Proper way to attach jib sheet

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May 31, 2004
13
Catalina 22 East Greenwich, RI
I own a 1986 Catalina 22 with a 135 furling genoa. I have not figured out a way to attach the jib sheets to the sail without making a large knot that gets hung up on the forestays each time I come about. I did come up with making guards on the forestays using pvc pipe so the knot would roll off but I know that can't be the best solution. any thoughts on this?
 
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Apr 8, 2010
2,075
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Moo.........

From small (20') to larger (34') boats, over three decades, I have found that the venerable cow hitch does a very good job for this. You will need a continuous length so that you can put the hitch into the middle - around the clew eye.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_hitch

It has never slipped under heavy loads, and is compact enough to slide around the shrouds.

If you use a continuous sheet, there are certainly other 'compact hitch' choices, but this has worked for me.

Note B: if your sheets have a slick enough cover that the hitch slightly slips under load, just put a few hand-stitches into it to lock it into place.
 
Aug 11, 2011
759
catalina 22 Islamorada
Personally myself and possibly me alone on this so if I can explain it right.

Find center of sheet

Fold in half

Put the loop threw eye

Run the rest of the rope threw the loop

Pull tight

Won't slip can't come loose not possible and is about as small of a knot as possible if the sheet ends are run properly left and right it should slip right on past.
 
May 31, 2004
13
Catalina 22 East Greenwich, RI
Thank you all. I think I'll be replacing my oversized figure 8 with a cow hitch. Seems like a very simple solution.
 
Nov 19, 2008
2,129
Catalina C-22 MK-II Parrish, FL
For many years, (with both our original C-22, and our current C-22), I've just run the line thru the clew and found the center of the sheet, and whipped them together. Looks nice,(gives it that nautical look), lasts forever,(11 years on the first boat, 3 years and counting on our current boat), fairly easy to do, light weight, and doesn't hang up on the shrouds.

I don't know if it's the "proper way", but it's worked for me.....

Don
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,140
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Is there an echo in here? I could have sworn there's a thread currently going on this very subject.... I like bowlines for jibsheets combined with a proper technique for tacking.
 

StanFM

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Jun 26, 2012
276
S2 7.3 Lake Pleasant, AZ
Hmmm... you guys in this thread got me thinking... my two foresails each have their sheets knotted on. But wouldn't be easier to keep the sheets threaded to the cockpit and just change out the cloth up front? Hmmm...?

Stan
 
Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
Sure it would. This is simply adding a bowline at the clew. I wouldn't want to re-reave sheets on every headsail change. And cheaper..
 
Nov 19, 2008
2,129
Catalina C-22 MK-II Parrish, FL
When I had the roller furling installed, my jib sheets were kept whipped on the sail. But now that I went back to hanked on head sails, my jib sheets are whipped to a snap shackle so I can change out the headsail and leave the sheets attached. My sheets are long enough to accomodate even my drifter.

Don
 
Jul 28, 2012
13
Catalina 22 Valley Springs
We just took our Catalina 22 out for our first sail on Saturday. The jib sheets are shackled on, and twice the darn shackle snapped itself onto a shroud. I think we need to learn to be patient and let the jib start to come around first. But I can't see an advantage to a shackle over a knot, as we only have one jib right now. What do you think?

BTW, it was a hoot! I haven't been sailing in 20 years or so, and it was my wife's fist time. We had a long, fun day on New Melones Lake in Calaveras/Tuolumne Counties in California.

Andy
 
Oct 17, 2011
2,809
Ericson 29 Southport..
To each his own, but never again will I have a shackle on a jib sheet. I posted about this earlier, but if you have trouble, forcing you out on the foredeck, (and if you've not done this, ya ain't sailing like I do), a whipping shackle will hurt you VERY bad. The last time I ran a shackle, it attached itself to a forward stay, the wind was HOWLING. The lee shore was 20 feet away, so guess where the boat went. Hard aground. Nobody but the idiots were out on the water, (me), so it was up to my devices to get it off. I got the boat kedged off, took the twenty dollar stainless shackle off, and threw it as hard as I could at the sea. Haven't had one catch yet? Keep sailing...
 

Ken

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Jun 1, 2004
1,182
Catalina 22 P. P. Y. C.
Shackle

100% agreement with Chris, once hit you'll never have another there. Cow hitch is the way to go.
 
Jun 23, 2012
6
Larry with the new 22 can you sleep comfortably on the 22 and how many people does she accommodate ?
 
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