Jib sheets attach to the aft-most corner of the jib (the clew) and run back to the cockpit on both sides of the boat. The jib sheets are used to trim the sail in or ease it out. Consider using a soft shackle to tie your jib sheets to the sail.
On most sailboats, jib sheets are usually attached to the clew in one of two ways:
- When two individual sheets are used, both are often tied to the clew with a bowline. This knot can easily be untied when the sail is changed, but the two large bowlines form a big, heavy mass that can cause injury if it strikes you while wrestling with a flailing sail in the wind.
- When a single line is used, a metal shackle is often placed in a loop of the line at its center point, for shackling the lines to the clew. This also means a dangerous hard object that can injure a crew in the head or eye.
But There’s a Better Way
A better solution is to use a soft shackle made with the single jib sheet itself, whipping line, and a short, extra piece of line. This extra piece should be the same diameter as the sheet.
Here's how to begin:
First, form a loop at the center of the single line to be used as jib sheets. It should be about a foot in diameter. Whip the line firmly to maintain the loop.
