Twin Cars on the tracks ?

[Paddy_N_Murphy]

A quick Question for someone else who is awaiting moderator approval before he can post on this forum :

"GF and I spent the weekend cleaning our new purchase (Mirage 28 yacht), and ......The boat has two jib sheet cars per side. I've never seen this before, and I'm wondering if it's simply to allow for double jib sheets, or if one set is for the spinnaker, and one for jib (though as you'd never have both up at the same time, that doesn't really make sense). It's roller reefing jib setup.

I've seen boats with a second set of tracks (usually on the roof), but this has one set of tracks per side, but two 'cars' on each track."

any thoughts or comments all ?
I will relay back to him or point him this way......

 

[RobbieH]

A quick Question for someone else who is awaiting moderator approval before he can post on this forum :

"GF and I spent the weekend cleaning our new purchase (Mirage 28 yacht), and ......The boat has two jib sheet cars per side. I've never seen this before, and I'm wondering if it's simply to allow for double jib sheets, or if one set is for the spinnaker, and one for jib (though as you'd never have both up at the same time, that doesn't really make sense). It's roller reefing jib setup.

I've seen boats with a second set of tracks (usually on the roof), but this has one set of tracks per side, but two 'cars' on each track."

any thoughts or comments all ?
I will relay back to him or point him this way......

Could be for double sheets or could be for twings. See my reply to the question on genoa sheeting here

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329741

 

[bbg]

Quite possibly to ensure a good lead to the winch.

Sheet goes through both cars: forward car sets the angle of the sheet to the jib, aft car sets the angle of the sheet to the winch. The angle of the sheet to the winch is important to prevent over-rides.

A photo would be helpful.

 

[Paddy_N_Murphy]

Cheers- he is reading this thread, and as I say, was hoping to ask direct, but can't as waiting (72hrs now) for a Mod to 'approve' him as a user.

Will see if some pics can materialise.

 

[TTwiggy]

Hi - many thanks for the replies to this thread.

I am the boat's new owner (Mirage of Thames). I can see the logic of the last reply (to ensure a good angle to the winch). I will try to post piccies once I get them off my phone. If it helps at all, the boat is equipped with main and secondary winches each side.

 

[lancerno1]

twin cars on tracks

Hi
I have two cars per side so that I can set the normal furling genoa as well as a staysail that fits on a removable inner forestay.
This enables me to pretend that I have a cutter and get totally mixed up when tacking especially trying to get the genoa through the gap between the forestays.
I can of course set the staysail /storm jib alone and so do not need to remove the furled genoa sheets

 

[Blueboatman]

Re Lancerno+1
I have three per side, ie one for the genoa, one for the staysail( which sheets at the forward end of the track, thence to a third smallest block way aft, to give the best angle onto the primaries.
Spare capacity is useful for changing sheets whilst under way ( unlikely of course but....), and, here's an old trick, by running a extra long lighter sheet from a bowline around one of the blocks, up to the clew and back to another block, you get more power, finer adjustment and less load on the winch- for cruising, some crew members might just appreciate that especially if the winches are marginally undersized for the sail.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Also used on boats which peel headsails. New sail goes up before old one comes down so two sheets needed for a minute or two. Easier to do it if you tack when changing (thus using the lazy sheet on the new sail) but sometimes you don't have the searoom to do that, or competitors are in the way

 

[dt4134]

Also used on boats which peel headsails. New sail goes up before old one comes down so two sheets needed for a minute or two. Easier to do it if you tack when changing (thus using the lazy sheet on the new sail) but sometimes you don't have the searoom to do that, or competitors are in the way

Exactly where I've seen them used. Sometimes it makes the headsail change a little quicker if you don't have to move the cars a long way. Sometimes the cars will even be on separate tracks for the jib & genny.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I have twin cars on the track leading back to the winch via a pulley.
I don't know why I have two but using them both means the sheet is kept low just outside the cockpit making it easier to use the sidedeck without getting in problems with the sheet. It also makes it easier to move the forward car under load as there is less of an upward pull on it.

 

[bbg]

Also used on boats which peel headsails. New sail goes up before old one comes down so two sheets needed for a minute or two. Easier to do it if you tack when changing (thus using the lazy sheet on the new sail) but sometimes you don't have the searoom to do that, or competitors are in the way

I would agree with that as well - if the boat has a twin-track headfoil. In that case I would still say that when sheeting the smaller jib the sheet should go through both cars, and with the larger genoa only the aft car.