I chose the 135 genoa for my head sail for my first full season of sailing my O'day 25. We have had good winds almost every day out so I rarely unfurl the full 135. Probably closer to 100 or 110. I run the jib sheets through the single standup blocks, then back to the winches and through the horn clean with a stopper knot.
The winds on the Barnegat Bay can turn on like a switch. On a recent sail the winds kicked from 10 to over 15, maybe 18 and stayed there with gusts to 22.
I got caught with my main unreefed and the genny out at least 110%. I had done a loop around the horn cleat to lock the working sheet. I was on the high side and I let the boom out all the way to keep from heeling over too far and still got headed up in the gusts. Problem was the water was shallower windward so I couldn't head into the wind to reef the main and furl the head sail. We ran a quick beam reach for about 3 miles, hitting 6.8 on the GPS SOG.
We were heeling too far for me to be comfortable leaning to the low side to let loose the jib.
I was wishing I had cam cleats instead so I could just flip up the sheet to let it loose a bit. So I bought a couple of Harken 150s.
Now, where to put them? I find myself sitting mid cockpit, usually pinching the jib sheet under my bracing foot against the opposite bench, holding the main sheet in one hand the tiller in the other. I was thinking I could mount the cam cleats on the side of the bench, about where my foot pinches the line. This way I could easily set the sheet using hand and foot and pop the sheet with the same.
I also have been having trouble with overlaps of the sheet on the winch but read a bit on how to handle that. My one question was should I try polishing the rough surface of the winches so the wrap pushes and slides up more easily? Maybe time to replace them?
The photo shows where I pinch the line with my foot. It also shows the furling line close to the winch. It rubs the winch and has gotten caught in the sheet a couple of times so I am moving it outside of the stanchions, which will move it away from the winch. That should solve that problem.
Any other suggestions for cam cleat placement?
BTW, I seem to get the jib sheets tight enough without a winch handle. Haven't used one yet so I thought I would pass on self tailing winches.
Appreciate any thoughts.
The winds on the Barnegat Bay can turn on like a switch. On a recent sail the winds kicked from 10 to over 15, maybe 18 and stayed there with gusts to 22.
I got caught with my main unreefed and the genny out at least 110%. I had done a loop around the horn cleat to lock the working sheet. I was on the high side and I let the boom out all the way to keep from heeling over too far and still got headed up in the gusts. Problem was the water was shallower windward so I couldn't head into the wind to reef the main and furl the head sail. We ran a quick beam reach for about 3 miles, hitting 6.8 on the GPS SOG.
We were heeling too far for me to be comfortable leaning to the low side to let loose the jib.
I was wishing I had cam cleats instead so I could just flip up the sheet to let it loose a bit. So I bought a couple of Harken 150s.
Now, where to put them? I find myself sitting mid cockpit, usually pinching the jib sheet under my bracing foot against the opposite bench, holding the main sheet in one hand the tiller in the other. I was thinking I could mount the cam cleats on the side of the bench, about where my foot pinches the line. This way I could easily set the sheet using hand and foot and pop the sheet with the same.
I also have been having trouble with overlaps of the sheet on the winch but read a bit on how to handle that. My one question was should I try polishing the rough surface of the winches so the wrap pushes and slides up more easily? Maybe time to replace them?
The photo shows where I pinch the line with my foot. It also shows the furling line close to the winch. It rubs the winch and has gotten caught in the sheet a couple of times so I am moving it outside of the stanchions, which will move it away from the winch. That should solve that problem.
Any other suggestions for cam cleat placement?
BTW, I seem to get the jib sheets tight enough without a winch handle. Haven't used one yet so I thought I would pass on self tailing winches.
Appreciate any thoughts.
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