Cockpit trim question (cut or remove)

[K.C. Walker]

This may not win any race but c'est la vie.

[GreenLake]

Sitting on the lee side is something I only do in light / very moderate winds when I have crew that can balance the boat. If I'm by myself in any breeze, I'd be afraid that any good gust would put the mast horizontal. Sheets: I'd hold both in one hand, amazingly you can still adjust them relative to each other to some degree, if you allow your hand to move in 2-D or even 3-D and not simply along a single line. (In many conditions I would simply cleat the jib).

I like the coamings for conditions where we take water over the bow: it tends to not run into the cockpit as it comes aft past the cuddy.

[K.C. Walker]

Yes, when I first lowered my coamings flush to the deck, I would get water coming into the cockpit right past the cuddy as water would come over the front deck. I added little minicell foam coamings angled away from the cuddy to the rail and that did the trick to divert the water.

[Cliff]

K. C.

You're making my point!

[K.C. Walker]

K. C.

You're making my point!

Maybe so!

Though, in my situation, the water was coming over the windward side of the cockpit from spray on the foredeck. On nice windy days, when I am happy to be hiked way out on the side deck, toes in the hiking straps, and without the coamings digging into my legs, my little extra coamings also help keep my butt dry.

[Cliff]

That may be the way to go but GL has got me feeling guilty not to cut them down. Mine are somewhat historic with a bronze grab fitting through the coming for the sheet-- there is no adjustment of where the sheet can be fastened. I know this should be remedied.

Oh well have a Merry Christmas in Conn.

[GreenLake]

You can always mount some cleats on the CB trunk.

[Cliff]

No, I'm referring to the no adjustment position of where the sheet is hauled. Will want to install a sliding pulley adjustment.

[GreenLake]

Ah, sorry, read too fast.

Interestingly my sailmaker's instruction for my jib assumes barber inhaulers but a fixed position for the jib fairlead.

I found that counterintuitive, but I wasn't going to argue.

[Cliff]

A pic may explain it.

[GreenLake]

Nice. These look like combination thru-coaming/cleats.

You are right; they don't allow fore-aft adjustment, but if I believe my sailmaker, he felt that in/out adjustment was more important.

That's an if.

[Cliff]

I yield to your experience since I've never had the Barber Adj. Assume that having both is now standard.

[GreenLake]

Experience seems to indicate that the effect of the inhauls is noticeable. In the right conditions: upwind 6-12 knots. In the middle of that range the sheet can be hauled in to as much as 18" form centerline, but 0" if well outside that range, or reaching or downwind. Some intermediate setting for the transitions at the low and high end of the range. Easy to jury rig with a loop of rope for testing.

However, nothing beats having a dedicated crew person (elf) doing the jib trim.

Like in this picture going on a close reach while reefed.

[Cliff]

Is that elf named Barber?

[GreenLake]