Sheeting in the Jib

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RIck Ealy

I just started sailing my new Hunter 260. I have sailed many years on Hobie Cats and Catalina 25. I have never had a problem using a cam-cleet to secure the jib/genoa sheets. From the helm, single handed sailing was a real handfull when I soon discovered that I couldn't get the sheet to lock in the cam-cleet. It gives me no angle to pull and lock. It seems the cleets are located way too far forward and are blocked to easy access from the cockpit, by the winches. Any comments would be appreciated.... Why this design, maybe I'm overlooking a simple solution. Thanks, Rick
 
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Mark

Hello Rick

The subject of the cams on a 260 have been discussed at length from timt to time (and thats great)Yes as standard they are a bit low but this also has its advantages. What I often do when sailing on my own is run the sheet around the winch a few times and tie it off at the stern cleat. Or I simply tie off the tiller and go foward to adjust the sheets. Hope this helps
 
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Mark

Forgot to mention Rick

Welcome to the club. You will get a lot of fun sailing these little yachts and this is an excellent forum for getting hints and ideas.
 
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Terry

Hi Rick, the jib sheets on our H28 and P42

function the same; tack trim is mostly contolled by winches located on each side of the cockpit coaming. I suspect yours should be set up the same way. Even with the size of the jib on your H260, to me a cam cleat seems to be the wrong tool to handle the power of a jib. Your boat should have a fair lead on a track through which your jib sheet runs, then to a winch to adjust trim. Terry
 
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Mark

Not on these little girls Terry.

You can pull on the jib sheets on these little yachts with you hands in almost any weather. Rarely a need to winch them. Fair leads on tracks don't exist!
 
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Phil Ward

Cam Risers

I recently installed jib sheet cam risers, which has greatly improved the function of the cam. Raising the cam allows us to use of the winch for sail trim. In light wind conditions, we can typically trim the jib sheet by hand, but with greater than 10 to 12 knot winds, we use the winch. I've never sailed her single-handed, but like to believe that I could if need be. Also, welcome aboard. My wife and I really enjoy our 2002 260, recently christened Water Lily.
 
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Red Beard

260 jib sheets

Rick, welcome aboard! I have a new 2002 Hunter 260. I have the same problem with my jibs sheets. First thing I did was buy a LONGER jib sheet. The one one the boat from Hunter is way short. As someone posted earlier, as a man I find that I can hold all sheets in my hands and do not need wenches. But I sail with my wife and there is no way that she can. The second thing I found wrong with the 260 is that they have out two rope clutches on the port side and one clutch on the starboard side. Port side clutches are for 1) Center board and 2) Jib Haylard. Since I have a roller furling jib I don't need a clutch for the jib haylard (but I use it anyway). I have re-run the center board line from the clutch thru the cam and to the cleat on the port side, thus freeing up one of the clutches. On starboard side I have run the Main Haylard thru the cam and tie off to the cleat, thus freeing up the starboard clutch. Now with one clutche free on each side, I ran my jib sheets thru the clutches. I am miffed at way Hunter has run their sheets , cams, and clutches the way they have. I think that they need to have two rope clutches on either side. I plan to do that myself. By running the jib sheet thru the clutches it is a lot easier for my wife to work the jib sheets. The only problem which now arises is, I do not have the second clutch on the starboard side for my main haylard. I understand the problem with trying to use the rope cams. They are too far forward and make securing the sheet very hard. But since I use the main haylard alot less the the jib sheets, it's a small price to pay. And my wife is a lot happier, and that's what counts. If any thing I think Hunter should have the double clutch on the starboard side and the single on the port. But what do I know? I love my Hunter 260 and with minor changes we will make it work. BLUSKIES & HIGHTIDES...rb
 
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Al

"fast track fairleads"

One of the best improvements to handling the jib sheets on our H260 was to add fast track fairleads (e.g. WM cat #544999) on the cam cleats. At $4 a pop it is also the cheapest improvement. Popping it in and out of the cleat from afar is a snap!
 
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