Ananda flies a 95% blade jib, which is perfect for San Francisco Bay. But I'm struggling a bit with the sheeting arrangements.

Close hauled, I want the sheet point to be as inboard as possible, and the inboard track is great for this. With the car a couple stops from the front the boat points really well.

Reaching is a different matter, however - it's hard to get a good shape with an inboard sheeting point. The outboard track is meant for a larger genoa and puts the sheeting point too far aft for the blade jib - not enough leech tension even at the forwardmost car position. And changing between the two requires re-running the sheet because the shrouds are in the way.

So I'm looking at creative options for trimming properly at all points of sail:

• I could suck it up and run a changing sheet when I want to switch to outboard sheeting.
• Or just have double sheets.
• Or rig an adjustable twing to pull the normally outboard sheeting point inboard when I'm close hauled.
• Or a side-side track with the sheet lead to the rail and then back.
• Or move the chainplate so the shrouds aren't in the way (just kidding!)
• Or some other crazier idea.

Has anyone encountered this challenge before? Any ideas?

Alex,

The simplest method off the wind is to use a Barber haluer (e.g. twing). You don't have as much pressure on the sheets off the wind and could run it through a stanchion base outboard. That will allow you to pull the jib more outboard when off the wind. If you do this frequently, you can install a fairlead aft and install Harken 150 cam cleats to lock the twing in position easily without going forward. Do an arrangement like this (one for port and one for stbd:

1. Snatch block around jib sheet - for 95% jib I assume this would be forward of shroud, but you'll need to figure that out based on the angle where the twing runs so it doesn't rub on the chain plate.
2. Run twing outboard through stanchion base that is closest to, but behind the clew - you may want to put a small turning block there. (see this thread)
3. Lead twing aft and inboard to cabin top, under the jib sheet
4. Install fairlead eye on side of coach roof near the deck intersection at an angle that allows smooth transition for twing to run to cabin top
5. Install a Harken 150 cam cleat on cabin top - On Rhapsody these are forward of the winch and outboard on the coach roof.

With this setup you should be able to adjust the sheeting angle on either side without leaving the cockpit.

Bill,

That sounds reasonable - I was thinking of using twings to pull my sheeting point inboard instead of outboard, but either way works. I agree that outboard is preferable as the load on the sheet is lower.

I'm not sure I trust my stanchion bases to carry the twing blocks without re-bedding them, but that's another matter.

Alex,

You could do a similar arrangement with blocks attached at the base of the mast to haul inward. Attach with sail ties to try and see if it works.

My first thought is Barber hauling outboard as well. Trying to get the right close hauled shape with an inboard haul would be frustrating!