[paul323]

Just finished making a sail from Sailrite - interesting experience, seems to be working well. But one issue - the steel D-ring used on the clew has a small diameter. Strong enough, but tough on the sheets. I use 1/2 sheets - they fit well in the winch 'tailer, and are easy on the hands - but the tight turn around the D-ring causes the core to burst out (it's a heavy-wind blade, so there is a lot of tension on the sheets upwind).

I tried a smaller diameter sheet, but that slips on the winches.

Any suggestions? My working jib and genny both have large eyelets, offering a bigger radius for the turn; never been a problem. So it's just the new blade.

 

[weinie]

Attach 1 bowline to the other bowline maybe?

 

[svHyLyte]

Make up, or if you can't splice, have a local rigger/sail maker make up, a loop of spectra, pass that through the clew cringle in the manner of a cow hitch and secure your sheets to the loop.

FWIW...

 

[DonScribner]

Paul,

How are you currently attaching the sheet? I use a lark's head and to make things easy, I have some whipping twine at the very midpoint of my sheet. (I re-rig every sail) So, in kind, could you pull the cover of of about 6" of StaSet or Spectra of the SAME diameter as your sheet and milk it all the way to the middle? Pull it tight and stitch into place with twine or UV protected thread. Or, take 1/32" line and wrap the grommet thereby increasing the working diameter? Either way it's 15-30 minutes of work.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

As a cheap way... can you put in an old shackle.......

OK lets can that idea right here and now... just thought about a flogging genoa with a shackle dancing round the foredeck. LOL

Go with svHyLyte's advice.

 

[Osprey 26]

From time to time we do have to go back to basics of sailing. It is easier to make adjustments going in to the wind. In stronger winds does require to be little bit quicker. Motoring of one kind or the other also helps to point in to the wind and get out of irons after.
Oh well some of us are spoiled by using this technology to get out of marina and start sailing.
Sorry learning.

 

[weinie]

As a cheap way... can you put in an old shackle.......

OK lets can that idea right here and now... just thought about a flogging genoa with a shackle dancing round the foredeck. LOL

Go with svHyLyte's advice.

dyneema soft shackle?

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

dyneema soft shackle?

Wot? Like this??

 

[johnnyandjebus]

What weinie said, soft shackle. I replaced my hard shackle with a soft one last year and haven't looked back. Easy enough to make and plenty of examples on the net. Best thing being you have nothing to lose in trying as you don't have to alter your existing setup.

John

 

[tomandchris]

From time to time we do have to go back to basics of sailing. It is easier to make adjustments going in to the wind. In stronger winds does require to be little bit quicker. Motoring of one kind or the other also helps to point in to the wind and get out of irons after.
Oh well some of us are spoiled by using this technology to get out of marina and start sailing.
Sorry learning.

???????????? Translation please!

 

[paul323]

Osprey26 has me confused too....

Yeah, soft shackle or spectra loop with cowhitch. Duh, should have thought of that. Gives me an excuse to play with Dyeema - wonderful stuff. Thanks guys.

 

[Capt Len]

I think he means 'leave the engine running, engage to tack.'

 

[capta]

We use about 3' of small dyneema to lash the spliced eyes in the sheets to the clew. Nothing fancy, just lashing and a few knots. Haven't had any failures in over 3 years (or had any wear on the dyneema), beating into 35 knots of wind or so occasionally, and 25 pretty regularly, on a boat weighing around 70k pounds.

 

[Seaduction]

Just finished making a sail from Sailrite - interesting experience, seems to be working well. But one issue - the steel D-ring used on the clew has a small diameter. Strong enough, but tough on the sheets. I use 1/2 sheets - they fit well in the winch 'tailer, and are easy on the hands - but the tight turn around the D-ring causes the core to burst out (it's a heavy-wind blade, so there is a lot of tension on the sheets upwind).

I tried a smaller diameter sheet, but that slips on the winches.

Any suggestions? My working jib and genny both have large eyelets, offering a bigger radius for the turn; never been a problem. So it's just the new blade.

Congratulations on making your own sail; quite an achievement in itself. Since you are familiar with using the sewing machine, why not just sew in a larger ring?

 

[paul323]

Congratulations on making your own sail; quite an achievement in itself. Since you are familiar with using the sewing machine, why not just sew in a larger ring?

Good question...lazy I guess. First I would have to cut the leather chafe cover. Underneath, the ring is held in place with 3 sets of webbing, about 1' each... (as I recall), and reinforced in place with waxed twine...that would all have to go.

I would also have to remove the sacrificial cover, and likely some of the trim tape on the foot and leach.

Then fit the new ring and reverse the process...

So it could be done but the layup on the three corners is enormous, especially at the clew; as I recall it is something like 7 layers of 7.5" dacron, plus the tape and sunbrella...even my trusty old Sailrite couldn't handle the whole thing, so it would need to be hand stitched.

So all in all, 3-4 hours work.

Or I can make a spliced Dyeema loop in about 15 minutes,

Hmmm...let's think about this....

 

[tomandchris]

I think he means 'leave the engine running, engage to tack.'

\
But how does that pertain to the discussion. Good thing that the OP has already got his answer!

 

[Seaduction]

Good question...lazy I guess. First I would have to cut the leather chafe cover. Underneath, the ring is held in place with 3 sets of webbing, about 1' each... (as I recall), and reinforced in place with waxed twine...that would all have to go.

I would also have to remove the sacrificial cover, and likely some of the trim tape on the foot and leach.

Then fit the new ring and reverse the process...

So it could be done but the layup on the three corners is enormous, especially at the clew; as I recall it is something like 7 layers of 7.5" dacron, plus the tape and sunbrella...even my trusty old Sailrite couldn't handle the whole thing, so it would need to be hand stitched.

So all in all, 3-4 hours work.

Or I can make a spliced Dyeema loop in about 15 minutes,

Hmmm...let's think about this....

Why not make a Dyneema loop. Sounds like a lot less trouble.

 

[kgs113]

I'm a real big fan of the soft shackle too. Bowline on the ends of your jibsheet and run continuous. Never have to worry about losing a sheet. Sail changes are easy if you have the need.

Wot? Like this??