Sail sheets blocks, sidestays, halyard and deck questions

[TrueBlue]

Bob,

Thanks again for the info and as I suspected it would foul a bit.

At this stage I think I will go with fitting up for Genoa running on forestay halyard and see what I think? I will fit about a 750mm track on deck with car centred as best I can for optimum sheet angle with the track fitted I can then allow for moving car with fairlead eye forward if I decide to give a masthead Genoa fly a try as well as being able to perhaps fit a fairlead at very back of track for/if kite ever fitted up and be able to run sheets back to cabin top and winches when/if possibly fitted.

Bob, from what I could see in one of the pics of your boat, it appears you do not have doubled sheets for jib? Is this correct and if so does that work fine with enough purchase to set easy enough?
I really would like to do away with putting blocks on Jib clew, first because I have to buy them(don't have much small stuff hanging around - plenty bigger stuff for keelers but bit too big) and second I still don't like that setup personally

Next query?
I am putting a topping lift on this boat as it does not have one. Be a pain if need to reef, it does have a clip on backstay that can be used at rest to centre boom etc, but not really great for reefing and I don't like the idea of the boom ending up in cockpit when easing off halyard before reefing.
I'm thinking of using 3 or 4 mm spectra so it nice and thin, don't see the point in using anything thicker and this size spectra rated around 400Kg don't think that be a problem either.
I can get spectra down to 2mm - rated to 250KG,r but that is getting a bit to small to handle I think?
I would use double braid but not sure I can get it that small?

Anyone got good reasons not to use??

[BobK]

Jay,

The photos I posted are fairly old and show the boat rigged in the manner of the previous owner. I found that a single line jib sheet was a bit tough on the crew (wife) and now we use 2 small blocks at the clew and tie off at the jib track to give a 2: 1 ratio. Negative to this is the blocks can hit the mast when tacking and cause some marking. I put some rubber sheeting around the mast in this area to avoid damage.

If you are going to haul in the sheets yourself or fit winches then there's no need for doubling. I think the purists would frown on doubling. Also it's not nice to have blocks flailing around on the end of the jib. But in my case it was the lesser of two evils. As it is now my wife normally handles the tiller so I'm the deckhand and 2:1 probably isn't needed.

I have a topping lift, and it seems to me to be a must have. Light line is fine, it only needs to take the weight. Mine looks to be 3mm. I have a spare cleat on the cabin roof (adjacent to the jib/halyard cleats). The clip on the backstay can be a handful to attach, especially if the boat is moving around, and of course it ties the boom to the backstay so that can be a problem if the sail has any wind in it. I also found that the wire frays with use and can fail. Only use this when anchored now. In fact although I've replaced the backstay, including the boom "hanger" if I did it again I'd do away with the hanger and rely on the topping lift.

My topping lift uses a small block located about 2m below the forestay attachment.

[RobertB]

Hi Jay,

I too did not like the blocks on the Jib. It works well, but the flogging was scary, though i have fitted a downhaul, like Ian and htis works a treat. So, I run my sheets back to 2 small winches. Originally there where two 'stubbing' winches fitted to the cabin top. I still have these if you want them.
I run my Genoa sheets back through a traveller and car on the side deck and then to the winches. All works fine. I note that there is a fine pair of winches on Ebay at the moment.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/YACHT-SHEET-WINC ... 414e71995b
Pick up at Hope Island, 4 days to go and only 2 bids....currently $51.

Cheers, Robert

[TrueBlue]

Thanks Guys appreciated.

Thanks for the tip on the winches Robert, will keep an eye on them. The snubbing winches you have, what are they like etc, and why did you remove them in the first place. I would have thought they would do the job easily to be honest, not like these boats have huge sails

Are your Genoa travellers and cars with fairleads or blocks
I'm thinking that fairlead eyes would be fine for this setup as said not huge sails.

Thanks again both of you it all helps, will get there soon, have my list now to visit the shop Not aheap to spend so all good. Have to get this outboard out and give that a once over soon too, I do have a little 2.2 horse here so if all else fails I can use that to get me out for testing I can see no reason the donk will not shape up, they pretty hard to kill these old Johnsons.

[TrueBlue]

Holy smoke, those winches ended up going for $197.50
I went to $120.00 and bailed out. I know they over $200 new but man that surprised me, didn't expect it to go that far.

I think I buy the new Murray ones from Bias @ $89.90ea exactly same, well actually slightly larger, bronze base and reinforced nylon drum not metal, should do the job nicely as I'm sure it is not really high load application anyway. I suspect most trimming would be by hand and be enough, with the occasional use of a handle

[Yara50]

Jay
Why no go sailing first and get a feel for the forces involved, before bothering with winches. On a T/s there is not much foredeck work, and the small jib sheet pulleys are not a big hazard. We have the downhaul, so that the jib is on the deck most times when going forward to anchor, etc.

You are lucky in a way when sailing on Moreton Bay that the winds are not particularly gusty.
In Sydney confined waters we can get wind "bullets" out of nowhere, and as a result the genny could be overloaded, so I never bother to fly it- just wait an hour or two and the wind picks up!

[TrueBlue]

Hi Ian,

I probably will end up sailing her before winches
I actually think I would be fine without them, but I do not want blocks on head sail clew(s) and I would without doubt use the Genny as well, once I have all fittings in place, love my Gennies
My son could not pull the rice off a rice pudding and the chance of him handling sheets would be remote, but I will see before hand.
I eventually would like a kite for her, either a symmetrical or maybe even a small Assy kite off the pushpit to try, so a winch or 2 will be needed sooner or later

I may end up fitting downhaul for jib as well, but will see if required first as it drops quite well as it is.
I still need to go shopping(winches are not on that list by the way ) as not got there yet, maybe Saturday or Sunday and take son with me, I recon he might be like a kid in a lolly shop knowing him.

I understand what it is like with 'bullets' and after being on Syd Harbour I can understand how and why they happen there. Yes Moreton is pretty stable, I would think to be honest without having sailed an Investigator as yet, that even with a bullet or 2 they would just layover a bit more and spill off the sails, could be wrong but the more I look at it, the more I see the 'mini' long keeler design shining through. Put to scale it is not a bad ballast ration.