I don't know guys? I have been sailing with this jib arrangement over 30 years in all
kinds of weather, and never had a problem. Maybe I am lucky or I pay attention to not allowing the
sheets to flail about more than necessary?

Sherwin D.

Terry Spragg wrote:

Red Cloud® wrote:

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 00:33:55 -0500, sherwindu wrote:


Hi Gordon,
I think the best knot for attaching sheets is no knot, at all. I have an 'eye' woven
into the middle of my sheets, to which a snap shackle is attached. For quick and clean
attachment/removal, I don't think any knot can beat that.



I once saw a setup like that on a smaller keelboat owned by somone who was very
new to sailing. He ended up having a somewhat bad day when coming about in 15+
knot winds. The snap shackle on his 130% genoa snapped itself around a shroud as
it dragged across. You can imagine the rest.

rusty redcloud

A carabiner or other snap in shackles are bad news for jib sheets,
as thet will grab anything they hit right: shrouds, forestays, other
lines, whatever.

A proper snap shackle has a hinged, curved end which snaps
reluctantly over a locking pin. It is opened by retracting the pin.
The keeper on the end of the spring loaded pin can catch a shroud
and open the shackle.

A granny or bowline is the best sheet knot, neither get caught on
shrouds much. Tie appropriate sheets to every jib and re-reeve them
through the fairleads most appropriate for that sail. Most jib
changes will involve a better suited lead, inside the shrouds or
outside, etc.

Seizing a simple half loop through the cringle is best, and can be
removed by cutting the seizing sewn through the lines. It does not
hang up on anything, if you are artful with the seizing.

If you must use a shackle, use a regular twist pin chain style
shackle with a flat headed, knurled pin or a halyard spring lock
captive pin shackle with a modest twist lock knob.

Seems to me I saw an experimental setup once that used a u shaped
plastic thing snapped loosely through the clew. It had a groove
around it's neck's half-ends, which snapped inside the sheet clip.
A retracting collar on the clip loosened a ball bearing lock, like
on a ball lock pin. The sheet snap was siezed onto the doubled
sheet. Very sleek looking. Still, the y where the two sheets
diverge can get hung on a shroud. Costly. Not cost effective, even
in plastic, IMHO. A hinged metal thing would be stronger than ten
years in the sun plastic. Costlier?

Tacking a lot is a bitch, if you don't have a self tending jib sail
of appropriate size, sheeted close inboard and capable of driving
the boat near hull speed (ahem!) upwind in a moderate breeze when
flying in formation with the right main. Reef early. With a self
tacker, you just steer to tack. Most big fore sails are way too big,
bagged out, sheeted outside, cannot go to windward well unless the
wind is exactly the right strength. The rail should never go under
much, except in gusts. At high hull speeds, the apparrent wind is
too strong, bagging out all but the very best rigs and brand new
giant jibs, which act like a brake and a weight, heeling you.

To windward you need some torque for accelleration but as speed
increases, you need flat sails closely sheeted. You will always have
too much wind if you have too much sail. Fall off a bit if you
lost speed in the turn, regain speed, and harden up.

Terry K