Jib Sheet Repair - Eye Splice and Soft Shackle

[jssailem]

What do you do when your 250 miles from your boat and your feeling the urge to be "Seaman Like"?

How about fixing the jib sheets?

For the past 3 years I have used a single jib sheet line folded in the middle and attached the jib sheets to my Genoa using a Cow Hitch.
http://www.101knots.com/cow-hitch.html

It is an easy knot and it keeps a dangerous metal shackle from flogging about the fore-deck.

But after time the knot weakens the line beneath the knot. Then you need to make a change.

So I broke out my splicing tools.

And cut the damaged section out of the jib sheet middle and now with 2 sheets I made an eye splice in the end of each sheet.

I used the Samson splicing video to complete the splice.

To avoid the dangerous metal shackle I took a length of Dyneema and made a Soft Shackle

I like the "Improved Soft Shackle knot". The end knot is larger and the ends used to tie the knot are buried in the line.

This is what it looks like when you connect the 2 sheets together with the soft shackle.

Now I just need to go to the boat and attach the soft shackle to the Genoa clew and I am ready for another season.

I feel a wee bit better. Time for a to celebrate.

 

[Ward H]

Very nice! I hadn't bothered watching a video on making a soft shackle before, simpler than I expected.
Time to order some Dyneema and make up a few.
Have a on me!

 

[thinwater]

Yup, I did something very similar ~ 10 years ago on my cat. Very handy, since my boat required a separate sheet set for beating vs. reaching. And yes, it was because the rope core failed due to flexing (Kevlar) at the cow hitch; only the cover remained.

I also use soft shackles on my current boat, for ease of sail changes.

 

[dLj]

You all must be running roller furler fore sails. Running hank-ons I always use two lines. I run red and green lines to keep things easy and clear. I couldn't use a cow hitch with two lines. However, I am about to switch to roller furling in the bow so this is a great idea for me now! Thanks!

dj

 

[Will Gilmore]

You never had problems with your cow hitched creeping? I've had cow hutches creep so that I end up with one tail shorter than the other because the cow hitch isn't a locking or binding knot.
Jon Hanson posted a picture of a jib sheet that had a stop knot with a loop spliced into the end. I liked the look of that knot and is what I'm planning to use for my jib.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Joe]

Wow.... think I'll stay with the bowline... separate sheets... same color... so I can prolong their life by switching side to side and end for end... Oh, forgot to say I don't leave them on when away from the boat.
Anyway, it's hard to understand the need to have separate colors for headsail sheets... Halyards, good idea... but sheets... they're on opposite sides of the boat for crying out loud..

 

[shemandr]

So I’m looking at that knot and I’m begiinning to get it. The loop goes through the clew cringle and then the knot goes through the loop on the other side of the clew. Is that right? I’ve never had a problem with cow hitch creep that I knew of but I like that you can un-tie that easily. Same for soft shackles. Maybe less chafe worries with the knot. Anything is better than a mass of metal flogging around up there. Now what can we do about that cringle?

 

[Will Gilmore]

Now what can we do about that cringle?

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

So I’m looking at that knot and I’m begiinning to get it. The loop goes through the clew cringle and then the knot goes through the loop on the other side of the clew. Is that right? I’ve never had a problem with cow hitch creep that I knew of but I like that you can un-tie that easily. Same for soft shackles. Maybe less chafe worries with the knot. Anything is better than a mass of metal flogging around up there. Now what can we do about that cringle?

lol Actually it was me who posted that pic. I've used that set up for many years. My jib has reef points and with this I can just switch the sheets from regular clew grommet to the reefing grommet, in about 30 seconds Here's what it looks like in use

 

[Will Gilmore]

Sorry Charlie.
I got the OP wrong. I'm embarrassed. Still, I like it.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[jssailem]

Nice Picture Charlie...
It is a decent choice for the sail clew you have. I would like a bit larger stopper knot, but I can see it works on your boat equipment.

