E38 Inner or Outer Track for Trimming Head-sail

[AlanO]

I watched Christian's recent video of his maiden sail with a new main and genoa. Congrats on the new sails!. I noticed that Christian was using the inner tracks for trimming the new 130% genoa. The question of whether to use the inner or outer track for trimming the head-sail has been in the back of my mind since purchasing our E38-200 last June. What factors are people considering when choosing a track?

Thanks.

Alan

 

[Loren Beach]

What factors are people considering when choosing a track?

Does your boat already have an inner track on each side?

 

[Christian Williams]

I'll have to switch to the gunwale track for broad reach with this sail, since the sheet bears on the lifelines. One penalty of a low clew.

To windward it's the inner track for sure, the rig is designed for close sheeting.

Snatch blocks make the switch easier, but they're expensive and they flop around.

 

[Nick J]

I've always wondered how others have done this. I've tried taking the lazy sheet to the windward outboard track then tacking. I've also tried taking the lazy sheet to the leeward track then falling off. Sometimes tacking isn't ideal, but the down side of the other method is running out of winches (I don't have secondaries) . So what do other people do? (yes I know setting up at the dock is an option, but I don't plan ahead that well)

 

[AlanO]

Yep. The boat came with both inner and outer tracks. I believe it is standard with this model.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

When crewing for friends we would tie an extra short sheet on and run it through a snatch block on the toe rail. But, on their boats we had secondary jib winches. We'd shift between the short sheet and the original if/as the wind was shifty. We'd remove it before tacking. I think with our boat we could make the outboard cabin top winches work.

 

[Nick J]

Good idea, I tend to forget about the cabin top winches