"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message

If I get enough confidence in the new autopilot I might try it this
year.


I use the autopilot for all of my sail handling and switch to the Aries
windvane once things settle down.. I'm very conservative about the sail I
fly while single handing and always have this nagging vision of me in the
water in my boats wake as it sails under vane or pilot without regard for
her missing skipper.

I wear a SOS w/harness but seldom clip in while in the cockpit. The tether
gets in the way around a tiller while managing sheets for both Genoa and
Staysail and Main.

I'm still trying to workout the routing of my jack lines since I have so
much going on on the cabin top. They may have to run down the side deck to
avoid tangles with the cabin top clutter.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve wrote:
... I will probably continue my
practice on my sheets and halyards (I'm too old to climb the mast
or chase a wild genoa sheet ...

You didn't mention halyards earlier. I suspect that if these are _not_
stoppered they will eventually go aloft on just about any yacht.

... I have 2 different genoas and a
working jib and use a roller furlering (as just a furler, seldom
use it for roller reefing). However I use the same sheet on with
sheet Bowline in each ...

I mentioned this earlier, but anyway ... a long while back someone convinced
me to set up dedicated sheets for each headsail. The sheets consist of a
single length of rope (double the anticipated sheet length) with its middle
point passed through the clew cringle in a bight, and with the remainder of
the cordage looped through the bight. This is a lot harder to describe than
to actually do. This rig doesn't hang on the shrouds, and it doesn't kill
you if you get smacked in the head, but it's more expensive, heavier,
requires stowing the sheets also when changing up or down, etc. Anyway ...

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

Steve wrote:
... I will probably continue my
practice on my sheets and halyards (I'm too old to climb the mast
or chase a wild genoa sheet ...

You didn't mention halyards earlier. I suspect that if these are _not_
stoppered they will eventually go aloft on just about any yacht.

... I have 2 different genoas and a
working jib and use a roller furlering (as just a furler, seldom
use it for roller reefing). However I use the same sheet on with
sheet Bowline in each ...

I mentioned this earlier, but anyway ... a long while back someone convinced
me to set up dedicated sheets for each headsail. The sheets consist of a
single length of rope (double the anticipated sheet length) with its middle
point passed through the clew cringle in a bight, and with the remainder of
the cordage looped through the bight. This is a lot harder to describe than
to actually do. This rig doesn't hang on the shrouds, and it doesn't kill
you if you get smacked in the head, but it's more expensive, heavier,
requires stowing the sheets also when changing up or down, etc. Anyway ...

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

On Mon, 5 Apr 2004 07:28:24 -0700, "Steve" wrote:
since I have never sailed (in 40+ yr) with a spinniker and at 67,
single handing I doubt I ever will

========================================

THAT is tragic, on the same order of tragedy as being married 40
years without consummating the relationship. There is nothing else
you can do to a sailboat that will do more to improve downwind
performance and bring the whole boat alive, absolutely nothing.
In under 20 knots of wind a spinnaker is the difference between
sailing, and floundering around.

On Mon, 5 Apr 2004 07:28:24 -0700, "Steve" wrote:
since I have never sailed (in 40+ yr) with a spinniker and at 67,
single handing I doubt I ever will

========================================

THAT is tragic, on the same order of tragedy as being married 40
years without consummating the relationship. There is nothing else
you can do to a sailboat that will do more to improve downwind
performance and bring the whole boat alive, absolutely nothing.
In under 20 knots of wind a spinnaker is the difference between
sailing, and floundering around.

x-no-archive:yes

"Nigel" wrote:

How about it, can anyone persuade me not to put a Stopper Knot in my
sheets??

(You see, I'm getting old and grouchy to.)


A stopper knot could prevent you from dumping the sheet in an emergency,
probably more important with spinnakers and large genoas than jibs.

When our boat was brought around from Nassau to Coral Harbour
(Bahamas) after Bob had his heart attack, the skipper who brought it
around put knots in the end of the jib sheets and all the other lines
too. They are still there, or at least there are some there now.


grandma Rosalie

x-no-archive:yes

"Nigel" wrote:

How about it, can anyone persuade me not to put a Stopper Knot in my
sheets??

(You see, I'm getting old and grouchy to.)


A stopper knot could prevent you from dumping the sheet in an emergency,
probably more important with spinnakers and large genoas than jibs.

When our boat was brought around from Nassau to Coral Harbour
(Bahamas) after Bob had his heart attack, the skipper who brought it
around put knots in the end of the jib sheets and all the other lines
too. They are still there, or at least there are some there now.


grandma Rosalie

On Mon, 5 Apr 2004 07:28:24 -0700, "Steve" wrote:


However I use the same sheet on with sheet Bowline in each.

Same here. I reverse the knot depending on which side the sheet will
run, but then I flemish my docklines and halyards, so I guess I'm a
neat freak.

It's just as quick to tie two knots as
it is to 'screw' around with a shackle and pin. I avoid any 'hardware' on
the jib/genoa clew.

Well, I *do* use Gibb shackles on the spinnaker sheets and guy, mainly
because the previous owner did, and those lines are still good. G

If the clew grommet corrodes, as many do, I replace it
with nylon webbing.

I like to fly my smaller jibs (I have hank-on and a large J) on a
pendant to catch a bit more air. I use an oversized line (5/8" or so)
and use bowlines with secured ends to lift the tack about four feet
above the deck. Using a number 3, this improves forward visibility,
catches a bit more air and allows more choices in genoa car angles. If
I fly the genoa staysail, I fly the no. 3 even higher, like six to
eight feet depending on wind and my anticipation of tacking.

I also use jib downhauls, which is getting pretty rare in these days
of furling, but I've found them handy when singlehanding and seeing
perhaps dodgy gusty weather of the type that precede summer storms
here on the Great Lakes.

The idea of adding a reef point to a genoa is becoming rare, too, but
if you like hank-on, it's a good idea to consider.

R.

On Mon, 5 Apr 2004 07:28:24 -0700, "Steve" wrote:


However I use the same sheet on with sheet Bowline in each.

Same here. I reverse the knot depending on which side the sheet will
run, but then I flemish my docklines and halyards, so I guess I'm a
neat freak.

It's just as quick to tie two knots as
it is to 'screw' around with a shackle and pin. I avoid any 'hardware' on
the jib/genoa clew.

Well, I *do* use Gibb shackles on the spinnaker sheets and guy, mainly
because the previous owner did, and those lines are still good. G

If the clew grommet corrodes, as many do, I replace it
with nylon webbing.

I like to fly my smaller jibs (I have hank-on and a large J) on a
pendant to catch a bit more air. I use an oversized line (5/8" or so)
and use bowlines with secured ends to lift the tack about four feet
above the deck. Using a number 3, this improves forward visibility,
catches a bit more air and allows more choices in genoa car angles. If
I fly the genoa staysail, I fly the no. 3 even higher, like six to
eight feet depending on wind and my anticipation of tacking.

I also use jib downhauls, which is getting pretty rare in these days
of furling, but I've found them handy when singlehanding and seeing
perhaps dodgy gusty weather of the type that precede summer storms
here on the Great Lakes.

The idea of adding a reef point to a genoa is becoming rare, too, but
if you like hank-on, it's a good idea to consider.

R.

On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 13:00:18 -0400, Rodney Myrvaagnes
wrote:


If I get enough confidence in the new autopilot I might try it this
year.

Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a

Good on you, Rodney. With a J-boat, how could you resist?

I wish they made a cruiser...G

R.