I have the Harken clew sleeve and think it is great. When I first got it (a couple of years ago) I put some spray silicone on the boom so it slid easily and ever since then it has worked really well.
When sailing, I guess as long as whatever you use keeps the clew close to the boom and moves freely it makes little difference. For me the convenience of the Harken device is rigging (and un-rigging) - and it is really quick.
The Harken thing has never released the sail on its own (unlike my velcro clew strap - which is the initial reason I changed).
I do have to say that for a "rigging convenience" it is expensive - but had I the decision to make again after my experience I would spend the money again and get one.
I guess there is no "right" answer, everybody making their own decisions for good reasons.
Ian
Thanks everyone for that. The main reason for me was de rigging, I sometimes get in a right mess in a howling on shore trying to free the clew strap and the hook. Main reason being I knot the out haul on the XD so that I can just free it down wind to a desired max.
Lazy maybe?
...
2. I have seen a clew pop off the Harken hook when luffing right before a start. Needless to say, that guy didn't have a great start.
As far as securing the clew, in my opinion, strap > hook.
Why can't they put some sort of device on the hook that would eliminate the risk of the clew coming free?
(Probably against the rules, somewhere...)
For those of y'all using the clew sleeve, how to you attached the inhaul? This was my biggest problem. I could rig up something that worked really slick ashore. However when I got out on the water with everything loaded up, it would bind. Does the clew sleeve not even require an inhaul?
On your current setup so you have a shockcord inhaul? I find this makes a big difference.
I have the Rooster shockcord inhaul. It seems a bit 'weak' for the job (thin I guess), and possibly a bit long. I keep messing with it and taking some length off it periodically to see if it improves. I was thinking that if I got the sleeve I'd be able to use the existing shockcord in a loop, tied at each end on the boom cleat, looping round the top of the sleeve somehow so all the forces are coming off roughly the same point... My current setup just seems a bit... messy, and I was hoping the sleeve would help to get it sorted.
To get the optimal tension for the shock cord of the inhaul:
you hold the clew-grommet in 15 cm distance to the end of the boom and then pull (the clew stays still in this position) the shock cord to maximum load at the camcleat of the boom