H34 Hatches catching jib sheets

[YVRguy]

I'm sure all of you Hunter 34 owners know exactly what I'm talking about by the post title alone. Has anyone come up with a workable solution for the way the closed hatches on the cabin top catch the jib sheets when you tack? If I didn't know better I would say they were designed specifically for that purpose. They have a perfect 1-inch gap in the closed position that seems tailor made for grabbing and holding the sheet. :cussing:

 

[kloudie1]

Nope.. other than holding a little tension on the sheets as the sail comes across. UUhhhh if the hatch is open, the sheet will remove the hold-down too.. I have two hold-down dogs as spare now just in case I forget again. The front hatch and the two small ones just aft will do that.
The newest Bowmars have that problem fixed by having an almost flush lid.. but I didn't want to buy a new front hatch

 

[Don Crowther]

Claude's right.
Unless you wait until you're finished your turn and have the jib trimmed then give the sheet a snap to free it from the hatch. I usually keep a little tension on the sheet while tacking.

 

[Blitz]

Just a suggestion: has anyone tried sunbrella hatch covers that keep the interior cooler, protect the finish and bunch the elastic in the gap where your sheets are getting stuck.

I often sail with the hatch covers on for my boat's Bomar hatches and they don't fly off and lesson the chances of them getting stuck.

 

[Herman67]

I tie a rope around the closed hatch edge the size of the gap and sheets do not foul on hatch. Tie in back of hatch.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

I also have the hatch covers and while it does help it doesn't prevent it 100% of times. Keeping a little tension on the lazy sheet as the jib is tack does the job for me. As Kloudie said however beware if the hatches are opened !

 

[heart of gold]

I have a fairly long bow line. I leave it on one of the bow cleats and run it back to the pad eyes on the mast(the ones about waist level on either side), actually go around the mast and tie it up as tight as possible. This keeps the sheets from laying down at deck level and also makes a great place to clip in when having to work forward for any reason like reefing.

 

[YVRguy]

I have a fairly long bow line. I leave it on one of the bow cleats and run it back to the pad eyes on the mast(the ones about waist level on either side), actually go around the mast and tie it up as tight as possible. This keeps the sheets from laying down at deck level and also makes a great place to clip in when having to work forward for any reason like reefing.

Very cool idea!

I also like the idea of the hatch covers, assuming they bunch up enough to completely fill the gap.

A buddy suggested something simple yesterday after I posted this. Just take a nice piece of rope of appropriate thickness and glue it down along the gap. But I think the best answer is to keep the sheets away from the hatch in the first place - either with the long line as suggested or with a bit of tension on the lazy sheet. But that would require less lazy crew

 

[YVRguy]

I have a fairly long bow line. I leave it on one of the bow cleats and run it back to the pad eyes on the mast(the ones about waist level on either side), actually go around the mast and tie it up as tight as possible. This keeps the sheets from laying down at deck level and also makes a great place to clip in when having to work forward for any reason like reefing.

FYI I tried this today and it worked like a charm - problem solved. Thanks

 

[neild]

Excuse the quality of the picture..it's from an old phone.. these teak corners have been on since I got the boat...1992.. they work great...sheets don't hang up at all.. unless some dummy leaves the hatch cracked open..

 

[YVRguy]

Excuse the quality of the picture..it's from an old phone.. these teak corners have been on since I got the boat...1992.. they work great...sheets don't hang up at all.. unless some dummy leaves the hatch cracked open..

Very nice! What an elegant solution.