The G-cat 5.0 that I'm currently sailing has a barberhaul system that consists of a wire/line combination that traverses the forward part of the trampoline. There's a 2 to 1 purchase that allows the slot to open/close around 8 inches. With it tight, and the blocks and sheet leads inboard it definitely helps when close hauled. When you're off the wind it doesn't seem to help all that much and most of the time I don't bother letting it out, in fact I've been considering doing away with it entirely and just having the jib blocks fixed in the inboard position.
G-cats have relatively large jibs and even though I don't race anymore I still like to sail the boat efficiently, so I want to make best use of that large jib.
My other choice would be to change it to a system that pulls the sheet lead all the way out to the side and a little forward at the same time to minimize the upper part of the jib from twisting off like when the winds on your aft quarter. It would require very little hardware and drilling. A downside would be when the sheet lead is well outboard the blocks will be angled such that they will be hard to cleat. I have a pair of Oxen blocks that would solve this problem, but I'd have to send them to Murray's for expensive maintenance.
So, my three choices are: Leave it alone, put the blocks in a fixed position or change it completely.
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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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