downwind sails

[robinwren - Wombat]

I use 10mm sheets, because we have no intention of using the beast in strong winds. 12mm will be ok, and aslo easier to handle. I have used Lewmar Synchro C-Snap plastic snap shackles. This is because they are light, and I got a pair very cheap at the Southampton Boat show (£3.00 for the pair). They have a safe working load of 250kg which should be more than ample.
As Dylan says, take lots of pictures.
Regards,
Robin

[ISADORA - Gaye and Conway]

I have contated Crusader sails and they recomend 8mm or 10mm 2xL of boat per sheet. This apparently gives enough slack to eventually cut the worn end (?) off with out binning the whole sheet. And you have to order everything else as an extra.

Conway

[Moondance]

I bought a cruising chute from Jeckells for my 306 last year - a 'standard' sail and so much cheaper than one measured and cut specially. It transformed downwind performance (though it is still impossible to sail directly downwind) but getting it up and down and coping with it when it gusted was a bit of a trial and I lost control and broached once during a squall while in the Round the Island Race last year. I now have an additional winch and jammer on each side deck for sheets led to a block on the front end of the pushpit, and additional eyes and jammers on the port coachroof for the halyard and foot, so once I have rigged it on the foredeck (in a square open-topped bag secured on the foredeck), before launching it, I don't need to go forward again for any reason: launching, trimming sheets or foot, gybing (I use two sheets, one led round the forestay) or dropping. I can rig it before I set off if I'm on my own. I've used it single-handed without difficulty, including gybing it, and I release the foot to drop it into the companionway (the disadavantage of that being I have to stuff it back in its bag and re-rig it on the foredeck before I can launch it again). It needs two 18m sheets the way I rig it.

Graham

[robinwren - Wombat]

Hi,
Whilst I agree that having the extra length of sheet is good if it is going to wear out, the chances of doing so are very slight. I don't know about your sailing, but I doubt if the cruising chute will be up for very long periods of time, unless you are crossing oceans. I do know however that having two extra lots of 5m of string in the cockpit can not only be a pain in the .... but also a danger. For me, I try to keep as much string out of the way as posible.
I raced a Sigma 33 for over 10 years, with the spinniker always in and out of the bag, and did not have to renew the sheets once.
Just a thought.
Robin