Cow Hitch or Two Bowlines for Jib Sheets ?

[DennisM]

I'm in the process of ordering new jib sheets. The old ones were tied to the clew of the Genny with two bowlines. It's the typical arrangement, I know, but the knots hang up fairly regularly on the standing rigging. During the performance cruising course I took in Key West over the winter, I learned about the use of a single sheet tied with a cow hitch in the center to a spinnaker.

Any reason I shouldn't use a single line tied with a cow hitch on my Genny?

Side question: Defender is recommending 3/8" XLS, as opposed to 7/16". Does that sound right for a coastal cruiser?

[Paul Elliott]

I've used the cow hitch (lark's head) on my genoa and it works well. It does make things easier when tacking the genoa around the staysail stay.

It can slip, however. After a trip from San Francisco to Hawaii and back the jibsheet was "asymmetrical" by a foot or two.

The sheets were getting chafed, so this year I end-for-ended them, cutting them in two at the cow hitch. I am using a buntline hitch for the clew attachments, this being smaller and less likely to snag than the bowline. The buntline hitch is very secure, but can be difficult to untie after is has been heavily loaded.

[DennisM]

Great tip, Paul! Thank you. I'll research the buntline hitch.

[Rick]

7/16" seems to be the minimum genoa sheet size for cruising that will be tolerable to your hands, especially when having to do a lot of tacking.

[DennisM]

Thanks, Rick! I was wondering. I do a LOT of tacking on the Hudson River. No choice. I go on cruises just to be able to set the sails a bit longer.

[tager]

Racking seizing at the clew. That is my vote. There is absolutely nothing to snag! You could even put in a nylon thimble to stop chafe!

[DennisM]

Hmmm.... what's racking seizing? I've never heard of it.

[tager]

I am sure there are splices that do the same thing, but this looks nice.

[djmarchand]

I have a boat that has a single jibsheet that is connected with a cow hitch. Every time I try to set the whisker pole, I curse it and tell myself to cut it and rig it with bowlines. But I forget.

Bowlines leave enough of a loop to catch with the jaw of a whisker pole or even the pin on a small daysailor type boat. The cow hitch is too tight and you cannot get a whisker pole to set easily.

So, if you sail with a whisker pole, use two bowlines.

David

[lancelot9898]

I replaced my jib sheets with a single line this past winter and debated about using a cow hitch or a clove hitch. Ended up using a constrictor knot and has worked well for the half a dozen times I've been out sailing this spring.

[Randoneur]

Do the cow hitch, then come up about a foot and do a half knot with the two lines. The spread above the half knot slides over the rigging, and the loop between the half knot and the cow hitch will take a wisker pole.