Attaching genoa sheet - soft eye and penant?

[rajjes]

Could someone describe how to attach the genoa sheet using the ‘soft eye and penant’ method?

I understand that you need a continuous sheet with an eye whipped in the middle, however I cannot figure out how to lock it in the clew? Tried some searches and found some relevant threads but couldn’t find the detail I’m after.

Thanks,

 

[KenMcCulloch]

You splice a short length of rope, just enough to give a 'tail' of perhaps 20-25 cm, into the clew of your (each) headsail. That's the pennant. To attach the continuous sheet you tie a sheet bend !! with the pennant into the loop in the middle of the sheet. I've used the system but I'm not persuaded that it offers any big advantage over separate sheets and bowlines although it's possible that it might be less liable to snag on the shorouds.

 

[Gin]

Haven't tried these but have a look at

http://www.compass24.com/watersports/abnetshop.pl
they come in different sizes ref:- 131 851,131 852,131 853

Otherwise an expensive but elegant option is a Ronstan 'T' ring which has to be sewn into the clew of your sail as a replacement for the standard clew eye.

I use a thin length of Dyneema pierced lengthwise through the core of the continuous sheet for about 3-4 inches and whipped to secure it and this is used to lash the sheet to the standard clew. It works but needs to be checked daily to see that it hasn't begun to loosen

 

[gandy]

We attached ours on the Wayfarer like this ....

 

[rajjes]

I wouldn't like to use bowlines as I've got hanked sails and would like a simpler way of switching sails.

I've seen a mention of a 'rope toggle' to attach the pennant to the sheet rather than a sheet bend. What is this?

 

[rajjes]

Great, I think that's the 'rope toggle' I was after!

I assume the red mark is a stopper, figure of 8 or similar?

 

[jwilson]

There isn't much simpler or faster than bowlines, and it means the least hardware attached to the sale to injure you if it hits you while flogging. You should be able to tie a bowline in about a second and a half max if you tie it the sailor's twist-wrist way and not the boy scouts rabbit-tree way.

The only reason to do anything else is if you have regular problems with snagging as you tack, maybe on an inner forestay. In which case various setups involving seizings and loops do have some merit. Avoid however anything that adds solid stuff to the clew area, sooner or later it will injure you on a boat of any size. Even on a dinghy a shackle on a clew can hurt.

 

[Ecosse120]

Bowlines can come undone, I know !! I can put both sheets through, one from each side and just put a figure of eight in the end of each one

 

[ex-Gladys]

..and the most unreliable knot in man made fibre won't come undone? (Fig 8 that is)

 

[Vara]

On what do base that assertion? Not being arsey but in 45 years of using them I've never had one come undone.

Mind you I wouldn't use one as described for sheets, Bowlines work for me.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Great, I think that's the 'rope toggle' I was after! I assume the red mark is a stopper, figure of 8 or similar?

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats what I have always had on small boat. Figure of 8 knot not a hard toggle or bead then there is nothing hard to whack you in the face.
I would not want the eyelet in the sail to any bigger than was necessary to get the loop of sheet through though.