. Anyone else doing this?

[Sailmonkey]

Yep, I use the lazy sheet as the in-f*****, the pole stabilizer when reaching with a whisker pole, and a host of other sail tweaking duties when presented!

[UNCIVILIZED]

Won't you run into interference from the lazy sheet having to curve around the staysail/staysail stay, & then back to the jib clew? That would make for a sh**y barber hauler.

Plus, I thought that you had floating jib leads. Are they not attached to cars on tracks that are bolted to the deck in the athwartships direction? So that you can control the height of the jib lead block, as well as to adjust the sheeting angle with it/them.

Something akin to this http://express27.org/photos/549.jpg

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Won't you run into interference from the lazy sheet having to curve around the staysail/staysail stay, & then back to the jib clew? That would make for a sh**y barber hauler.

Plus, I thought that you had floating jib leads. Are they not attached to cars on tracks that are bolted to the deck in the athwartships direction? So that you can control the height of the jib lead block, as well as to adjust the sheeting angle with it/them.

Something akin to this http://express27.org/photos/549.jpg

No, the lazy sheet runs aft of the staysail leech so no interference. But obviously I have to rereeve it, which is why this doesn't work if tacking is on the menu.

Yes, I have free floating sheet leads, but I don't have the inboard part of them. By design, the staysail sheet is used for that. But then - I can't use the staysail. This is not normally I problem because I don't normally use the staysail when beating.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Run a 2nd set of Twings, or switch to the mentioned (& linked) jib lead setup. That, or just have inboard Twings, & a 2nd set of outboard jib leads/track.

[wcapman]

Yes, I've done this for years, too. But I sail a 35' sloop rigged boat and the lazy sheet leads forward around the stays and mast. So to use it as a barber hauler I pull it in to the traveler horse (an aluminum channel athwart-ship in front of the companionway) where there is a snatch block on an eye strap. This puts the pull on the clew towards the center of the boat. Very effective on a 155 Genny in light winds. To release when I tack I just have to reduce tension on the lazy sheet, release the sheet from the snatch block, and proceed with the tack. In light winds this can be good for 1/2 to 1 knt of boat speed.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Run a 2nd set of Twings, or switch to the mentioned (& linked) jib lead setup. That, or just have inboard Twings, & a 2nd set of outboard jib leads/track.

Yes, that is the classic solution and what I had originally planned. It would be most convenient. My setup (I posted photos of it in a couple of threads) is like half of the Pogo or Open 60 setup. But my deck already looks like an explosion in the spaghetti factory , and I really really hated the idea of running yet another two sets of lines.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by wcapman

Yes, I've done this for years, too. But I sail a 35' sloop rigged boat and the lazy sheet leads forward around the stays and mast. So to use it as a barber hauler I pull it in to the traveler horse (an aluminum channel athwart-ship in front of the companionway) where there is a snatch block on an eye strap. This puts the pull on the clew towards the center of the boat. Very effective on a 155 Genny in light winds. To release when I tack I just have to reduce tension on the lazy sheet, release the sheet from the snatch block, and proceed with the tack. In light winds this can be good for 1/2 to 1 knt of boat speed.

Yes, that's almost exactly what I do. I pull the lazy sheet out of everything and re-reeve around behind the staysail. The lazy twing then becomes the turning block. The geometry is fine; the re-reeving to tack is the big disadvantage. Like you, I get dramatic improvements in jib performance by tweaking the clew inboard and outboard. It is amazingly sensitive to very small adjustments.

[ctl411]

I have also done this. Thought about making a "short sheet" with a snap shackle or hook. Running lines around is a pain so don't do it as often as I should.

[wcapital]

I've played around with a lot of methods - but finally constructed a light but strong 8:1 block & tackle with snap shackles on either end (and a short strap on one end) and a cam cleat. It became invaluable - with uses all over the place - as a barber-hauler and in-haul for the genoa (where, with one end on a tang at the outboard end of the boom vang, made for a slot that adjusted automatically when easing or trimming the main); as a barber-haul for a screacher, and a twing for the asymmetrical spinnaker....and a variety of other uses.

The lazy sheet can work, but I found it harder to get the optimal lead for it - both to the sail and to a winch; and that it can be cumbersome to un-rig....especially if one finds a tack or gybe or other "crash" maneuvers are needed for some unexpected reason. This rig take one pull on a snap-shackle lanyard and you're free to do whatever you need to without fear of all ***** breaking loose!

[thinwater]

Maybe.

It may chafe on the mast.

It is generally required to move the clew in and back, and forward and out. for a tiny adjustment this may not matter.This only addresses the in-out part.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Dockhead, can you re-post a pic of your current setup, or give us a link to a pic of it, please.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Dockhead, can you re-post a pic of your current setup, or give us a link to a pic of it, please.

I'm at sea! With very faint internet. But I'll do it when I get across the Central Baltic.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Maybe.

It may chafe on the mast.

It is generally required to move the clew in and back, and forward and out. for a tiny adjustment this may not matter.This only addresses the in-out part.

I'm sure it must be something interesting, but I don't really understand what you're saying.

Yes, we are specifically talking about the "in-out part" -- inboard-outboard adjustment of the clew position.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I'm sure it must be something interesting, but I don't really understand what you're saying.

Yes, we are specifically talking about the "in-out part" -- inboard-outboard adjustment of the clew position.

I'm sure I was just unclear.

Typically when the lead moves outboard (for reaching, for example) it must also move forward or the top twists off crazy. The correlate is that when you pull the lead in, you must move the lead aft, or the top hooks in. Reaching leads are generally quite a few feet forward of beating leads.

If you are only hauling it in a few inches or a foot, it probably does not matter much. It also depends on the sail; blades are far more sensitive to fore-aft lead position than yankees.