Association Forum - Main/Genoa sheet lengths

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Main/Genoa sheet lengths - how much is too much?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Dragonfly
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
64 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/17/2003 : 08:06:21

Hello again
More questions - It seems as though the sheets on my boat are excessively long - those being the main sheet and the genoa sheet. Obviously there will be some excess at the point of maximal extension, but HOW MUCH excess should there be? Is this a personal thing, or is there reason for this?
While out in 15 knot winds yesterday -solo (my 2nd time)I noticed they would become tangled sometimes. Maybe it was operator error that they became tangled -but still- can I cut/shorten these to an "appropriate" length.

Thanks

C-250 WK #641
Flywater@sbcglobal.net
Lake Texoma, Texas

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2003 : 11:40:00

Great question. I too have what appears to be double the needed length of main sheet line. I have the bulk of excess velcro wrapped. I'm to chicken to shorten, but wonder why/ or if i should be. Lets see who responds. As to my jib sheets, they are just right length.

Suzie
Tropical Sleigh WB#619
Sarasota FL.

Edited by - on

Bryan Beamer
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1038 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2003 : 12:19:27

My jib sheets are the right length as well. If anything I would make them longer, then they would be long enough to get to the coaming winches while the jib is furled. My main sheet has about 8 to 10' left when the sail is out as far as it will go. I need 5' of that to get it back to the area behind the wheel. I am happy with the length of the main sheet. It is better to be to long that to short.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Bryan Beamer
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc23b3127cce9462f2858f2b0000001010" border=0>
Daylight Again
C250wk #495

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2003 : 12:20:19

As for the mainsheet, you can hoist your mainsail, head downwind and let the sail out until it touches your aft-most shrouds, and then cut off anything that is sticking out of the mainsheet cleat more than about three feet.

The length of the jibsheets depends on whether you use them for only one jib, or for two different jibs of different sizes. I use the same one on my 110% jib and on my 150% genoa. They have to be long enough to use on your jib when it is poled out for sailing downwind, with enough extra to wrap around your winch three times, and about three feet to spare. If you use a different one for each size of jib, then the smaller jibs will require longer mainsheets.

As Bryan said, if your jib is roller-furling, then your sheets should be long enough to reach your coaming winches and cleat while the sail is furled.

It also helps if you get in the habit of looking at your sheets after each tack or gybe. You don't have to coil them neatly, but just make sure that you aren't sitting on them, and that they aren't overlapping each other or all jumbled together, or worse, wrapped around your foot or your neck. <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - Steve Milby on 03/20/2003 12:25:44

Edited by - Steve Milby on 03/20/2003 12:28:38

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3323 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2003 : 12:52:39

"If you use a different one for each size of jib, then the smaller jibs will require longer mainsheets."
Steve, are you sure???
My genoa sheets are much longer than the ones for the 110%. The clew of the genoa, when close hauled, is almost at the aft end of the cabin - so the lazy sheet has to go almost all the way around the cabin. The clew of the 110% is just past level with the mast and, therefore, that lazy sheet doesn't need to go so far, thus can be shorter. I remember from somewhere the parameters for jib sheets - for the 110%, the length of the boat. For the genoa, 1 1/2 times the boat length (and for a spinnaker, twice the boat length).
Derek

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc30b3127cce942c608d6f1e0000001010" border=0>
TRFK#2262"This Side Up"

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2003 : 13:02:06

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> "If you use a different one for each size of jib, then the smaller jibs will require longer mainsheets."
Steve, are you sure???<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Whooops! You're right. I forgot about that. <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

Bryan Beamer
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1038 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2003 : 14:38:39

Speaking of long lines. My furling line has quite a few wraps left around the drum when the jib is furled up and about 10' left in the cockpit. Does anyone know why?

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc31b3127cce943e1d3b77260000001610" border=0>

Bryan Beamer
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc23b3127cce9462f2858f2b0000001010" border=0>
Daylight Again
C250wk #495

Edited by - on

Dragonfly
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
64 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2003 : 08:36:23

Brian,
I was at the boat this weekend, and much to my wife's chagrin, I pulled out the leatherman, made some calculated approximations and cut some lines.
Although my roller furling line was not one of them, when it is rolled up, as in your photo, there is about 3 feet left over - enough to reach back to the steering pedestool.

C-250 WK #641
Flywater@sbcglobal.net
Lake Texoma, Texas

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.