Specifying New Genoa Sheets - Clew Attachment

[Deleted member 36384]

Hello,

I will be buying new genoa sheets and want to take the opportunity to improve the method for attaching to the sail. Currently use bowlines but the knot catches on the inner forestay. I am thinking that one long genoa sheet, cow hitched through the clew of the furling genoa will provide the smoothest transition. Alternatively, I could have each sheet supplied with a spliced eyelet and use a rope / soft shackle, but I have never used a soft shackle, so not sure how secure it is when flapping about, or just attach the sheet by feeding the end through the loop. The sheets will be 14mm. What do you think is the best method for the smoothest transition to avoid catching on the inner forestay?

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

 

[Concerto]

From experience I would never use a cow hitch. A long time ago we had a hanked on genoa with the sheets cow hitched on. After about 4 years the rope broke at the cow hitch. It had become so tight on the clew, it took a hammer and chisel to remove.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Ive been using a soft shackle for the last 2 years with no problems. No chance of it coming off when the sail is occasionally flogging. it took me 10 minutes to ease it open the last time I took it off.

 

[VicS]

Hello,

I will be buying new genoa sheets and want to take the opportunity to improve the method for attaching to the sail. Currently use bowlines but the knot catches on the inner forestay. I am thinking that one long genoa sheet, cow hitched through the clew of the furling genoa will provide the smoothest transition. Alternatively, I could have each sheet supplied with a spliced eyelet and use a rope / soft shackle, but I have never used a soft shackle, so not sure how secure it is when flapping about, or just attach the sheet by feeding the end through the loop. The sheets will be 14mm. What do you think is the best method for the smoothest transition to avoid catching on the inner forestay?

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

My genoa sheet has a soft eye stitched and whipped in the centre. the stitching and whipping also includes a short length of something lighter with a stopper knot in the end

The eye passes through the clew cringle and the short piece and stopper knot pass through the eye.. It has proved secure but is easily removed every time. I dont have an inner forestay though

 

[laika]

spliced eyelet / soft shackle seemed to be what sailmakers and ropemongers were advocating when I bought sheets for the new sails for my then-new removable inner forestay a couple of years ago. Seems to work fine although TBH I haven't used it enough to really test security. To your specific question I do sometimes have problems with the bowlines on my 16mm genoa sheets (which I still attach by bowline) catching on the baby stay during a tack so I know what you're talking about. Although I haven't done a like-for-like long term comparison, the "knobleyness" of a dynema soft shackle would be considerably less than that of a bowline in 14mm so my *guess* would be that it would be less "catchy".

 

[Stemar]

one long genoa sheet, cow hitched through the clew of the furling genoa

This is what I do. I first did it as an instant fix to be corrected the next day. The next day, of course never arrived and it has been faultless ever since. This is on a 24 ft boat. A 48 footer might have other results.

 

[MoodySabre]

An alternative is to keep two sheets attached by bowlines. The parallel the sheets and whip them together for several inches so there is a seamless run. They won't catch your babystay.

 

[PetiteFleur]

On my boat, I use a double length sheet with a bow line at the centre point and it works well BUT jam in 3 or 4 short lengths(2") of 3 strand rope in the knot. Easily undone at season end, just pull out/cut the short lengths and the bowline undies.

 

[LiftyK]

Cow hitches, on genoa and blade, have worked well on my 27 footer. No problem removing them at the end of the season, and no wear.

 

[Shuggy]

Soft shackle on a continuous sheet here. It’s been like that for 10 years and has never caught or moved. Easy to undo when required.

 

[alan_d]

Cow hitch in 14mm polyester on my 29 footer, taken off without difficulty at the end of the season.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Soft shackle on a continuous sheet here. It’s been like that for 10 years and has never caught or moved. Easy to undo when required.

I guess you make a loop in the continuous sheet, what knot do you use?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

An alternative is to keep two sheets attached by bowlines. The parallel the sheets and whip them together for several inches so there is a seamless run. They won't catch your babystay.

I can see that would work as the knots stay clear of the stay due to the sheet being tangent with the stay at the whipping. Also not much strain in the whipping as well. Thanks for this idea, simple and low cost and easy to experiment with on existing sheets.

 

[Shuggy]

I guess you make a loop in the continuous sheet, what knot do you use?

Scarily - no. I just looped the soft shackle through itself and the forces make it tight enough not to move. 43 footer, 165% overlap, massive forces. The friction of the shackle gripping itself have seen us good in up to 40 knots with (ahem) full sail when racing.

 

[Shuggy]

It seems more likely that the mast will come down before the soft shackle slides along the sheet!

 

[Shuggy]

It was blowing about 35 knots here:

 

[PaulRainbow]

Cow hitch in 14mm braid on braid, never an issue, never jammed. 35ft boat, 140% genoa.

 

[geem]

Surprised how many are using large diameter genoa sheets on relatively small boats. We use 12mm genoa sheets on a 700 sqft genoa on a 44ft boat. They have been on 8 years and done over 25,000 nm. I have always thought heavy sheets effect sail shape in light winds

 

[Stemar]

It's all a matter of comfort. On my little Snapdragon, the sheets are more than strong enough to pick the boat up, but the 3/4 mm that would give all the strength I really need would be painful to handle. I reckon the weight of the canvas is far more significant than that of the rope.

 

[Easticks28]

My genoa sheet has a soft eye stitched and whipped in the centre. the stitching and whipping also includes a short length of something lighter with a stopper knot in the end

The eye passes through the clew cringle and the short piece and stopper knot pass through the eye.. It has proved secure but is easily removed every time. I dont have an inner forestay though

View attachment 95531

+1 from me. Used on all the jibs at our training centre, we find no need for the stopper knot either.