Attaching Jib Sheets

[capt lar]

i was taught to attach sheets to headsails with a bowline. of course, back in the day, the sail was bagged and the sheets removed and stowed in a locker. with roller furling there is no need. there was a thread a while back about a guy getting caught in a blow and described going forward to "unsnap the jib". i did not know if this was local expression or if he was using snap shackles to attach his sheets - a good way, imo, to lose teeth. the boat we picked up this summer has one piece of line, folded at the center, poked thru the clew as a loop and then the two ends passed thru and each became a sheet. i did not change it this season. it never slipped and we saw good winds several times. i had planned to cut the line and revert to my old method, but thought i would ask - how do you attach your jib sheets ?

capt. lar

[Alan Wheeler]

I use a snap shackle on only the furling headsail sheet. When furled in, it is easy to release the sheet. You arent' placed in any danger of losing teeth when it is furled and you shouldn't be anywhere near the thing if it is flapping wildly anyway. Teeth wouldn't be my concern if that was happening. Looping it the way you have described is no better than tieing a knot. That may not be an issue, except that you lose a tremendouse amount of line strength in a knot than you would do if the line was spliced onto a shackle.
The bowline is still the best knot to use, especially for releaseafter it has been under strain.

[capt lar]

i once had a furler crap out - bearings seized - could not furl - blowing hard (does anything ever fail in 10 kt breeze ?) and had the fun of going up and dropping the genoa. it was a friggin fight even on a 28 footer with a 150 genoa. i would not like to have a chunk of metal mixing in. the bowlines hurt !
capt. lar

[Vasco]

couple of bowlines making sure the smooth side of the knot is on the inside to prevent hanging up on the shrouds.

[capt lar]

vasco - traditional guy. have you ever seen the method i described ?

[Vasco]

Yes, I've seen the single line method but usually on smaller boats, under 30 feet.

[delmarrey]

The method I prefer for roller furlings is the the use of one single line with the middle being the eye for the jib clew. By taking one end and passing it thru the line at the clew and then taking the other end and passing it thru again just behide the first. Then whip between the two cross overs. This has worked well for me on many differant boats.

Like this but both ends of equal length.

Also with roller furlings it is recommended that a couple wraps of the sheets should also go around the sail when stored. This helps to prevent the wind from opening up the clew in a storm.

As for the hank-ons I just do the bowline method. There's nothing worse then getting smacked with a chunk of metal when your trying to keep your balance. The clews are bad enough. I'd rather douse the thing in the water before taking a hit.
The trick I've used on the hank-ons is to head into the wind about 1 point, pull the clew as far back as possible and douse the genoa on the deck. As least most of it, the rest I can go forward and handle it down.
It's not a good racing manuver but single handing a 51' X 26' genoa, you don't have many choices..................._/)

[Pblais]

Vasco once whispered in the wind:
couple of bowlines making sure the smooth side of the knot is on the inside to prevent hanging up on the shrouds.

I have the additional hang up on the inner forestay. I've always done it like Vasco. Hanging on the inner stay is a real problem when the air is on the light side. In big air it takes more than a knot to hang it up, but if you screw up a tack it can still happen. I've taken to adding a tacking line off a block attached to a fix downhaul off a pad eye on the bow lead back with a second set of furling blocks to the cockpit.. It prevents a trip to the bow to unstick the jib clew, but the downside is it's yet another line to tangle and deal with. On a short boat, the gap between the forestays isn't very big. It's the one PITA with a cutter rig. But I really like that little staysail when it gets nasty.

capt lar, I think the method you describe would actually work very well if you use some of the really high tech line like New England T-900 where often you can't untie the bowline and have to cut the sheet (bigger boats). Knots for the high tech lines don't work the same and you have to adjust.

I really would like something better but I'm not ready to use a shackle. I think they would hang up as well as a proeprly oriented bowline. I have a high clew so it is not possible to smack me.

[ssullivan]

I agree with most of the crowd. It's hard to beat a bowline for times when you have a roller furling incident, or for its line strength.

How, exactly, are people tying the sheet to the shackle?

[Pblais]

delmarrey,

For roller furlers I have short line with a monkey fist on one end and an eye splice on the other. You wrap it around and run the fist through the eye as insurance. You really don't want that jib unfurling. Wind, big sail, boat tied up is is clear disaster and a hefty yard bill.

It's a great thing to use on a lot of things. I secure the 3 part folding boarding ladder with one too. They never work loose and are easy to undo if you size the eye small enough to pass the fist it can't under tension pass back. They won't hold fast but they won't undo either. They look really nautical too.

[BC Mike]

All my sheets are tied with a bowline.
Michael

[Rick]

I like the monkey fist idea, I'll have to try it to secure various items. It might beat the eye and toggle routine which can come loose under shaking.

I'm not sure about just how you use that on your furling: do you merely use it to secure the already furled rig or do you use it to attach the jib sheet?

During a race on a Wylie 37, we had an overide on the starboard primary. It was locked up tight, and no way to release. The foredeck crew was handed a line, secured into the bowline at the clew, and cut loose the jammed sheet. No way this would have worked with shackles or single line. I always use bowlines on my sheets. You can always head up if losing speed is not a factor, but single handing in the stink, I prefer not have more pieces to deal with.

[Wahoo Sails]

I believe what Capt'n Lar is describing is a "Mobius splice" as described by Brian toss. This is what we use, lighter in weight and less likely to hangup than any other arrangement.

Bob & Lynn

L S/V Sew Good

[GordMay]

I’m not familiar with the “Mobius Splice” - Is it similar, or the same as, a Brummell Tuck?

New England Splicing Guides: http://www.neropes.com/splice/default.htm
including:
Eye Splice - Brummell
http://www.neropes.com/splice/sp13_s...ye_brummel.htm
or
http://www.precourt.ca/splice/splice1.htm