Attaching a one piece jib sheet

I've seen cow hitched sheets causing the clew cringle to start to break out of sails due to them crushing the material against the metal as they pull up tight around it.
 
webcraft said:
pre-fared? Is this another example of your unique approach to nautical terminology?

A cow hitch is ideal from the pov of low friction / snagginess when getting the genoa round the shrouds when tacking. The only problem is it can take a while to undo if you change headsails and want to use the same sheets. There is an obvious answer to this . . .

- W
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I do not hide the fact that my spelling on occasions is not the best.If it annoys you that much. You will never know in future if I am doing it for your benefit :D

Simondjuk said:
I've seen cow hitched sheets causing the clew cringle to start to break out of sails due to them crushing the material against the metal as they pull up tight around it.
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+1
Cow hitches do seem to damage the sail, I have also seen them slip at the most inopportune moment. They can be a pig to get out the day you want to use it elsewhere, would not be my choice.
 
Would anyone use a cow-hitch on something they cared about like a sail? As soon as it's under load it crushes the clew and once it's been wet it can often only be removed with the aid of a knife.

Since the idea is to preserve the integrity of the 70ft sheet why tie it in a manner that increases the likelihood of having to sever it?
 
Hamma said:
Would anyone use a cow-hitch on something they cared about like a sail? As soon as it's under load it crushes the clew and once it's been wet it can often only be removed with the aid of a knife.

Since the idea is to preserve the integrity of the 70ft sheet why tie it in a manner that increases the likelihood of having to sever it?
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a single sheet will only work on a small boat, let a sheet fly & it might get your leg too
 
Keep it simple, no knots:
JennyMorgan023.jpg

Hope that the above is self explanatory. Never let me down in over thirty years.
 
I have two eye splices in my sheets and attach them with the biggest bow shackle that I can get though the clew. Have to wear a head hat but I'm a builder so I'm used to that. Eye splices mean I can use the sheets for mooring lines too.:p:p
 
Shackle?

OK, but a shackle (especially a large one) on the clew can turn into a lethal weapon if the sail starts thrashing. A soft shackle made of a short length of Dyneema could be a safer option.
 
Hamma said:
Would anyone use a cow-hitch on something they cared about like a sail?
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I've not seen any problems to date, though I suspect to some extent it depends on the quality of the sail and how long you want to keep it for.
 
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Judders said:
I've not seen any problems to date, though I suspect to some extent it depends on the quality of the sail and how long you want to keep it for.
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No problem with our 130% furling genoa, same piece of line on for the last 10,000 miles and no worries, no sign of damage to sheet or clew. It;s been removed twice and was a bit of a battle each time. Sail is Jeckylls triple-stitched ocean spec.

On the other hand, the boat is only a 27 footer, the forces on larger boars will obviously be greater and I am prepared to accept that damage to the clew might be possible. I would like to see some photographic evidence though, as I reckon a lot of folk on here just make stuff up because they enjoy being contrary and want argue about everything.

- W
 
webcraft said:
I would like to see some photographic evidence though, as I reckon a lot of folk on here just make stuff up because they enjoy being contrary and want argue about everything.

- W
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This came up in YM a few months ago. Tom C doesn't like a cow hitch for the two reaons already given. There was a photo also of damage to the sail.
 
Hamma said:
Would anyone use a cow-hitch on something they cared about like a sail? As soon as it's under load it crushes the clew and once it's been wet it can often only be removed with the aid of a knife.
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Not in my experience. I have two headsails with the sheets cow-hitched to them.

Yes, the old sails had some minor chafe around the outside of the clew. The new ones have leather sewn over that part, so should be fine. Didn't even ask for that, the sailmaker did it as a matter of course.

Never had any difficulty removing them, don't even need a spike, let alone a knife. The loop of the cow hitch just rolls around the clew like breaking the back of a bowline.

Pete
 
LadyInBed said:
I bought a new length of line last year for new jib sheets but I have a reluctance to cut it in half (you never know when you might need a 70ft line). :o

The only thing that I have been unhappy with is a suitable knot to tie it on, but recently, browsing through a knot book I took a second look at an Alpine Butterfly Knot.
The thing that struck me was the way the ends come away from the loop at Rt angles, which would make it easy to pull round the stays.

The only hassle is that it will have to be constructed from the 'end' through the crinkle rather than from the centre.

images
. . . What does the team think?
.
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...big knot to be thrashing around in a blow.....

...why not just fold the rope in half, feed the middle through the jib sheet eyelet, push the loose ends through the loop, tighten... seemples..... :D

Edit: I never knew that what I was doing was called a cow hitch... you live and learn.....
 
Pye_End said:
This came up in YM a few months ago. Tom C doesn't like a cow hitch for the two reaons already given. There was a photo also of damage to the sail.
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Tom C sails a big heavy boat. I am only giving my own experience with a relatively light 27 footer that has been sailed many thousands of miles.

- W
 
Simondjuk said:
I've seen cow hitched sheets causing the clew cringle to start to break out of sails due to them crushing the material against the metal as they pull up tight around it.
Click to expand...

Hamma said:
Would anyone use a cow-hitch on something they cared about like a sail? As soon as it's under load it crushes the clew and once it's been wet it can often only be removed with the aid of a knife...
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Ditto. A cow hitch damages the clew.

Like the idea of the alpine butterfly but as said a pig to tie in a cringle. Here's a thought, what about two stopper knots (fishermans knot style) on each side? Not too much bulk, direct pull through the cringle and not difficult to untie? Just a thought.
 
webcraft said:
Tom C sails a big heavy boat. I am only giving my own experience with a relatively light 27 footer that has been sailed many thousands of miles.

- W
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Ditto for mine on a 19 footer.... no issues at all with damage, or in getting it undone at end of season...

If it's so much of a problem I'd suggest either

  • separate sheets with a bowline for each...
  • or whip a plastic/metal eye into the middle and attach with a shackle...soft type??
 
ctva,

A stopper knot would be unfair to the cringle in a different way to the cow hitch. The load needs to fall along the sail so that the strain is taken by the crew reinforcement and tapes. A stopper knot would place the load laterally into the cringle, thus trying to twist it out of the sail.
 
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