Genoa Sheets -- length

shnool · Jul 20, 2015

generally speaking you only need enough to reach, from the winch (with your max number of wraps on the winch, including the cleat), all the way to the headstay. If you have 1 sheet (as in cowhitch in the middle), take that number, and double it.

Also for the 22, I prefer 5/16.

jerrymlewis · Jul 21, 2015

When racing, I put a couple strips of blue painter's tape from the cabin top in front of those double blocks up to their top, preventing sheets from catching while tacking. Cheap fix!

jerrymlewis · Jul 22, 2015

I tried plastic gallon jug strips but found that the "one time use" blue tape to work best and won't hurt my toes if stubbed like a metal strip could.

MrSkeet · Jul 23, 2015

FWIW, I purchased the "CP-22 135, 150 genoa jib sheet" from catalina direct this spring. This blue line is 55 feet and with a hitch at my 135 genny's clew leaves 5 to 8 feet of line in the cockpit at most points of sail. I haven't tried "poling" out the genoa; who knows, maybe that's when the added length is needed.
While I appreciate the line from the Dylan song, "eventually we'll hang ourselves on all this tangled rope", I just let it (line) lie on the cockpit floor ahead of the traveler while the main sheet's excess is behind the traveler.
wooster

MrSkeet · Jul 23, 2015

Yes, 55/2=27.5 feet each side. Perhaps more helpfully, this afternoon, putting away my capri (mooring), I had approx. 7 feet of sheet per side to bundle and hang over the winch covers, once the jib was fully roll furled.
I took my 94 year old mother out, she enjoyed herself but was a bit concerned when heeled over and her on the lee side. No one got wet.
Wooster
Rereading my earlier post, I must have more loose line in the cockpit when sailing with the jib; just the same, no real problems noted

Rightbrainer · Jul 23, 2015

Sometimes, when single-handing in light air, I skip the winches and run the jib sheets back through the spinnaker sheet turning blocks to keep them handy. Other times, when single-handing in heavy air, I cross-sheet the jib sheets so I can trim from the high side. In both cases, I need the sheets to be a little longer. Anyway, think it over before you cut them or you might be looking for your rope stretcher.

MrSkeet · Jul 23, 2015

I can't wrap my archaic mind around cross-sheeting, I don't know, too hinkie ? I can understand the motivation. When the wind's up, moving myself to leeward is along way down; boosts my caution closer to fear.
Wooster

"you might be looking for the rope stretcher", that's good

jerrymlewis · Jul 24, 2015

Cross sheeting is "da bomb!"

You're on starboard tack, boat leaning left and you're up on the high side rail (starboard). Rather than wrap the genoa sheet around the port winch and cleat it off 'down there' - run the genoa sheet once around the port winch and pull the rest of the sheet up to the starboard winch and put a few wraps there and cleat off (or hold on if playing is needed). Then in a puff, don't move from the rail, just reach to the winch to let out a few inches/feet then trim back in as the puff passes. If you really need to crank in hard on the sheet, simply tail the line in one hand, stand up, pull on the line crossing over the cockpit and tail the line through the winch. Never going down to the low, wet, tippy side of the boat.

For port tack, reverse directions...

Mattw79 · Jul 24, 2015

jerrymlewis said:
Cross sheeting is "da bomb!"

Couldn't agree more, learning how to do this was one of the most valuable skills I've taken away from this forum. I have a 110 jib on a furler, and switched from the cabintop jib tracks to the deck tracks even at the expense of some upwind performance. I ran that configuration until a few weeks ago when I saw another Capri at a local marina that routed his jib sheets through the cabin top blocks then to the deck jib stack. Was so simple of an idea, but it never crossed my mind. Now I have the best of both worlds. The only drawback is there is a little more friction when letting loose the sheet, but I usually have decent wind on the lake so it hasn't been an issue.

As for sheet length, I bought 40' (20' per side) and it's plenty long enough (110 jib) for cross sheeting. When I furl the jib plus a few wraps, I'm left with about a 1-1.5 feet after the cleat. The manual calls for 40' with a 100% jib, and 55' for a 155%.

MrSkeet · Jul 24, 2015

Hershey said:
... Right know I have 50'6" side. No wonder I have extra line lying around in the cockpit....

Wow; so you presently have a total of 101 feet for the left & right jib sheets combined ? If so yah, that's a lot of line in the cockpit.
As for cross-sheeting, I know how and truth be told I've done it a few times (light air, lazy sailing). I object to the odd looking maze/cat's cradle that's produced. Also, with significant wind, my #16 self tailers need at least three wraps so the force/tension is applied low down on the drum.
Wooster who's had to rebed a loose winch

MrSkeet · Jul 26, 2015

Here in eastern MA, we're expecting big heat this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; good time to be on the water. Too bad Marblehead's race week will be over; it was fun watching the J-80s out by Half Way rock, the Rhodes 19s by Satan's and the wet athletic (my stomach aches just watching them hike) Lasers at harbormouth yesterday. It was windy and wet in the AM (closed my capri's seahood to keep cabin dry), more settled and sunny in the PM.
Sounds like you've got the jib sheets good to go. Hope the wind, weather and your schedule work out.
elderly Wooster, born in the year of who knows when

Slipaway Capri 22 · Aug 18, 2015

If you are going to be close hauled or just reaching for a long period of time, cross sheeting makes it easier to single hand the boat from the windward side and use the windward jibsheet jam cleat , remove, adjust recleat without reaching down to the leeward coaming to cleat the line. A little extra goes a long way in that case.whoops, just read the first few replies. I see cross sheeting was already discussed. I guess if you have enough at 40 feet to cross sheet than that's plenty.

Rightbrainer · Aug 29, 2015

One more thought...If you have a little extra length on your one-piece sheets, you can cut them in half and turn them end-for-end when they get chewed up by the cleats.