Asymmetrical Sheet Length/Type

sailorforever · Feb 8, 2017

normally the lenght of your sailboat, strong braided light lines. have fun.

jssailem · Feb 8, 2017

Hey Mistral. Looks like your moving forward. There are many ideas for the perfect length. I started with one and a quarter boat length and trimmed down once I sailed the boats sail. Note the sail is going to run from the bow to the stern blocks and back to the cockpit when doused or furled depending on your sail handling design. Weight and hand feel are going to be important to your decision. Light breezes mean light weight lines. Heavy winds can mean a heavier (larger) line that will give you something to grab and winch.

LeslieTroyer · Feb 8, 2017

2x boat length or 80 feet each. The lazy sheet goes from the very stern turning block forward around the forestay or spinnaker tack depending on how you want to jibe then back to the clew which on close tack can be very far back on the boat. JSSailEm are you thinking of jib sheets??

DayDreamer41 · Feb 8, 2017

You'll need at least one, if not two sheets — each about twice the length of your boat. Choose a line that is comfortable in the hand, and thick enough that 1) you can get a good grip, and 2) it will have enough friction on the sheet winch. Not too thick, though, because you want your sail to be able to lift and fill in light breezes too. Choose a sheet that doesn't absorb water.

David in Sandusky · Feb 9, 2017

There are two answers, depending on how you plan to gybe the sail:

1. Cruising only - gybes are rare, and can take some time. Sheet is around 125% of boat length: Drop the sock.
Coil the sheet as you move to the bow.
Change course and gybe the mainsail.
Shift the sock and sheet to the new windward side.
Rig the sheet through a turning block on the new side.
Lift the sock.
Trim the sheet on the new tack.

2. Racing or cruising - gybes are frequent, and need to be fast (only method if no sock). Two sheets, each twice the boat length:
Ease the active sheet until the spinnaker streams out ahead of the forstay.
Change course and gybe the mainsail.
Trim the sheet on the new windward side.

We are cruisers, and use the first method, maybe once or twice a season. Most cruising legs are long, and gybing is uncommon for us.

Jackdaw · Feb 9, 2017

@David in Sandusky pretty much got it all.

PROTIP: The big trick is to make the sheets as light as possible. Most cruisers use an asym in light airs, and on an asym the sail has to hold the weight of the attached lines aloft. This weight can really drag down the sail, ruining its shape so:

1) Use high quality, line, as thin as possible for conditions, best with water shedding covers (condura)
2) If using a core-dependent line, strip the last 10-15 feet of cover.
3) Think about using a pig tail to further lighten the line and ease gybing.
4) The biggie - NO SHACKLES. Bowline the sheet(s) to the clew

Best line to use? Flightline.
http://www.apsltd.com/new-england-ropes-flight-line.html

With stripped line a pigtail is easy. A 3 foot length of specta with an eye in one end. Splice an eye on both stripped ends of the sheets. The luggage tag the pigtail to both eyes. Tie the other end to the clew.

Others noted different sheets sets for different breeze. A great idea. On BlueJ we have three sets of spin sheets, from heavy air easy-on-the-hand sheets to light air thin stripped with soft shackles. A well equipped cruiser should ideally have two.

Scott T-Bird · Feb 9, 2017

Diagram 3 doesn't seem to correlate to diagrams 1 and 2. Where did the 2nd tail on the pigtail come from in diagram 3?

Assuming the pigtail has one tail, is this the end that attaches to the clew? How so? bowline?

