One Jib Sheet or Two?

[NevisDog]

Originally Posted by StuM

If you are concerned with a cow-hitch slipping, use a real soft shackle ... between the job clew and an alpine butterfly tied in the continuous sheet.

Also (for those of us who still swap jibs to match the wind force) a 'real' soft shackle makes sail changes easy, while the butterfly knot slips easy around the inner stay.

I couldn't figure why all of the sheet ropes on this boat were twice as long as necessary, until I realised I could use one single rope for port and stbd and lose those heavy twin bowlines forever.

[smith8273]

I replaced my jib sheets with a single line and a cow hitch, thinking having a single line that could possibly be used elsewhere would be an advantage; and also that a cow hitch would not hang up as much when tacking.

I’ve been disappointed. The cow hitch certainly doesn’t slip past the shrouds easier, and just might hang up worse...

I saw a tip in a magazine, Sail magazine I think, to tie the jib sheets to the sail with a bowline with a big loop, allows the knot to slide past better.

I wish I had tried that before I replaced the sheets...

[iyamwhatiyam]

Thank you all for the replies so far! Quite a matrix of designs. Looking forward to learning and testing.

Regards,

Popeye

[hzcruiser]

Some very good ideas here, I think I'll try the alpine butterfly loop for my sheets.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by iyamwhatiyam

Open for discussion please. (What would you do if this was your boat?)

A length of 5mm dyneema spliced into the sheets attached to the clew with a soft shackle.
Nothing to jam on the inner forestay tacking and very little weight on the clew. Works great so far.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by conachair

A length of 5mm dyneema spliced into the sheets. ..

Could you explain what you mean "spliced into the sheets"? Photos?

Other than an eye splice in the end of the sheet (what I did), I can't quite imagine this and would be very interested to know what you mean by this.

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Could you explain what you mean "spliced into the sheets"? Photos?

I imagine splicing a Dyneema soft shackle into a double braided sheet is doable but not trivial...

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Could you explain what you mean "spliced into the sheets"? Photos?

I imagine splicing a Dyneema soft shackle into a double braided sheet is doable but not trivial...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aohGiTNCMQE

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Could you explain what you mean "spliced into the sheets"? Photos?

Other than an eye splice in the end of the sheet (what I did), I can't quite imagine this and would be very interested to know what you mean by this.

Sort of like a modified brummel splice in the video below. I just seized the end of the over but burying it is probably a better idea. Then an eye slice to go into the soft shackle at the clew. Easy to do and works well so far.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by conachair

Sort of like a modified brummel splice in the video below. I just seized the end of the over but burying it is probably a better idea. Then an eye slice to go into the soft shackle at the clew. Easy to do and works well so far.

That's interesting! Could you post the video?

Do I understand that you spliced it core to core with interlocking eyes, a la Brummel? The sheet is dyneema core, I guess?

This is practically relevant to me because I have a dyneema sheet I have to repair after chafing. A bloody expensive piece of rope I don't want to throw away. Re-doing the normal eye splice will eat up a bunch of the length. If I could do something like this, I would have a much bigger margin with the length. Plus this looks really smooth for going over the shrouds. Maybe start a new thread on this? I bet I'm not the only one who would find it interesting.

[TheOffice]

I attach a short piece of dyneema to the clew and the cow hitch a soft shackle to the sheets. The dyneema slides easily and the sheets don’t catch. Easy to put eye splices in both ends of the dyneema

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

That's interesting! Could you post the video?

Do I understand that you spliced it core to core with interlocking eyes, a la Brummel? The sheet is dyneema core, I guess?

This is practically relevant to me because I have a dyneema sheet I have to repair after chafing. A bloody expensive piece of rope I don't want to throw away. Re-doing the normal eye splice will eat up a bunch of the length. If I could do something like this, I would have a much bigger margin with the length. Plus this looks really smooth for going over the shrouds. Maybe start a new thread on this? I bet I'm not the only one who would find it interesting.

The video was in post 23, just normal polyester rope. And yes, the core & dyneema locked like a brummel.

[ExCoelis]

Arrrgh How have I not seen this splice before?? Solves a number of problems (head injury,weight on clew primarily)AND allows me to feed my inner cheapskate by avoiding full length dyneema sheet ,just some leftover 5mm and a snowy evening. Always used cow hitch single sheets too but..
Thanks hzcruiser

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by conachair

The video was in post 23, just normal polyester rope. And yes, the core & dyneema locked like a brummel.

Saw the video now. Way cool splice.

[iyamwhatiyam]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Simple is best.............one piece line with cow hitch because I don't like any extra parts and/or pieces that can fail........(or that I would have to go buy someplace)

Yeah, we went with the cowhitch. No testing until the rigging replacement, (hard and soft), is complete.

Irma busted the starboard chainplate due to corrosion. Nothing fell, thanks to Irma for pointing it out to us while she was in her slip.