by GreenLake » Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:02 pm
I started the other way: my jib track broke on the maiden voyage, and the replacement tracks I got had beefier blocks that accept up to 3/8". When it became time to replace the sheets, I found a bit of 3/8" line lying around that happened to have the correct length. That's what I've been using, even though it's not the best rope for the purpose (too smooth and a bit too heavy in light airs).
A lighter line would make sense, and a better grip might allow a thinner line, but ultimately you have to know whether 1/4" will fit your style of sailing. If it does, K.C.s recommendation might fit the bill, the price seems good, a tad better than my local source for the same rope.
One thing I did with my jib sheet, I switched from using a knot at the clew to a rope shackle. That is a short length of Amsteel, with an eye splice in one end and a manrope knot in the other. You attach it to the sheet using a Prusik knot, and then attach the sail by sticking the eye splice through the clew and locking it with the manrope knot.
The Amsteel is 12-plait which is really easy to splice, and by working with pairs of strands, you can work out how to apply the instructions for a manrope knot (usually given for 3-strand rope) to double the number of effective strands with little problem. Mine came out on first try.
Unlike a steel shackle, there's nothing to bang up when the sail flogs, but like a steel shackle, you can take the sail of the sheet without having to thread the sheet through the blocks and barber hauls. I now leave the sheet in place and it's saved me precious minutes both rigging and unrigging.
The instructions for the splice and the two knots are not hard to find. I have several in print, but perhaps somebody can locate some good online versions.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~