Cirrus Icon Development

Sorry, patience isn't one of my virtues! (although obviously I'm prepared to wait to allow you to get it all fully sorted!).

For what its worth I would prefer a normal kicker and no thwart. I was also wondering if jib sheet cleats are really necessary - just have autoratchets to help take the strain upwind.  You can tell I won't be crewing! 

Cleats also handy for those inexperienced crew, singlehanded, just plain fraught moments when you don't want it flogging...
I've always thought of the GNAV being the answer to a question no one asked. It makes sense in some boats where you have a shallow deck, and some older boats where you might wish to create space. But if you are designing a boat with a deep cockpit from the ground up you should be able to arrange things so the kicker doesn't get in the way. The extra reinforcement required in various places seems a bit of a unnecessary when a few ball bearing blocks and some rope will make a smooth cascade with little fuss.
Of course it isn't me that has to park myself in the front of the boat, so I could be all wrong...

I have no problem with those, although with a overrotator would it not get in the way of the mast spanner?

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by Peaky I was also wondering if jib sheet cleats are really necessary - just have autoratchets to help take the strain upwind. I don't believe its possible to hold sheets accurately enough. On most boats I've sailed in recent years the difference between in the groove and out of it up the beat is about half an inch of jib sheet.

Do most people cleat a jib going upwind? You wouldn't dream of cleating a mainsail.

Originally posted by Peaky if they are more likely to break?

one word, carbon

they seem to work well enuff on cherubs which prob have
much higher loads

i think at the nationals last year one broke, but only
because it sheared the industrial d-ring holding the
purchase to the mast, nothing on the temple bit broke :)