Not sure it will work as well if the sail clew is like this.

In choosing a tool to use be sure to match the tool to the equipment on your boat.

 

[dLj]

Anyway, it's hard to understand the need to have separate colors for headsail sheets... Halyards, good idea... but sheets... they're on opposite sides of the boat for crying out loud..

Sure, sailing solo I don't need it. However, I also teach younger folks how to sail. I use the red and green lines to help reinforce port and starboard.

 

[jssailem]

Dave. Color is a good tool to use in instruction. Your plan reinforces several lessons. Elegant.

I like the idea of Joe’s to colorize your halyards when they all run to the cockpit. Nothing like:

• Drop the Main halyard
• Which one?
• The WHITE one!
• Which WHITE one?
• THE ONE ON THE RIGHT!!!
• THE LITTLE ONE OR THE BIG WHITE ONE????”

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Nice Picture Charlie...
It is a decent choice for the sail clew you have. I would like a bit larger stopper knot, but I can see it works on your boat equipment.

Not sure it will work as well if the sail clew is like this.
View attachment 159688
In choosing a tool to use be sure to match the tool to the equipment on your boat.

Yes, that would be a problem. Fortunately none of my sails are like that

 

[dLj]

Makes me think of an old sailors story told to me when I was a kid.

There was a clipper ship captain who was excellent. He brought his crew and ship through many storms without harm. His first mate spent many years working alongside his captain and noticed that the captain kept a small wooden book inside his coat pocket. In times of difficulty the captain would take that little book out, open it, read it, put it back and then always made the perfect decision for the situation on hand. The first mate had asked the captain a few times what was in the little book but the captain always avoided answering.

After many years and many successful trips, the old captain retired and finally passed away. Out of respect for his loyal first mate, he willed him his sailing equipment, which included his little wooden book. The first mate was very excited to finally be able to read his captains little book. When he opened it, it had only two lines in it: Left = port, red. Right = starboard, green.

dj

 

[shemandr]

I had a jib with reef points on my Ranger. I didn’t reef it much in part due to the issue of changing the sheet to the new clew. The reefed jib was nice because the center of effort was low. The shape could be flat.

 

[dLj]

I've never had jibs that reefed (unless running roller furling) , always just had multiple jibs of different sizes for different wind conditions. Can you show photos of how your jibs reef?

dj

 

[shemandr]

I've never had jibs that reefed (unless running roller furling) , always just had multiple jibs of different sizes for different wind conditions. Can you show photos of how your jibs reef?dj

I wish I could but I sold that boat a decade or so ago. No pictures survive. But I believe the sail was a 120% and a bit tired. Nevertheless, I think the methodology of a slab reefing jib may surpass a roller furling jib in sailing efficiency - and fun. The problem with the masthead rig concept with large overlapping jibs is that a particular jib is good for a wind range of about 10 knots. So those 70's or 80's racer/cruisers needed to change jibs a lot to sail optimally. That's fine if you have a crack racing crew. But crack crew have moved on to better platforms. So Mom and Pop are either changing sails or finding ways to avoid changing sails.

 

[Terry Cox]

This is what it looks like when you connect the 2 sheets together with the soft shackle.

Nice job John. I've used a double bowline for years and seems to work well. Double braid eye splice more than I want to tackle at this time.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I've never had jibs that reefed (unless running roller furling) , always just had multiple jibs of different sizes for different wind conditions. Can you show photos of how your jibs reef?

dj

Sorry no pics of it reefed. But it has a row of reef cringle just like a main,in which I keep nettles ready to use. I drop the sail, letting the boat sail under the main (and pilot). I then move the sheets to the reefing clew, which is a very quick job, tie in the nettles and re hoist- usually takes just a few minutes. I also have a reefing pennant on the jib which goes to the tack fitting, exactly like a regular tack pennant

I should point out that IF I'm reefing the jib, the main already has a reef. I've never had to tie in the third reef in the main,and hope to never have to.