Could be dumb, but I'm asking anywho

[poopdeckpappy]

Going to pick up my new sails tomorrow and I'm changing out all the R/R while I'm at it.

Question is on the Gen, what is the preferred method of attaching the sheet(s), right now I have port and star seperate ( I don't like this ), I'm thinking one continuous sheet looped threw itself, or possibly snap hook or snap shackle.

What's good, what's bad, what you guys prefer

[tdw]

Originally Posted by poopdeckpappy

Going to pick up my new sails tomorrow and I'm changing out all the R/R while I'm at it.

Question is on the Gen, what is the preferred method of attaching the sheet(s), right now I have port and star seperate ( I don't like this ), I'm thinking one continuous sheet looped threw itself, or possibly snap hook or snap shackle.

What's good, what's bad, what you guys prefer

Eye splice, nothing better.

tdw

[yotphix]

Pappy, having taken a snap shackle in the jaw once when I was a pup I would have to say go with tdw's advice and splice. I still use knots because I share sheets between three sails but as you know, knots get hung up all the time. Congrats on the new rags, I'm jealous!

[tdw]

Originally Posted by yotphix

Pappy, having taken a snap shackle in the jaw once when I was a pup I would have to say go with tdw's advice and splice. I still use knots because I share sheets between three sails but as you know, knots get hung up all the time. Congrats on the new rags, I'm jealous!

Oh yes, those snap shackles pack quite a punch don't they ? Being more of the do what I say and not what I do school I must admit to mainly using a bowline for my jib sheets but gradually changing to eye splice having caught a knot in the face a couple of weeks back. Not quite as damaging as a shackle but it can give you one hell of a fat lip. My eye splicing technique does not show a high level of expertise but practice makes perfect so I'm plodding on.

[knothead]

I don't understand why anyone would want to splice their sheets to the clew of the Genoa. You would have to cut them to change or end-for-end them.
Your thought of simply finding the middle of the length and passing it through itself is by far the best method. When you have to change them for whatever reason you can remove it without cutting or you have the option of cutting it at that time and end-for-ending with bowlines.
Splices may be a little smoother passing around the shrouds but it's not worth it.

[TrueBlue]

I've always had bowlines on my jibsheets, but with an inner forestay, those knots get hung-up more often than not when tacking or gybing. My port and starboard jib sheets need to be replaced prior to next season due to wear and I am considering a single knot on one continuous line to minimize this problem.

[Giulietta]

I ONLY use bowline knots, and make the loop really realy long, (more or less 2 feet). The reasond for making them long, is simply because it is simpler to reach the knot in an emergency and also when in trouble and the sail is beating and swinging, the longer loop dampens the shock and thus males it easier to undo the knot.

I also use different colour sheets because we have a lot of ropes and makes it easy to identify when racing.
Sometimes we loose the professional look and instead of saying :
quick, release the port sheet, fast, (and get an answer like huuuu which one???)

We say let go the shiity red one now!!!!!!!!!!

[Sailormon6]

On my previous boat, I used a single knot on one continuous line for my jibsheet for many years, and, can't honestly say that it snagged during tacks any less frequently than tying two separate sheets with bowlines. On my present boat, I use separate sheets tied with bowlines.

I'm inclined to think that, if the wind is strong enough to blow the jib across, you're not likely to have a snag, no matter how you attach the jibsheets, but, if the wind isn't strong enough to blow the sail across, you're likely to have a snag, no matter how you attach the jibsheets. If you have to drag the jibsheets across the shrouds during a tack, something is likely to snag on something. When the wind is that light, I usually just ask someone to walk the sail across each time we tack. It's frustrating to try to get a snagged sheet across, and, while you're messing with it, the boat is losing whatever speed it has. So, I think it's better to just assume that it'll get snagged in light air, and assign someone to walk it across with each tack, as a normal part of boat handling.

[T34C]

One of the sailing magazines (I think it was Good Old Boat) had an article on attachig Genoa sheets a couple months ago. If I remember, they used one continuous line for the sheets along with a short piece of line as the attachment. It allowed use of single line w/o a knot to get hung-up or any bulk that might knock your teeth out, and allows the sheets to be easily removed. Sorry I can't be more specific. I just looked and cannot find my copy.

[Faster]

Another vote for bowlines here, soft and forgiving and easily switched from one sail to another.

If you want to keep a set of sheets on each sail, another way is to have a line long enough for both sides, find the centre, pass the mid-bight through the clew cringle and pass the two tails through the bight and snug it up tight. This creates less bulk than a pair of bowlines. Over time, though, this can get very tight and may need cutting off when you want to remove it if the loads have been really high.

But tying them on gives you more flexibility for sail changes and avoids bagging sails together with wet, heavy sheets.