What size jib sheets?

[Hardrightrudder]

Hello all,
I'm looking into getting new jib sheets. The sail area is 39.8 m2. I'm looking at the Endura Braid Dyneema Double Braid. I'm a cruiser who does the occasional club race. What size line (and/or type of line) would you suggest?

Thanks-

[SurlySailor]

I recently had this debate and I found that you often find that for Jib/ Genoa sheets that you size them by hand feel and to fit in your winch tailer v.s. working capacity when using modern high tech lines. I just bought 1/2 inch Sampson MLX3 for my 38 foot Racer Cruiser with a 155 Genoa. So far I like it and it is priced per foot at defender at a fraction of the other high tech lines. So far it’s spliced easily and has good hand feel.

[SVHarmonie]

Dyneema for jib sheets? On an Erikson 39? The only real reason for that is to reduce weight on board... All that excess weight in your wallet!

Seriously... standard sta-set double braid is good enough. And as the Surly one suggests, if the line is big enough to handle, it is big enough. For a 39 foot boat, 7/16" should be about right. If you really feel the need to impress the guys at the yacht club dock and still have some ballast in your wallet, you might bump up to New England Ropes VPC which is a vectran blend.

Some people would suggest that you could drop down to 3/8", but I'm not so sure it's better--except in very light air. The reason is you can pull longer, faster, harder on the larger line by hand, so you get the sail trimmed faster after a tack with less grinding. But that might depend on your racing style and crew abilities.