Single or double sheet.
One thing puzzles me: Why does so many junks sail around with 4-, 5- or even 6-part single sheets?
All my boats have had 3-part sheet, either the Pilmer or the Johanna version (see p. 4-5). Only once did I start with a 5-part sheet and that was on Johanna’s 48sqm sail. One single trip. I found that the sheet added too much friction while hoisting sail, and in the very light wind, during that trip, the sail was reluctant to pull the sheet out through all those blocks. Last, but not least, that 5-part sheet added up to a lot of spaghetti in the cockpit.
I am much happier with the 3-part (single) version, even though it can be a handful to haul in on sails over 30sqm. Then I have the choice between cranking in the last bit with my genoa winch (Lewmar 8). The forces are light enough to let me crank the winch with one hand and hauling the end with the other. The other option is to simply head up for a second, pull in the slack sheet and then fall off again.
To me it appears that controlling the twist in the sail is vital to getting most out of the sail. Most sails end up with too much twist much of the time. My H-M sails with a full size fan top all seem to like the Johanna-sheeting. That may be over the top on flat-topped sails, so maybe the Pilmer version is better.
I have seen double (upper-lower) sheeting on one sail; the schooner Samson’s 70sqm mainsail. That appeared to make sense. In light winds, the skipper just grabbed both ends and hauled in. In stronger winds he could haul at one end and then on the other.
However, on Ingeborg’s little (35sqm) sail, it makes little sense to me to split the sheet. The twist stays quite right both with full sail and when reefed.
On the other hand - if there is very little room for the sheets, a double version may be needed, both to save space (D-min) and to control the twist.
The photo below shows Ingeborg leaning to the breeze, using the Johanna-sheeting.
Arne
