Typhoon Head Sail Line Size

[Tod Mills]

This guy has some shroud rollers (I'm pretty sure he made them himself; he's that type of guy):

<img width=540 src=http://www.htmills.com/images/LF-bluebirdandnymph.jpg>

I suppose they probably help the sheet around a bit, mostly because of the larger diameter. His regular jib, as you can see, doesn't lap the shroud.

I have four different headsails and use three of them frequently. My sheet is connected thusly (not my pics, but how I do it):

<img width=540 src=http://www.msog.org/how-to/sails/tod_cringle1.jpg>

<img width=540 src=http://www.msog.org/how-to/sails/tod_cringle2.jpg>

<img width=540 src=http://www.msog.org/how-to/sails/tod_cringle3.jpg>

Probably a Lark's Head would hang up the least. Certainly the above method isn't the sleekest, but it does allow for easy sail changes. (one note about that method: on my sheets, the whipping covers stitching that prevents the loop from pulling through and tightening on the toggle. First time I used that method in a stiff breeze I had to cut the whipping to get the sheet off the clew. )

The thing I find that makes the biggest difference is to make sure the sheet is all free to run out smoothly without tangles or having to pull around anything more than it has to. Call it pre-tack preparation, if you will.

At one point I had shroud covers but for no particular reason took them off again. I don't use turnbuckle boots since I frequently trailer and that is one more thing to mess with. One possibly good reason for not using boots is that they make it a bit more effort to keep an eye on what's happening there.

[ckelly]

I am a little confused. My problem is the jib and sheets get tangled in the shrouds during tacking. Rigging covers don't appear to be much help. I could be wrong. Rollers that cover only the turn buckles are to short. Depending on the wind sometimes the jib touches the shrouds 24" to 30" up. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Chris

[Sea Hunt]

Mike, OJ, Tod, Neil, Shavdog and all:

Thanks very much for the information and advise. As always, this board is a wealth of helpful information.

I raised sails today. Unfortunately, I was not really able to determine any issues with the Genoa clew (knots) hanging up/getting stuck in the shrouds. The reason is simple. I have a very, very accurate and precise wind gauge that measured the winds today on Biscayne Bay at 00.3 - 00.5 kts. The Bay was as flat and smooth as a baby's rear end. I spent about 1 1/2 hours searching for the slightest ripple on the Bay. Nada, nothing, zip, zero, zilch

I did decide to remove the two Genoa sheets (attached to the clew cringle with bowlines) and attach one sheet attached with a cow's hitch/larks head knot as suggested by OJ.

I hope to experiment with this rig set up in 1-2 days, weather and medical issues permitting. As present, I will resist the temptation to install shroud rollers, turnbuckle covers, etc. and hope that minimizing the clew cringle knot on the Genoa will resolve the issue.

I was able to install the boomvang today that I purchased from Garhauer (sp ). It really looks good and seems to "blend in" with the Ty. I hope to be able to use the boom vang when the winds are a little more substantial and I want to control mainsail twist and make adjustments for the mainsail telltales.

By the way, some may ask, what is this "very, very accurate and precise wind gauge" that I so proudly speak of in this post Simple. Wet your index finger and stick it in the air It is very accurate. I have been doing it for years.