Dealing with jib sheet when reefing main

[svstrider]

My mainsail halyard is led through a jammer to the starboard winch on my 47 ft cat. If the wind pipes up on a port tack and we are reaching with the wind forward of the beam, we have to first furl the jib before the main halyard can be put on the winch. Is there any way of securing the jib sheet that frees up this winch without furling the jib? I installed an open line jammer next to the winch for this purpose but it is very hard to get the jib sheet off the winch and into this jammer when the wind is over 20 kts and it often jumps out when we are busy reefing the main.

We can't turn downwind to blanket the jib because of the risk of capsize if it is really blowing. Does anyone ever lead their jib sheet through a jammer on their cabin top?

[forsailbyowner]

My first thought is a nice set of rope clutches for your jibsheets.

[tamicatana]

Rope clutch or horn cleat

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by svstrider

My mainsail halyard is led through a jammer to the starboard winch on my 47 ft cat...
... Does anyone ever lead their jib sheet through a jammer on their cabin top?

Main Halyard through jammer to halyard winch on cabin top.

[daddle]

Try this simple thing. Take a piece of hi-tech line somewhat smaller than the jib sheet, maybe 8mm (3/8") and about 3m (9 feet) long. tie it in a big loop with a doubled figure eight knot (or whatever).

Keep it in the cockpit pocket near the port winch.

When you need the winch simply Prussic tie the knotted end of this loop around the standing part of the sheet a few feet ahead of the winch. Drop the free end of the loop over the winch base, a nearby cleat, a nearby jammer, something stout. Slide the Prussic towards the jib to tighten up. Ease the sheet off the winch.

Taa Daa! Great for winch overrides too.

When done put the sheet back on the winch, wind the load onto the winch, untie and stow the loop.

The Prussic is quickly tied perfectly by passing the knotted end of the loop under the sheet from your right hand to your left. Then with your right hand pass the other end of the loop over the sheet and then inside the knotted end (between your left hand and the sheet) twice. Let go of the knot, pull on the other end, tidy up the knot.

[barnakiel]

Main halyard thru a block to another winch?

b.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by daddle

Try this simple thing. Take a piece of hi-tech line somewhat smaller than the jib sheet, maybe 8mm (3/8") and about 3m (9 feet) long. tie it in a big loop with a doubled figure eight knot (or whatever).

Keep it in the cockpit pocket near the port winch.

When you need the winch simply Prussic tie the knotted end of this loop around the standing part of the sheet a few feet ahead of the winch. Drop the free end of the loop over the winch base, a nearby cleat, a nearby jammer, something stout. Slide the Prussic towards the jib to tighten up. Ease the sheet off the winch.

Taa Daa! Great for winch overrides too.

When done put the sheet back on the winch, wind the load onto the winch, untie and stow the loop.

The Prussic is quickly tied perfectly by passing the knotted end of the loop under the sheet from your right hand to your left. Then with your right hand pass the other end of the loop over the sheet and then inside the knotted end (between your left hand and the sheet) twice. Let go of the knot, pull on the other end, tidy up the knot.

QFT - an excellent and simple process and one that is worth practicing - it can get you out of so many little issues.

[Tim R.]

Long term, I would plan on installing a separate winch for your main halyard.

[Jim Cate]

Don't know how big your genoa is, but most clutches won't take the load of a big genny sheet. The loop+prussick knot is a good alternative, but a separate winch is the best (and most expensive) way out.

Cheers,

Jim

[Stumble]

I am assuming this is on the 47' cat. In which case you really need to look at your deck layout. There should be a dedicated halyard winch for a boat this size. If not it is probably e best way to go.

Other options would include a large foot block, but I don't know of one in the size range you would need with a lock on it. I didn't run the load calculations, but I would guess you would need a 100mm for a boat this size, and locking foot blocks just aren't readily available (I don't think) this large. Assuming harken makes one I couldn't find, I would guess you are looking at $3-400 (the non locking 100mm ones are about $250) each, since you would need one per side, you would be looking at $6-800 to make the switch, or pretty much that of a new winch.

Frankly on a boat this size to not have a dedicated halyard winch seems a little strange to me. My first thought is that someone either removed deck hardware, or had it set up really strangly from the factory.

Can you post pictures of the deck layout?

[barnakiel]

Some time ago I have converted a 54' cat for single-handling. One of the jobs was to move coaming winches to the cabin-top (because closer to the helm). I added some leads, some blocks and some clutches. Then everything was done from the helm.

Except that cat had no big genoa, just a fractional selftacker and a screecher. The jib was perhaps 40 sq m (440 sq ft) or less, the clutch worked fine.

b.

[jmurphy]

Do you have a diagram of the loop & Prussic knot layout?
Thanks,
James

[daddle]

Originally Posted by jmurphy

Do you have a diagram of the loop & Prussic knot layout?
Thanks,
James

To make the loop I would join the two ends with this:

The finished setup on the sheet looks like this except I do it with the loop knot where the Prussic part goes on top of the windings. Doesn't really matter but the figure eight can get in the way if it ends up elsewhere.

[MarkSF]

Halyard winch doesn't have to be a fancy self tailing one. Try looking on Ebay for used ones.

Added one recently for the reefing lines, purchased from Ebay (Barient 16) for $100.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

My first thought is a nice set of rope clutches for your jibsheets.

I would not consider this safe. Especially on a cat. You wouldn't be able to release the clutch in a gust without reloading the sheet on the winch first.

On a 47 foot boat, the halyard deserves a dedicated winch. There's just no way to get around that fact. Dedicate the primaries to the sheets, and install a winch for the halyard.

I wouldn't ask a prusik knot to do the work of a winch either. That's pennywise and pound foolish. If it takes more than a couple seconds to dump either the sheets or the halyard, the boat is at risk.