The trick to managing sheets in the cockpit

[mastreb]

Is not to have them in the cockpit:



What I do here is simply toss the sheets into the companionway when I'm done handling that line. They automatically fall to basically the same positions each time, so for example when I want the port jibsheet, Its always in exactly the same place next to the companionway. Works very well with the jibsheets, the mainsheet, the furling line, and even the main halyard if you want.

If I'm single-handing, I sail with the mainsheet draped over the throttle. If I'm not singlehanding, one of the crew helms and I manage sheets from the forward cockpit so I'll have them all going down into the companionway in this manner.

Believe it or not it doesn't cause any problems for entering the cabin, and they never seem to get tangled up at all inside the cabin.

I've tried a number of other solutions, including sheet bags, tying off to lines, not managing them at all, etc. but this works best and keeps them out from underneath crew and passengers and tangled up in legs.

This photo also shows how I fly the mainsheet cleat block from a short line above the traveller. This puts the cleat at the perfect height to control the mainsheet easily from the helm, keeps people from accidentally sitting on the cleat block, and lets you shorten the mainsheet line by 4X the length of the flying line.

Matt

[Johnacuda]

This is almost exactly what I do on my

the only difference is when I singlehand, i tie the jib sheets to the pedestal guard.

I also tie off my bow springline to a stantion and toss that in the companionway. It makes it easy to grab when docking.

[Russ]

Interesting how you extended the main sheet line so the cam cleat is higher up.
Does that help?

I've never had trouble with mine down low, but this makes me think you may have an idea with that.

--Russ

[topcat0399]

I would imagine it would depend on the angle of your cam cleat from your usual places of main-sheet handling.

For example: We have a gauhauer fiddle with a cam cleat. I wish I had purchased one with an adjustable
cam cleat - I have no problem snapping it free while sitting but I usually have to stand and yank upwards to cleat off.

Sometimes in some situations it can be a pain...

[NiceAft]

Mastreb said;

I've tried a number of other solutions, including sheet bags, tying off to lines, not managing them at all, etc. but this works best and keeps them out from underneath crew and passengers and tangled up in legs.

I solved that problem by using Bill's Eazy cleats. The genoa sheets are now far back in the cockpit, easy to reach. Now when I solo sail, I no longer am reaching forward to grab a genoa sheet. The main sheet is flung over the throttle.



Ray

[mastreb]

Mastreb said;

I've tried a number of other solutions, including sheet bags, tying off to lines, not managing them at all, etc. but this works best and keeps them out from underneath crew and passengers and tangled up in legs.

I solved that problem by using Bill's Eazy cleats. The genoa sheets are now far back in the cockpit, easy to reach. Now when I solo sail, I no longer am reaching forward to grab a genoa sheet. The main sheet is flung over the throttle.

Ray

I have EZ cleats as well and use them when I single-hand, but when I've got a full manifest, I like the sheets forward and out from under the passenger's derriers. With the stern rail seats, there's always a butt on the sheets next to me. When not using them for jib sheets, I route the roller-furling line through the port EZ cleat. When I am using the EZ cleats for jib lines, I route the roller-furling line through the port jib cleat.

I originally did the flying mainsheet cleat because it's a PITA for me to get the mainsheet low enough to uncleat it reliably from the helm. Having done it, I wouldn't have it any other way. My first solution was to reverse the mainsheet so the cleat was at the boom, but you have to be really tall to cleat it on a beam reach. This works a lot better.

[NiceAft]

With the stern rail seats, there's always a butt on the sheets next to me.

I also have stern rail seats. I have found that six persons in the cockpit is too many to have on board and sail the boat. With less than six (including me ), I don't have the “butt" problem. I also do not have a jib. I only have the 150 genoa on a roller furler. I have the Eazy cleats far back on the genoa track.

Ray

[mastreb]

With the stern rail seats, there's always a butt on the sheets next to me.

I also have stern rail seats. I have found that six persons in the cockpit is too many to have on board and sail the boat. With less than six (including me ), I don't have the “butt" problem. I also do not have a jib. I only have the 150 genoa on a roller furler. I have the Eazy cleats far back on the genoa track.

Ray

It gets quite crowded, to be sure, and managing the sheets this way helps a lot. It's really quite impossible to leave sheets in the cockpit with six people, especially when some of them are only "ballast" and don't understand sailing. We've routinely got 4 or five monkeys in the <12yo set onboard, and they're always getting fouled up in sheets.

[Sea Wind]

This is how I keep mine:
Furler line: cleat port side and then coiled around port winch. This is the only line that passengers get to help, or at least to pass it back to the helm
Jib sheets: routed outside to EZ cleats (furthest aft position) and bitter end of lazy side behind backrest of cushion and the working end behind stern cleat
CB line: tossed inside the cabin on starboard side
Main halyard: on clutch on starboard side coiled around starboard winch
Bow line: routed outside of shrouds, secured at handrail of companionway hatch and then inside cabin port side
Boom vang: bitter end at handrail of companionway hatch
Mainsheet: at pedestal guard with some slack under the helm (this is probably the only benefit of not having a traveler)
Preventer (when used): in the two camcleats by the winches.
I usually encourage “ballast” passengers to look out the front hatch from the V-birth as it is one of the best seats

[BOAT]

Good advice - Yup yup mastreb, that's the way Mike Inmon was doing it and the way he deals with the cam cleat is to tell people to turn it upside down so it releases with an UP instead of a DOWN. That is not the way I do it but I steer from the side of the wheelhouse, not behind it and usually it's only myself and my wife onboard. (I have sort of changed my rigging around a bit)

[Highlander]

here I thought I was going to be reading something sleazy & juicy

J

[seahouse]

I also toss the sheets down into the companionway. I also find that it makes it easier to coil the lines if you toss them down there first- the height allows them to untwist.

[sunshinecoasting]

OK I might try this but on an the main sheet attaches to the pedestal and does not have a traveller across the companionway, personally I like this idea better and was partially why I chose an X over an M, however I dont know how having the excess sheet in the companionway would work coming from the pedestal? Any feedback on this?

[Johnacuda]

OK I might try this but on an the main sheet attaches to the pedestal and does not have a traveller across the companionway, personally I like this idea better and was partially why I chose an X over an M, however I dont know how having the excess sheet in the companionway would work coming from the pedestal? Any feedback on this?

I have a as well. tossing the main sheet into tompanionway is nice and easy. I single hand a lot, sitting on the weather side it keeps the lines from tangling up.

[BOAT]

My mainsheet goes to a block at the BOTTOM of the pedestal and up to a cam cleat - I just stuff the line in a sheet bag that hangs down off suction cups at the bottom of the helm seat covering the opening in the transom:



If I pull the line in from there it automatically yanks it out of the cam cleat at the traveler:



If my wife is at the helm I can still control the the main from the cleat at the traveler if I want to. I just release it from the wheelhouse cam and pull up on the line in front of the pedestal block and the line cleats itself back at the traveler. If I change my mind and want to go back to controlling the main from the rear of the cockpit I just pull the line and it automatically pulls out of the traveler cleat:



At first I thought the sheet would be in the way in the cockpit, but after several outings now we have found it not be in the way at all.