Knot usage for sheets and halyards

[Zanshin]

Almost all of my running rigging is currently connected to rings or attachments by bowline knots. I am wondering if there are other knots in common use for this purpose - particularly for the Genoa and main sheets as well as for the boom vang.

[donrr1]

The bowline is used because it is one of the easier knots to untie. A hitch would work but it tightens with tension making it very hard to untie after time.

Don

[TrueBlue]

I use a bowline for port/starboard Genoa sheets, but find that the resulting bulk gets caught up on my inner forestay. I don't want to remove this stay - since it's useful for the staysail, but need to consider other knots.

Here's the bowline - which everyone should know . . .

My Genoa sheets need replacement and am considering one continuous line with a Lark's Head knot at the center. My concern is whether it will hold fast - anyone have experience using this knot for a headsail application?

[wumhenry]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Almost all of my running rigging is currently connected to rings or attachments by bowline knots. I am wondering if there are other knots in common use for this purpose - particularly for the Genoa and main sheets as well as for the boom vang.

When I bought my sloop last summer, the previous owner had rigged a single line for both headsail sheets. He just made a loop in the middle by doubling the line over, pushed the loop through the clew cringle, inserted the two free ends through the loop, and pulled them tight. (I.e., what TrueBlue calls a larks head knot.) I don't know if that's better or worse than attaching separate sheets with bowlines, but I didn't have any trouble with it last season.

[sailingdog]

The problem with using a bowline, especially on a halyard shackle, is that bowlines take up a fair amount of space. A better knot, altough very difficult to untie once tied, is a buntline hitch. You can read about it here.

The only problem with the lark's head knot is that the single line can't be end-for-end flipped like two separate sheets could be.

[FrankLanger]

I also have had good luck with a single line looped through the clew as mentioned above. It never slipped and was much less bulky than bowline or similar knot in two separate sheets.
Frank.

[camaraderie]

Lark's head works fine. When worn..cut it out and go back to a bowline.

[Zanshin]

I just realized that I posted this twice - the first time it took 10 minutes before getting a timeout, so I assumed that something had gone wrong. Sorry about the duplicate threads (moderator - can the reponses be combined for a more continguous and complete coverage?).

I don't see myself using a cowhitch with 2 genoa lines, but I might use 2 anchor bends and just cut out the sections if I can't undo the knots when I wish to turn around the lines (I have 2 extra meters per side to play with) since I hate it when the knots get caught in the shrouds while tacking.

[sailingdog]

Hey Mods...can you merge this with his other thread of the same title.