Position of Gennaker sheet leads?

[Jeff Church #545]

I plan to purchase a gennaker this winter and I need to rig the boat for it. I am not sure where the sheets should lead to. I was thinking that I might install a track on the (fiberglass) toe-rail from just aft of the double stanchion and back to where the toe-rail ends. Is this necessary, or should I just install a single pad eye at some point, or how about a swivel snap shackle attached to the horn cleat?While I am at it, I also thought it might be nice to have another track on the rail so that an outboard jib lead could be rigged for off-wind sailing.I'd appreciate input from anyone who has installed this equipment on their 320.Jeff Church

 

[Joe Barrett]

Some Thoughts

Hi Jeff, I also own a Catalina 320 and will chat with you off line. Give me an Email (I can't see yours) at joe@dolphinmortgage.comI have some ideas for you.

 

[Mike]

Hey - I have a 320 and need the same info!

Can you save your email discussions and send it to me? mbrandt@new.rr.comwould be much appreciated as i'm going to tackle the same thing next spring.thanks

 

[Jeff Church #545]

Limited response

Obviously, I have not received much response from this forum. I posted the question on sailnet.net and have a few replies. I'll e-mail them to you. So far, it seems that most folks attach snap shackles to the aft horn cleats. When I decide on a loft, I'll talk to the sailmaker about that location. Jeff

 

[Pete Peterson]

Blocks on stern rail

Jeff, I was going to buy an assymetrical spinnaker and got talked into placing an order for what the sailmaker called a light air drifter. He told me that regardless of which of these sails is used, the sheets should lead to blocks mounted on each side of the stern rail - about the same position that the block for the furling jib control line is mounted on the port side. (This is okay for me since this winter I am switching my jib furling block to a Harken hexaratchet on swivel cam mounted on the side coaming.) The spinnaker/drifter sheet blocks then lead the sheets to the jib winch, and there is no need for a track, according to him. I won't be installing the sail and hardware until spring, so I can't comment on actual use. Let us know what you hear from your sailmaker. BTW, I haven't talked to him about any special downhaul arrangement for the tack, but I know that this is also something that you should think about.

 

[Jeff Church #545]

Consensus

Thanks Pete.I'm getting a consensus that the sheets should be led about as far aft as possible. As there probably isn't any practical difference between using the points you describe versus the horn cleats, I'll probably start by using them. A pad eye just forward of the cleat might be more convenient, if there is room. I have been thinking about leading a tack line all the way back to the cockpit. That can wait until I'm in the water next year.Thanks for the input. I'll post additional info after I talk to the loft. Shouldn't this kind of info be posted as FAQ's on the C320 site?Jeff

 

[Bob]

Spinnaker

Jeff: On my 310 I installed a padeye about 1 ft in front of the cleat and it seems to work well. I also have a ATN Tacker and spinnakeer sleave. This seems to work well, however, I still want to install some sort of padeye or cleat up on the foredeck along with a ratchet block for the sleve down haul as it gets a little messy up on the bow trying to pull the sleve down. I don't have as much of a problem dropping the spinnaker after the sock is pulled down and may not need a downhaul.