Recently I learned about a different, apparently new way to rig jib sheets on a sailboat of size, especially one with a furling jib. This approach uses two sheets on each side and allows efficient adjustment of sail shape without having to move jib sheet block cars back and forth on a track after changing point of sail or furling or unfurling the jib. While there may be a downside, I'm always intrigued by new ways to accomplish old tasks. Might this be a better mousetrap? Check it out, and if you have thoughts about this leave a comment!
Explore Sailing
Also from About.com:
©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.
Comments
I haven’t seen this setup on headsails before, but I have used it a lot. It is essentially identical to how we rig the tacks and sheets on the course on a big square rigger. It is possible to position the clew very precisely when you trim. It’s very handy until you need to tack. When short tacking, one would typically just clew up the course, cast off tacks and sheets and not mess with them until you’re on a straight course again. This jib sheet setup would be great for long runs but seems impractical for close-quarters maneuvering. Particularly if you have several headsails. Great idea, though! Probably easier to handle on a small boat than on a square-rigger, too.