Joe · Feb 9, 2017

If you follow Jackdaw's suggestion.... here are Samson Ropes splicing instructions for the relatively easy splices you'll need to build your new spinnaker sheets. It's a big chance for you to show your friends and family how salty you've become. heh, heh

Stripping cover....
http://www.samsonrope.com/Documents/Splice Instructions/DblBrd_C2_Stripping_Cover_WEB.pdf
Hi tech core eye splice... (class II)
http://www.samsonrope.com/Documents/Splice Instructions/12Strand_C2_Eye_Splice_WEB.pdf
Polyester core eye splice... (class 1)
http://www.samsonrope.com/Documents/Splice Instructions/12Strand_C2_Eye_Splice_WEB.pdf
Lock Stitching, whipping methods.... etc.
http://www.samsonrope.com/Documents... Whipping Seizing Procedures_SEPT2012_WEB.pdf

DayDreamer41 · Feb 9, 2017

@Jackdaw what is the 3' spectra line luggage tagged to the sheet for? a handle of some sort? (red colored line is the sheet? tan is the 3' spectra?)
@Joe thanks for the links, I already feeling saltier....... ARRRR MATE put the fur around the port hole....... never mind this is a family site.......

Jackdaw · Feb 9, 2017

DayDreamer41 said:
@Jackdaw what is the 3' spectra line luggage tagged to the sheet for? a handle of some sort? (red colored line is the sheet? tan is the 3' spectra?)

Like this. The 'tail' becomes the end of the sheet TIED to the spinnaker clew. Two reasons:
1) It's lighter suspended weight.
2) BIG ONE - Much less friction at the clew when pulling around in a gybe. A tiny almost weightless bowline opposed to two heavy SS shackles. This type of setup almost never gets snagged or hung up. Gybe an asym enough and you learn to appreciate that!

DayDreamer41 · Feb 9, 2017

Perfect thanks for clearing that up Jack certainly makes much sense now. The only question I would have is, would not that type of knot (shearing knot) get really tight under load? making it difficult to undo the lines.

Jackdaw · Feb 9, 2017

DayDreamer41 said:
Perfect thanks for clearing that up Jack certainly makes much sense now. The only question I would have is, would not that type of knot (shearing knot) get really tight under load? making it difficult to undo the lines.

No problem!

A bowline? 99% of the time I can open any bowline pronto by 'breaking its back' ie, pushing the bight back over the slacked standing end.

DayDreamer41 · Feb 9, 2017

Jack I was not referring to the bowline on the clew, I was looking at the luggage knot, definitely a shearing knot which once wet will bind up very tight, but since you use this config I guess you haven't had any issues with it, do you leave the tail on the clew of the sail as a normal practice?

Jackdaw · Feb 9, 2017

DayDreamer41 said:
Jack I was not referring to the bowline on the clew, I was looking at the luggage knot, definitely a shearing knot which once wet will bind up very tight, but since you use this config I guess you haven't had any issues with it, do you leave the tail on the clew of the sail as a normal practice?

Gotcha. Depends; sometime yes sometimes no. Good news is that dyneema does not 'compress' as it is loaded, and the tag always comes off.

JRacer · Feb 9, 2017

jack: Are you using that setup on the 36.7? IF so, what diameter line are you using for the pigtail?

Jackdaw · Feb 9, 2017

JRacer said:
jack: Are you using that setup on the 36.7? IF so, what diameter line are you using for the pigtail?

Yep, I think 5/16ths. Maybe 1/4 (or we tried that). Not for breaking strength (you could lift the boat with it) but for feel and ease of use in the hand. Difference in weight is minute.

Jackdaw · Feb 9, 2017

JRacer said:
jack: Are you using that setup on the 36.7? IF so, what diameter line are you using for the pigtail?

We also use this as the sheets when we fly our asym off our pole. A WICKED fast way to go once you master the gybes! ;^)

Scott T-Bird · Feb 9, 2017

DayDreamer41 said:
Jack I was not referring to the bowline on the clew, I was looking at the luggage knot, definitely a shearing knot which once wet will bind up very tight, but since you use this config I guess you haven't had any issues with it, do you leave the tail on the clew of the sail as a normal practice?

You can only leave the pigtail on the clew if you also leave the sheets attached as well. If you tie the pigtail to the clew with a bowline, the luggage tag holds the sheets captive, which you then can't remove without un-doing the bowline.