Releasing jib sheet

I solo my 18 a good bit and am having trouble releasing my jib sheet from across the boat. Is there anything I can do to make this easier? There's a good chance I'm doing something wrong since I'm very new to sailing (a few months)

Try changing the angle of your jib blocks.....two small screws on the cheeks of the block housing, at the end of the housing are the jaws of the cleat, loosen the screws (DON'T DROP THEM!), rotate to a 'better' angle, re-tighten.

Yes, my wife often has trouble releasing the jib sheets, especially when beating hard upwind. A little more slack and a 'whipping' action?

What also helped us was buying Rick White's DVD...I had to watch 'how to tack' about 18 times before I understood how to keep the jib working throughout the tack. A wealth of information both there and on the Forum.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

Thanks! I may have to get that DVD I'm having a hard time tacking my 18 and my 14. I've got a lot to learn

One of the keys to tacking cats is to release about a foot of mainsheet line as the bows pass through head to wind. Then as you cross sides, pull the sheet with you and tighten up as you proceed on the next tack. This works well on my H20 and should on your 18 as well.

The 14 is tougher to tack without the jib to help blow the bows around. Have some speed going into the tack. Be careful not to jam the rudders over to hard as this kills your speed. Let out a little more mainsheet, maybe a foot and a half. Stay aft on the original weather side a little longer before you cross over as this creates a pivot point for the tack. With your weight aft, the bows will be up out of the water and the wind will help blow them around.

Hope this helps.

_________________
Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

I was lucky to get two Oxen blocks with my boat, now I'm a believer and have trouble using the stock jib blocks, probably because I'm out of practice.

Try adjusting the cam angle and practicing using what you have first. But if you're in the market for new blocks then consider Oxen. Murray's sells the Oxen blocks for $100 more than the Harken ones.

I agree with the recommendation for Oxen blocks. They are certainly an option and they do allow you to release the sheet from any position on the boat. I used them on my boat for many years and they work as advertised. They have one flaw- there is an internal spring that will eventually fail and when that happens, the block will not release, it will only allow you to sheet in, but not free-wheel. You'll have to remove the block and send it back to the manufacturer for repair. The folks that I know that still use these blocks keep a spare on hand so they can swap the block out when it fails (this is not a case of if, but when).

The other thing you can do is simply practice with the stock blocks. There is definitely a technique to getting the sheet to snap out of the cleat. There has to be some slack in the sheet and you want to whip the line aft, not down. Also, if you have Seaway blocks, you should ditch them. Switch to either Oxen blocks, or Harken blocks if you want to stay with a traditional cleat arrangement. Harken blocks and cleats operate much more easily than Seaways.

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Mine are the stock, seaway I think.

Where do you usually leave your jib block positioned on the track?

These blocks are very difficult to release due to the metal cleats and overall poor design. There is an adapter plate that you can purchase which allows you to install Harken cleats on the Seaway block if you're looking to save money. If you have the money and you want the best, most dependable blocks, I'd go with Harkens. You can also go with Oxen blocks as another option.


Generally towards the center of the track. The fore/aft position of the jib block is determined by how the jib breaks when sailing upwind. Sail the boat upwind and then slowly turn the boat into the wind. If the top of the jib luffs first, move the block forward, if the bottom of the jib luffs first, move the block back.

sm

Thanks for the caution about Oxen, srm. The downside of Oxen is they do need more attention than Harken. I rinse mine after sailing in the ocean, and they do need to be sent in for professional maintenance. Murray's is authorized to do this and they charge about $50 per block, and then you need to hope it doesn't need a rebuild because you'll be dinged for parts and labor on top of the $50. For the recreational sailor the Harkens will do fine with practice and proper adjustment.

Now, aside from death threats, does anyone have suggestions to have the crew sheet out the jib using their elbow and shoulder instead of their back and waist while keeping their arm straight? If Hobies had a brig I've got a couple crew who would be in there.