Cunnigham & outhaul quick disconnect

[Jim Davis]

Are there any techniques for quickly disconnecting the cuningham and outhaul. After sailing, the bowlines that secure them are difficult to untie.

 

[Old Geezer]

There was a thread about the question of a quick release for the cunningham a few days ago on the forum. Do a search for the word cunningham and you will find it. In that thread I drew attention to the relevant rule and expressed my opinion that it allowed the use of a shackle or quick-release clip in the cunningham. But I am not an official measurer and my opinion has no weight.

Currently the last post on this thread is a one-liner by someone called Merrily in which she says that "VtGent49 has a shackle on his C'ham, so it must be right". Then there is a which I think means she is making a Big Grin.

And certainly it's OK to use a hook or a shackle on the outhaul as a quick release.

 

[fracisco]

I purchased Rooster Sailing's cunningham secondary line, which consists of a piece of 12-strand spectra with an eye splice in both ends. If I used a fast pin on the vang where it connects, I would get it on and off even quicker than I currently do. I purchased this finished piece of line because I, too, dislike having to tie and untie small knots with cold fingers.

 

[fracisco]

I meant primary line.

http://www.roostersailing.com/merch...tore_Code=1&Product_Code=lcl&Category_Code=lc

 

[pugslie2]

I use a small carabiner clip hooked to the becket on the top block of the cunningham rig. Then I tie a loop in the spectra line. That passes through the sail and I clip the carabiner to the loop. When you're done, unclip the carabiner from the loop and you're done. Fast, easy, effective.

As for the outhaul, I don't "unrig" it. I leave it rigged on boom, loose enough to lay on the deck while I step the mast. Then I tighten it up to hold the boom in place.