| Author | Message | ||
     Mike Bergmann Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
I have done the same as Scott. I have the Garhauer system and the blocks for the adjustment lines are about 3 ft. aft of the forward end of the tracks. I have the old cars near the shrouds for the #3, and I use the adjustable cars for all genoas. I range from an old heavy # 1, now cut down to 135% for a cruising #2 roller furler up to a new racing #1 (155%) and an old sail acquired by a previous owner for light air cruising, which sheets near the winches. I use the old turning blocks while cruising, so I get no over-rides. While racing, I only use the turning blocks if I am changing sails or if I run a separate sheet to a snatch block on the rail for reaching. This system has worked well for eight years now. I have found absolutely no need to move tracks. I also have found that I don't need a shock cord on the adjustable car - even with 4:1 tackle, the sheet load moves it aft all the time. My cleats for the adjustment lines are located high on the side of the cabin house aft of the window. If they are down near the deck, the adjustment lines are more likely to foul the jib sheets in the blocks. One more "trick": I use one set of jib sheets all the time. The high-load portion is a continuous piece of 5/16" spectra with a "brummel" splice to a J-lock in the middle. The spectra is spliced to two pieces of 1/2" Samson "Trophy" dacron double braid tails (very fuzzy line - grips extremely well) with an interlocking core splice (Layline or APS will do this, and I do it myself.) The splice is located so that it wraps on the winches when close-hauled, and the thicker part of the assembly helps grip in the Lewmar #44 self-tailing winches that were originally installed (I assume by special order.) The complete assembly is a one-piece jib sheet system with no knots, and the J-lock shackle is lighter than a knot anyway. It never jams on the shrouds during a tack. SInce the two tails are separate pieces of line, I have one red and one green for easy identification when there is a big tangle of line on the cockpit sole. I use a separate short tapered sheet (different color) for reaching - in extremely light air, we disconnect the "regular" sheet and only have the special sheet attached to the sail to reduce weight on the clew. |
