Pros v. Cons

J. Austin · Post by **J. Austin** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:29 pm

I would like to hear eveyones thoughts.

One piece jib/genoa sheet or two piece.

ie.: doubling your sheet in the middle and passing it through the sheet ey, then passing both bitter ends through the loop that is created. 'Cruisers loop"

Or cutting your sheet in half and connecting each to the sheet eye with a bowline, or other knot.

Over the years I have heard a lot of sailors have this "discussion", and have seen it in two predominant sailing magazines this year alone. I know its almost Christmas and its mid-week, but chime in, darn it, I wanna hear what the people that sail the same boats that I do have to say!

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:40 pm

EE presently has two sheets permanently left thru the jib blocks and attached by bowline knots when the jib is hanked on. The downside for me has been occasional problems with the bowlines snagging/banging on the shrouds in light air. And once in heavy air I had a bowline come loose, although that was my fault for poor knotmanship.

I'd already decided to change to a single sheet tied as you described, That shouldn't snag as much, and won't come untied. If I leave the sheets attached to the jib, I'll have to run the sheets down each side of the boat and thru the blocks each time, but that shouldn't take more time than tying the knots would.

I guess if you were always changing the foresail out while underway the knots would be a lot easier to deal with in that case...

There you go, that's my 2 cents

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:44 pm

I was running mine a 1 piece sheet , loop/knot at jib and a knot at each end. it was easy to get a smooth change during tacks.

clair hofmann · Post by **clair hofmann** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:03 pm

On all my boats I use a one piece sheet looped throughan appropriately sized push and turn captive shackle. This makes for quick sail changes and snag free tacks.
Clair

Andiron120 · Post by **Andiron120** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:22 pm

Large snap shackle with two, inch and a quarter rings, two sheets, each eye spliced to its own ring. Quick to rig, or change sails, usually stashed below to keep it out of the weather at the end of the day.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:50 pm

In my book there are three things to consider.

1) Money
Can you afford to have a single long line to act as both port and starboard sheet? For each head sail you own?? If so, I think this is best for all the reasons already stated.

2) Convenience
It is so nice to have each headsail with a single line used as both sheets!
Sail changes are simple, no or minimal snagging, and lighter weight especially for the larger light air sails.

3) Saftey
picture the clue end of the sail flogging as you tack lazily through the wind. Now imagine getting hit in the head with snap shackles or large knots. It happens. You will flog. You will have damage because of it. Just hope it is not someones head. Most likely it will happen when that unexpected front or squal blow through. Suddenly you are over powered and you release the man and or jib sheets to spill air and suddenly your jib is flogging wildly. You CAN get hurt. Hmm, I smell a safety tip coming on . . . . . . .

So I guess in my book, Ideally I want a single line used as the main sheet and lazy sheet for each head sail. Reality sinks in. Budgets affect decisions, and I do not have that situation. but if I was outfitting a boat with a large budget I would use that route.

Hope my humble opinion helps!
Scott

PS: you can use lighter lines for light air sails to address the weight issue and use larger lines for heavy air head sails to address the comfort on your paws issue.

bmwdad · Post by **bmwdad** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:06 am

On my C22, single line to a snap shackle connected to the jib/genoa. I use the same sheet for the jib, 130 and 150 genoa.

My sailing club, Sail Chicago, uses the same on the cruising boat but on the fleet of Rhodes 19s, each sail (jib and storm) has a single sheet tied to each sail.

What was the consensus of the "discussion" in the prominent sailing magazines?

J. Austin · Post by **J. Austin** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:34 pm

Wow good stuff.

Not exactly what I expected, but...
everyone has obviously put a deal of thought into this too.

I love the the ease of a snap shackle, but I weary, the one time it smacks into the boat or me I may get pissed.

The one piece I agree should clear better (shrouds etc.)

The two piece, I'm told, acually can possibly conribute to better sail shape. We're talkin minute though.

The magazines all seem to come to the same conclusions: Racers use two, Cruisers use one. And most racers wouldn't use the snap shackle cause they're (we're) weight crazy!

My what a great response, love a good sailing debate!
thanks to all.