spinnaker sheets

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

I am adding an asymmetrical chute this year, but uncertain of how to run the sheet leads. I think they should be near the back of the boat (IE: across from the wheel) to make a better lead than where the genoa track is now. My thought was to mount another track near the back and put a adjustable ratchet block for the sheets that would then run to the winch. This could be mounted on top of the teak rail as per the genoa tracks. Any thoughts, do I need to do this or will the genoa leads be far enough outboard and back far enough?

Thanks, Richard

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Doesn't your T37 have long outboard tracks already mounted on the top of the toerail? This was (I thought) a standard arrangement for the boat. When I fly the spinnaker, I use a heavy snatch block that clips to this track and lead the sheet back to the winches. The lead is fair and the angle works nicely.

berwick · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 18:12 **Posts:** 325

It does have the tracks, but they do not run back as far as I thought would make a better fairlead for the spinnaker sheets. If you say it is back far enough I'll leave it, I have enough work to do without adding more!

Thanks,
Richard

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

One difference may be that I have dedicated spinnaker winches forward of the genoa winches. The lead from the spinnaker sheets comes off of the snatch blocks. There should also be a pad-eye mounted on the toe rail outboard of the main winches in which you can mount the snatch block.

Jay · **Joined:** 22 Oct 2006 19:25 **Posts:** 61

I fly a North Sails G2 Gennaker and have had no problem running the sheets through large snatch blocks fastened to pad eyes that slide on the tracks on the toerails. I don't have spinnaker winches and therefore use the primaries (Andersen 46 STs). The gennaker luff line runs through a snatch block connected to a bail on the anchor roller, and thus the gennaker luff is as far forward as possible. Jay

jammin · **Joined:** 30 Oct 2006 15:40 **Posts:** 63

It was always my understanding that the tracks on the toe rail are intended for spinnaker sheets. The genoa should be sheeted to the inner track and when close-hauled the genoa is inside the lifelines. This is the only way to point well. We consistently outpoint all others on upwind legs and win races this way.

I do use a snatch block on the toe rail for broad reaching. The block goes just at the forward side of the gate. Open the gate and drop the sheet into the block. Then you get a sheeting point as far outboard as possible and the top of the genoa can be trimmed properly.

The spinnaker block goes on the toe rail well aft. The only issue I have is that my big block provides a lead that is really too high to feed into the winch properly. A smaller block than mine may work better. The spinnaker sheets are always led outside of everything else on the boat. Separate winches would help. Some people use the cabin top winches, since the trimmer is often standing on the upwind side of the boat near the shrouds.

Hope this helps.

Jerry
JAMMIN' #226

Tartan37.com

spinnaker sheets

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