Mainsheet and headsail handling hardware

[MacGyver]

Hey everyone,

I am looking to find out what everyone uses for Mainsheet handling and also the head sails. I am kind of on the fence about replacing my hardware but I have the boat getting closer and closer to painting. After it is painted will be a bad to to then replace hardware.......hard to patch the paint back in since we all know the holes will be different.

If you have pictures fantastic! If not that is alright.
I am also looking for numbers........and to be honest I think I am going to run mostly Harken just because I have a easier source for it.

As far as headsail handling, I am talking mainly in the cockpit area for the jib/Genoa sheets to keep em off the edges of the combing.

Any ideas are appreciated and so is the help. I have found some stuff on the forum but not pointed exactly at the 19. More for the 16.

Even if you have ideas for the halyards too, actually, I just realized I have some bad pulleys there as well.

Mac

[crazycarl]

jason,

our starwind 19 had cheek blocks on the outside of the cockpit combing, about 12" aft of the winch.  the sheet ran through the genoa car, around the cheek block, and then around the winch.  they kept the sheets off the outside combing's edge, protecting the brightsides paint i had used. 

i'm thinking 'bout adding them to miss adventures.


carl

sorry, no pics

[Salty19]

I would say for the main, a Ronstan standup cam cleat/block like on later models and a Lewmar 50mm fiddle block for the main. 40's are a tad too small, IMO. Definitely a fiddle, not a double block.    I'm running a spliced single braid, New England 8mm Salsa for the mainsheet--love it--tangle free, easy on the hands, coils nicely just overall a very nice line.

For the jib sheets, I had the same problem and also noticed way too much friction in the routing, not to mention extra attention needed to pay out the line when tacking.  At the end of last season, which seems like forever ago,  I went with the below setup and won't look elsewhere for cleaner routing with sheets that fly through the blocks easily. No pay out needed and the lead genny car can be moved while under sail (like when furling or depowering). Try doing this with one that turns the line under load..can't be done or at least not as easily.

[skip1930]

Don't deviate from the factory set-up. I have never had any luck using Harken jam cleats setting on angled pedestals to hold the headsail sheets coming off the winches. The line always slips out. Use the factory cleats. And I don't really like all that extra junk cluttering up the flats of the cockpit combing. Who needs it? That's where I step aboard from the dock. It's confusing for guests.

On this barge I don't hurry when coming about. Were not racing the thing. Don't need jams for the head sheets. I think these are the same harken jams on the same blocks as talked about below. Yes in light wind the sheets don't play out [unwrap from the drum] very well. Then I can see a use for the block.

P.S. I have used my winch with handle, a foot on the bulkhead, my back and all my 'humph' with three turns on the drum to pull my 155% lapper in when sailing in 'the big wind'. It's not unusual.

skip.

[Harrier]

Salty, I'm interested by your jib sheet routing.  I've considered similar on my 27, but I think for different reasons.  I say 'I think' because I'm not sure I fully understand what your trying to achieve.  I assume this is a photo of your windward sheet, as you're not actively using the winch?  How does the leeward working sheet look? What do you mean by "pay out"? 
I'm mainly interested by the use of a second lead block to bring the sheet aft of the winch.  As I've mentioned in another post, I dont like angle the sheets come into the winch when coming directly off the lead track block.  The angle is so steep the sheet has to drag over the edge of the combing-especially on the port side.  Anyone else with a 27 do anything similar?

Thanks

[Salty19]

Skip,

While it's not obvious in the pic, note these are taller heavy duty cam cleats with 1/2" starboard spacer underneath.  It's never slipped on me, either coming off the winch or as shown above, off a block tied to the winch.  I think yours slip because they are short with no spacers, and perhaps in a bad location.

Harrier,
The factory setup on my 19 seems to promote the sheet wearing against the coaming when the genoa lead cars are in certain (most) positions with one track car going to the cleat or winch. Running dual genoa lead cars help to reduce the chafe.  Running the winch blocks reduces friction.

When I say "pay out", I mean manually handling/feeding the new lazy sheet, during a tack, through the blocks and around the winch.  I found the wraps around the winch created a ton of friction, so that's why I put together the setup shown.  I no longer have to fool with loosing the lazy sheet so the sail can tack. We just unclear when ready and the lazy sheet goes through the blocks. They are long enough to just sit there ready to be pulled again.
Disclaimer: I've not found the need for winches on any of the headsails (110/140/170) we use. I imagine a 27 would have significantly more force requiring a winch.