Headsail Sheet Hangs on Forward Hatch, 32-3

[peaman]

I recently found that the rivets holding one of the catches for the forward hatch had broken. Thanks to this post I was able to fix that with new rivets. I realized that the damage was caused by the head sail sheet getting hung up on the forward hatch when tacking.

The hatch is the original Lewmar Super Hatch.

In the Spring, I replaced an old 1/2" headsail sheet with a new Sta-Set 7/16". I also had the hatch fitted with a new lens and gasket. There was never an issue in prior seasons with this, but now the sheet sometimes gets caught under the hatch lid, requiring me to go forward to clear it in order to avoid damaging the hatch again. It has so far only happened right after unfurling the headsail, but obviously, it could as well happen in any tack if the sheet gets enough slack.

Has anyone else had this issue? Is there any reasonable way to fix this?

 

[ConchyDug]

You're talking about the gap between the frame and hatch?

I've seen people use a loop of appropriately sized bungee to fill the gap. Or you could fab up a canvas hatch envelope like the fancy sport boats do.

 

[HerbertFriedman]

I have had this problem on my 87 E34 but if you keep tension on the lazy sheet at all times and take up any slack in this line, this problem mainly goes away.

 

[Slick470]

Keep tension on the lazy sheet. Or run a spare line from the mast to the pulpit or bow cleat, so the sheets are held off the deck. Spin pole would work for that too. We'll do the spare line thing when double handing and racing just to make sure it doesn't happen, but mostly just make sure the lazy sheet doesn't go too slack during tacks and you're good.

 

[Bolo]

Yes, as a E32-3 owner, it does happen to me too but as you have read from the other posts it’s not an uncommon problem on other boats and neither is the solution of keeping the lazy sheet tighter and in doing so ready for the next tack. Even with trying to keep the lazy sheet tighter it still does happen to me sometimes and I do the walk to the bow to clear it but I discovered that if you pull some line out forward of the sheet car and then “flip” the line so that the flip runs forward to the hatch it’ll un-jam the line and then allow you to tighten it again. Saves a walk to the bow.

 

[Gary Filgate]

We had that same problem on our 1988 35-3. keeping tension on the lazy sheet while unfurling and tacking has prevented that problem.

 

[Christian Williams]

It's useful to consider that almost all fouling issues are the result of slack lines. In the routine survey of a boat under sail, the most common action is the tug of a line here and there to remove slack.

You can remind a family crew to do that all you like, and they will take you as a nag or perfectionist and never do it without being reminded, and when reminded will roll their eyes behind your back.

It is something a skipper does himself, along with paying for the dinner ashore.

 

[peaman]

The thing is, this particular snag happens even when I go to take slack out of the lazy sheet right after unfurling the head sail. Unfurling requires tending both working sheet and furling line before attention can be shifted to the lazy sheet, etc. Not sure if I will be able to clear the sheet by "flipping" it, as @Bolo suggested, but we'll see.

I will also think about using the reaching strut rigged mast ring to bow deck as a guard, as @Slick470 suggested.

 

[Christian Williams]

I try to keep the headsail from flogging by taking up on the active sheet in concert with the gradual deploy. If the headsail flogs, the lazy sheet will flail and make a mess. I take the slack out of the lazy sheet first.

The technique is worth working on, as even with a crew headsail deployment is a one-person job.

 

[Roger Janeway]

You're talking about the gap between the frame and hatch?

I've seen people use a loop of appropriately sized bungee to fill the gap. Or you could fab up a canvas hatch envelope like the fancy sport boats do.

My PO had fashioned a length of thick line that perfectly fills that gap on the Super Hatch, and I still use it. It's tight so a bit of trouble to put on before a sail. It is true as many here have said that if tension is kept on the lazy sheet during a tack, you don't need this. Still, the rope-in-the-gap method is helpful for those rare occasions when sailors fail to employ perfect technique.