Cool, soft way of attaching jib sheets

[heinzir]

Originally Posted by BarryL

Hey,

Why not just use a cow hitch / larks head?

Barry

A cow hitch is fine if the sheet does not need to be removed/attached quickly and easily. You may want to use the same sheets for several different sails, in which case a soft attachment that is easy to connect/disconnect is ideal. Another scenario would be if a hank on jib is equipped with reef points; you can move the sheet up to the new clew. And thirdly, you can remove the sail (for trailering, for example) and save setup time by leaving the sheets rigged through their blocks and cleats/stoppers.

My boat fits all three of the above situations. As the saying goes, "different ships, different long splices."

[SloopJonB]

I've found that once a Cow Hitch is more than about 20 minutes old (figuratively speaking) it takes a marlinspike to get it loose.

If one doesn't want shackles, use bowlines so they can be easily undone later.

[JoeDiver]

Originally Posted by rhr1956

That's the way I do mine. Each of my headsails have their own sheet.

X2 (or X3?)

[Alex W]

I use a cow hitch when I have a single sheet, but I do think that it's hard on the clew of the sail. This system allows for an open loop through the sail so it isn't putting any wear on the corner.

I'm interested to see the instructions on tying the knot. "Bubble" isn't on animated knots or in my knot books.

[downeast450]

I have taken my "lead" from the IODs I crew on occasionally and use 2 sheets and bowlines. A little bulky I guess but it is good enough for the world champions racing those lithe little boats. It makes for an easy and quick change when changing head sails. "Soft"? What would hard be? Not a metal connection I hope? Jeeze!

Down

[Sabreman]

The cow's hitch may be ok for a dinghy but on a larger vessel, if the sheet separates, you lose the whole sail with no way to bring it under control.

I will continue to use two bowlines but be careful. In a breeze, the bowlines are dangerous. In 25kts, I was knocked to the deck after being hit in the temple while adjusting a genoa car. Last year in similar wind, my wife received a 12" bruise on her thigh after being hit during a tack (she was real proud of her trophy). The lesson is to stay away during a tack.

[smurphny]

Bowline. Simple, does not bind, easy to tie.

[peterchech]

The cow hitch works ok with roller furling genoas which are rarely if ever changed out, and can't realistically be tied and untied every time the boat is used so they are left out exposed to the elements all season.

Bowlines work, but take more time to tie and unti, and on my boat in particular when using the working jib the knots themselves can get caught on the shrouds when trimming for upwind. Plus bowlines hurt when they whack you, and there's two of them hanging off that clew.

My original plan had been to cut my jib sheet into two, and eye splice one end of each sheet, and use an amsteel soft shackle to attach the sheets. But this knot took me 5 minutes to tie, and accomplishes the same thing. I just thought it was cool.

[MastUndSchotbruch]

Originally Posted by downeast450

I have taken my "lead" from the IODs I crew on occasionally and use 2 sheets and bowlines. A little bulky I guess but it is good enough for the world champions racing those lithe little boats. It makes for an easy and quick change when changing head sails. "Soft"? What would hard be? Not a metal connection I hope? Jeeze!

Down

The major problem I found with bowlines is that they hang up on the shrouds during tacks. A Dutch Shackle (google it; it is similar to the OP) is what I use. It has the secondary advantage that it is faster to attach than a bowline, although we are talking seconds here.

However, I used to brag that it never came loose in over 10 years, and then it happened twice last year. May have to fiddle with it a bit.

[MastUndSchotbruch]

Originally Posted by Alex W

I use a cow hitch when I have a single sheet, but I do think that it's hard on the clew of the sail. This system allows for an open loop through the sail so it isn't putting any wear on the corner.

I'm interested to see the instructions on tying the knot. "Bubble" isn't on animated knots or in my knot books.

It here: http://www.vycsd.com/bubble_knot.pdf