Jib Sheets

[Pete Cooper]

I have read about many different ways of attaching jib sheets to the jib. On my wee boat I have been using a small snapshackle which was held in the centre of the sheet by some whipping. The whipping has now fallen apart so I am trying a new method. I have run the sheet through the clew and tied a figure of eight knot each side of, and as close to the clew as I can manage. Do you think that this will work? Thanks.

[marisca]

the way I have seen but never tried (I use a cow hitch on one sail and bowlines on others) is a loop and a tail whipped into/onto the sheets. The loop is poked through the clew cringle and the tail put through the loop.

[Silkie]

I have a one piece sheet secured to the clew cringle with cow hitch variant. Basically a cow hitch with an extra turn around the tails, like this:

[aquaplane]

Aquaplane had one continuous rope with a loop in the middle poked through the clew and both sheets then through the loop as Marisca said.

The Mirror had a knot either side of the clew cringle.

All other boats use bowlines.

[Pete Cooper]

I have used bowlines - and have had problems, albeit minor, with them catching on various bits of rigging. I have used the cowhitch method and found that by the end of the season the knot was too tight to undo and I had to cut the rope. I'll see how my method works on Wednesday. Thanks all.

[ash]

Aquaplane had one continuous rope with a loop in the middle poked through the clew and both sheets then through the loop ..

That's what I have, I thought that was a cow hitch. I've heard that it will damage the sail, but I've found it OK. I managed to open the knot and remove the sheet for washing over the winter. Despite appearances, it doesn't slip. I think that it is less likely to catch on the shrouds.

I thought that Marisca was describing the other system where you have an extra piece of line whipped on which pokes through the loop like a marlin spike.

Ash

[Gardenshed]

bowlines are the simplest and easiest and mean you can easily remove one or both sheets if necessary (if a sheet gets chafed or damaged.
Alternatively, splice a loop in the end of each sheet (not easy if braided rope, simple if dyneema) and use a soft shackle to attach all to the sail. Hardware/steel shackles at the end of a sheet flapping in the wind is not a great idea.

[Nick]

.
I've used a cowhitch and managed - with a bit of effort - to get the knot untied after three seasons or longer. I have had the same genoa sheets since purchasing them in Kilmore Quay in 2006 on the way to Spain and I don't think they have been removed from the sail more than 3 times max.

It is far superior to any other method on any other boat I have sailed from the pov of not snagging on the shrouds (or anything else).

[Booby Trapper]

Bought new rope for genoa sheets last season and thought I'd try the cow hitch. I was a bit dubious thinking it may slip but it never has. Maybe more to do with the rope being braid on braid. easy enough to get undone end of last season. I wish I'd used this method years ago. never catches now when tacking.

[Pete Cooper]

If my double figure of eight doesn't work I'll give the cowhitch another try.

[DaveS]

I used a variant on a previous boat which had hanked on jibs. A continuous jib sheet had a seized and sewn loop in the middle. Each jib had a length of line attached to the clew by either another seized and sewn loop or possibly a bowline - I forget. This was then attached to the sheet loop using a double sheet bend which could be easily untied even after heavy load.

I currently use two jib sheets and bowlines, but they do occasionally catch and I'm thinking about converting to something better, possibly involving a soft shackle.

[Pete Cooper]

Just a wee update ... I tried a figure of 8 each side of the clew and it worked but didn't look right and I was concerned that the clew had a few inches to slide on the sheet at each tack and might have caused premature wear so I have reverted to a cow hitch as suggested. My jibs are hanked on but as I only really use 2 of them, I have separate sheets for each jib and they now stay attached.

[mm5aho]

What annoys me about genoa sheets is them catching on the stays or shrouds. I like the look of the cow hitch, but that probably only works for a single rope forming both sheets?

I have two sheets, one with red fleck and one with green (to remind which is stbd and which port!), any suggestions for individual sheet attachment?

[Booby Trapper]

Prob best for single sheets is a bowline with the bite taped down