Running rigging

[Cliff]

Two rigging lessons from racing on July 25:

Continuous jib sheet is not cool. It just provides a loop in which
the spinnaker gets tangled. Two separate jib sheets, with tails
hanging into the cockpit.

Spinnaker sheet, however rigged, should be as short as possible (and
no shorter!). It's essential to make sure that both sheets are free
BEFORE the hoist and BEFORE each jibe. I know, d'uh.

[PPYC]

Everyone says the J18 is like a mini Melges, but there is no reason to
have continuous jib sheets like a Melges 24, since there is no
adjusting from the rail (we don't have to freakin hike these boats
down like a 24) and bring the jib in as speed builds. On the Melges
24 we cross/double cleat the jib sheet after rounding the leward mark
(or tacking) and then as the speed builds the jib trimmer can just
push down the center of the length of line between the port and
starboard cleats, thus bringing in the jib as the driver asks. And
the angle of the cleats for the jib on our 18 would make for a weird
run if a continuous sheet were used...... I hate hiking down that boat
(24). It makes it harder to drink beer back at the club. I sure wish
there were more 18's out here in the NW. The trick on jibing is to
take in all the slack on the new spin sheet before you release the
old sheet, These long spin sheets are nice to float the kite out in
front with the forestay as the driver turns the boat, and the main
comes across, and then the spin can be trimmed in nicely. My ten yr
old's got it figured out! (When I try it by myself I usually get it
wet!)
103* here yesterday!

[ortegakid]

Agree on the jib, but spin needs be continuous, as would be way too
long to be able to go around forestay, if not, would have much extra
lying in cockpit. Still working on chute system, almost perfect, will
post pix soon!

[PPYC]

I miss spoke, the spin sheets are continuous on my boat. I have a hard
time keeping stuff organized in that cockpit as it is! Had a nice sail
Friday night but I did get the kite kinda wet during the set (My 10 yr
old was at the neighbors). I'm sure my neighbors are having a laugh
watching me during the douse, and the crazy S turns to scrub speed, on
the downwind back to my dock! At the last second I grab the line from
the fiberglass whips on the end of my dock and clip it to the loop I
have on the cheek block; then I run up to the bow eye and clip the
other line onto it. My dock end is only 18ft! It feels like that Audi
commercial where the car is slid in-between a couple of cars!