Head sail sheeting

[azzura]

Hi all

looking for ideas on the best way to run the headsail sheets. Mine have always been sheeted between the shrouds as the rpevious owner said she pointed higher that way . But I notice from the gallery photos many have their sheest out side of the shrouds ?

Mark
Azzura

[Marinka]

Hi my expereince in a variey of boats is outside the shrouds. give it a go. Cheers Peter

[storm petrel]

I lead my sheets outside because my No.2 overlaps the spreaders anyway. I can see that with a smaller headsail leading the sheets between the shrouds would allow the boat to point a little higher but don't you have to relead them when you come off the wind to prevent them fouling the outer shroud?

Cheers,
Mark

[azzura]

Hi and thanks for the info so far ..the sheets run from the winches through the deck cars and between the shrouds to the clew .The inner and outers are both sleeved with plastic tubing to allow the sheets to run between the without fouling.Still any headsail that overlaps drags through them and no doubt will cause some wear over time .....Just not sure about that !

[storm petrel]

Hi,

Even with the sheets led outside the shrouds I can sheet my No.2 tight enough to pull it onto the end of the spreaders, so I do not think there would be any advantage in leading the sheets any further inboard because I still have to keep the sail off the spreader to keep its shape. I suspect sheeting it from further inboard and sheeting it hard up to the spreader would leave too much draft in the headsail. (This however, only applies to large headsails.)

Mark

[Phillip]

Shaun,

Your problems with catching sheets can be solved this way

Always lead your sheets outside the shrouds.

Phillip
SEAKA

[robf]

Hi all

To answer Shaun's query about headsail sheeting that doesn't catch on the shrouds - I've been using a simple loop through the clew with the tails of the single length of sheet rope for both sheets going through the loop and back to the deck cars. In 2 years the arrangement has not slipped, and now rarely catches on the shrouds, which is much better for the short-handed racing that I do with the Pittwater Sailors once a month. Hope this helps!

Rob
Isabella II, Pittwater

[Shaun]

Thanks Phil & Rob,

ok so with the bowline, it should be tied left-handed for the port sheet, & right-handed for the std sheet, as also shown in "The riggers apprentice" by Brion Toss.

L & R handed bowlines to clew

TopHatSailing Mar2010 047.jpg (37.81 KiB) Viewed 4113 times

Rob, the "knot" you describe sounds like a Larks Head aka Cow Hitch http://www.animatedknots.com/girth/inde ... dknots.com ,these seem quite popular, but require 1 long jib sheet & centred at the clew, instead of a port & std separate sheet, probably ideal for a furler that wont be changed often if at all, but would maybe be a nuisance on a hanked on sail?? if you are using the same sheets for different headsails.


On Blue moon i have this set-up for the jib sheets, but im at a complete loss how it works!! anyone know?

Blue Moon's jib sheet to clew

TopHatSailing Mar2010 045.jpg (78.29 KiB) Viewed 4113 times

Could be some variation of this knot (the first one at top of page) http://www.wayfarer-international.org/W ... sheet.html

I suppose im looking for a knot to replace the bowline(because i had one recently fail, that i spent a bit of time on to make sure i tied it correctly), doesnt snag on the shrouds & a knot that is easily removed from the clew to allow headsail changes, using the same sheets....

cheers
shaun

[Shaun]

I guess that sheet connection goes something like this

Blue Moon sheets

TopHatSailing Mar2010 048.jpg (45.01 KiB) Viewed 4107 times

Anyone have this set-up, or used something similar...any pro's/cons?

cheers
Shaun

ps, i always lead my sheets outside shrouds too.

[robf]

You're right Shaun - it is probably the cow hitch - and yes - I have a furling headsail so never need to change the sail (makes things so much simpler when short-handed).

Cheers
Rob
Isabella II