Tying Dyneema sheet to spinnaker

[jasonsansfleece]

So, attaching a stripped Dyneema, spinnaker sheet to the spinnaker.
An Etchells with a symmetrical spinnaker and a spinnaker pole.
The boat came with unstripped Endura braid sheets that were bowlined to the clews, cover on and it holds knots just fine. The sheets are about to be stripped and I’m not sure knotting the dyneema ends (3-4mm) to the sail is a good idea. Would the Dyneema hold the knot especially if, God forbid, there was any flogging of the sail or other such loading and unloadings?
My first thought was sister clips, cow hitched to end of sheet but I can’t help thinking there’s a newer, better and lighter way to do it. I did look a little online, but didn’t really find anything. What do you do?

 

[beercanned]

Bare dyneema won't hold a reliable knot. Or at least not one you want in a spinnaker sheet.

Splice an eye into the exposed dyneema and either attach by cow-hitching for separate sheets, or with a soft shackle for continuous sheets

 

['Bacco]

You can splice the end and use an aluminum dogbone.

 

[yoyo]

You can cover the last few feet for a bowline. Would also provide chafe protection for pole end.

 

[Kenny Dumas]

A double bowline isn’t that slow to tie

 

[USA 007]

I’ve been tying 1/8” dyneema to the Melges 24 spinnaker clew for 25 years. Never had a knot fail.

 

[jasonsansfleece]

Cow hitching would be super secure, but would involve a lot of reeving of sheets through themselves, and then all through the deck, etc. etc..
That aluminum dog bone looks like it could fall out?
Covering the last 18 inches would certainly work.
The double bowline, super simple, would they stay in?

 

[mckenzie.keith]

Just throwing this out there. Splice at the end and use a soft shackle to connect to the tack/clew.

 

[mckenzie.keith]

I’ve been tying 1/8” dyneema to the Melges 24 spinnaker clew for 25 years. Never had a knot fail.

bowline?

 

[jasonsansfleece]

A soft shackle, they have some inherent length, it would get pulled through the pole jaws? Potential snag?

 

[JohnMB]

Dogbone or button knot (or even double overhand ) stopper on end of sheet.
Push loop of sheet through clew cringle
Push stopper through loop.
Pull tight.

 

[jasonsansfleece]

I tie that knot on my dinghy halyard, it’s under some tension all the time. I’m not convinced it would stay done up on a flogging spinnaker clew

 

[jasonsansfleece]

Grab a piece of Dynema and try that double bowline, I did, and it feels snug. tie a regular bowline in the other end and compare.

 

[Schnappi]

splice + soft shackle

 

[JohnMB]

I tie that knot on my dinghy halyard, it’s under some tension all the time. I’m not convinced it would stay done up on a flogging spinnaker clew

Been doing it for 5 years or more on soling kite no problems so far. But obvioulsy you should test h this for yourself.

 

[mckenzie.keith]

Poacher’s Knot

Makes a very secure loop in the end of a piece of rope. Also known as a Strangle Snare and a Double Overhand Noose – because the knot tied round the standing end is known as a Strangle Knot.

www.animatedknots.com

Just try a few things around the house and see if they slip when you pull as hard as you can on them.

 

[mckenzie.keith]

 

[Lost in Translation]

I’m with 007; never had a dyneema knot slip out. I have single braid holding down my A-cat forestays and attached to keelboat spinnakers. Various knots. Bowline has been fine for the kite.

 

[Chrisatlantic]

John MP above has the right idea. I tie in an eight knot in the end of the sheet and fold the sheet over on itself a couple inches behind the 8 knot, shove that through the grommet in the clew of the spinnaker and put the 8 kn through that loop and pull tight, it will not shake out. But still quite easy to undo when you want to. Figure out which way to push it through the sail so that the end of the pole goes right to the clew of the sail itself and the 8 knot ends up on the outside of the sail.

 

[Skaf]

Let me add a voice to the "bowlines work fine in dyneema fine" crowd, especially if you're going to retie it every time you rig up as it won't have time to slip undone. If you're worried about it, put an 8 knot in the tail. Whatever you do you will want a ball on it, to keep whatever you use (ball, knot, soft shackle, sister clips) jammed up in the pole jaws. That may be more of a consideration than anything.