Sorry for all the questions lately.
It hasn't stopped raining here and I cannot work. Hence I read stuff and need to ask questions.

Has anyone used the continuous jib sheet setup on page 3 - 15 of this book?
www.sfbaysss.net/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition.pdf

I cannot see how it would work on my Endeavour 26. The pully is down on the deck and the sheet would have to come over a high, sloping side and onto the winch on the opposite side. I have attached a pic of an E26, not mine, so you can see what I mean.

Would it be worth trying??

using 1 line instead of 2 for your jib sheet should work fine there, you still put it onto the lee side winch and the tail goes across the cockpit and through the other pulley back to the jib. Means you can,t lose the sheet aver the side if you don,t tie a knot in the end of the sheet in a 2 sheet system, simple. if you want to use the winch on the windward side you go around the lee side winch first and then it should be high enough to lead across to the windward winch, when you crank on the second winch the first will act as a 1 way pulley.

BJR, your questions are not to be ashamed of at all. More you ask, more you learn and teach us about yourself, your boat, your ways and not last sailing.

I run a cont. jib sheet since JC was playing forward for Jerusalem.
It is a brilliant system promoted by Foolish for single handed sailiors, as you quoted his book above.
I am most of the time sailing alone and l found the single sheet easy to live with i f s e t u p p r o p e r l y !

Firstly, do not 'over-sheet' your jib. Sheets, especially older double braids become heavy when soaked. (when l bought my yacht, the guy was running 14mm sheets! the animal)
For your boat 10mm double braid would be the max if your winches would take it, but too much perhaps. 8mm spectra or double braid would be better. In fact 6mm spectra would be ideal but too heavy on the hands and too thin for your winches. 8mm would be a good choice. Gloves must be worn anyway.

Secondly, to set up for successful single jib sheet operation one must 'prime' the sheet.

1) tie or clip your sheet to the clew of your jib on one side then run it back to the winch (the rear one if you got two, like on the pic.) via your jib traveller sheaves and, so to the winch.

2)Now you 'prime' the sheet turning it on the winch as many turns as you normally turn while sailing +1 turn, then leaving it as it is run it across to the winch on the opposite side and do the same.

3) Now, your sheet is primed, run the sheet thorough your fingers a few times getting rid of all twists you created! It is of prime importance!

4) Now you can run it up to the clew and clip or tie it.

5) The sheet must be longer than two single sheets by a fair amount, usu. by a good half-sheet length.

6) Gather your single sheet and stuff it (do n o t coil it) into a rope bag.
7) Have a cigar!

Thanks Sirgallivant & Tomooh.
Wouldn't I get excess rubbing where I have the red arrow?

Reeve it like this. In any case there will be slack in the cockpit.

Select to expand quote

PhoenixStar said..



Reeve it like this. In any case there will be slack in the cockpit.

Ok.
So not like what is detailed in the book?
So in this instance there is slack between the winches?
So to tack, I would let off on the leward side, sheet in on the windward side, then re-set the winch I just let off?

The benefit I see of the diagram in the book, is that you have the sheet beside you so you can adjust the head sail as needed without having to reach the winch on the other side.

Ok, you are looking at Andrew's drawing. No matter what you are going to have a lot of slack on the floor, but an organised one.

I am using my front winch as a turning block, simply running the sheet on the outside of it, instead of the turning block (sheave) mounted to the gunwale. If you are using sheaves it is permanent, (the sheet must be reeved through the sheaves) while the way l run my sheet, is temporary. It is very much the way Phoenix drew it but l do it on the rear winches. If you look at the foto you can see what l mean, while l am sitting on the stb ppit seat where l normally steer the boat from while l run the auto pilot a lot, as well.

You also can see the double jib traveller sheaves on the jib traveller track. The front one to be adjusted while the rear one left mostly permanent. The jib sheet does not touch the sides even when l use the front winch.

Imagine:
I am on stb tack, sitting where the fellow sits on the pic.
The sheet comes back from the jib traveller on the port side, runs on the port side of the front winch, (the wrong way if you want to use the winch! but it's function now is of a turning block) than crosses over to the stb side rear winch (mexican hat on pic) and this is the winch on the front of me sitting there steering. I can adjust the jib easily, winch it or let it out.

In case of tacking or gybing l can pre load the future working winch, run the line outside of the 'turning block winch', front winch on stb, swap the handle over, move to the lee side, release the working winch with plenty of time to pull in the slack on the working side, sit down and crank while the tiller is between my legs or close, under control if l do not use the auto pilot which l do a lot. Tacking with the ap. is a blessing in disguise!

If you are thinking about the main sail while tacking or gybing, l bring it in and think of it as a self tacking sail without paying much attention to it until l sorted the jib, then l adjust it.
The main sheet is in my hand at all times for well known reasons particularly in blowy bad gusty weather.

If for some reason l want to sit on the leeward side, (weather, spray, traffic, whatever) l run the jib sheet back to the rear winch, passing the front winch on the port side keeping it away from the coaming, without crossing over to the high side.

As l wrote earlier it is m y setup. It is tailored to the boat and my personal preferences.
If you decide following the idea, blindly copying it, then most probably it won't work.
Taylor it to your boat and your physic and you are never going to look back after you worked it out.

I strongly recommend an auto pilot like ST 2000 or similar. I warn you against contemplating the ST 1000 model despite it's price advantage as it's drive is not reliable! When the boat show is on, there is a 15% discount on Sat and Sun at
Whitworths.
Fair winds


Keep us posted how you are proceeding!

Select to expand quote

sirgallivant said..
Ok, you are looking at Andrew's drawing. No matter what you are going to have a lot of slack on the floor, but an organised one.

I am using my front winch as a turning block, simply running the sheet on the outside of it, instead of the turning block (sheave) mounted to the gunwale. If you are using sheaves it is permanent, (the sheet must be reeved through the sheaves) while the way l run my sheet, is temporary. It is very much the way Phoenix drew it but l do it on the rear winches. If you look at the foto you can see what l mean, while l am sitting on the stb ppit seat where l normally steer the boat from while l run the auto pilot a lot, as well.

You also can see the double jib traveller sheaves on the jib traveller track. The front one to be adjusted while the rear one left mostly permanent. The jib sheet does not touch the sides even when l use the front winch.

Imagine:
I am on stb tack, sitting where the fellow sits on the pic.
The sheet comes back from the jib traveller on the port side, runs on the port side of the front winch, (the wrong way if you want to use the winch! but it's function now is of a turning block) than crosses over to the stb side rear winch (mexican hat on pic) and this is the winch on the front of me sitting there steering. I can adjust the jib easily, winch it or let it out.

In case of tacking or gybing l can pre load the future working winch, run the line outside of the 'turning block winch', front winch on stb, swap the handle over, move to the lee side, release the working winch with plenty of time to pull in the slack on the working side, sit down and crank while the tiller is between my legs or close, under control if l do not use the auto pilot which l do a lot. Tacking with the ap. is a blessing in disguise!

If you are thinking about the main sail while tacking or gybing, l bring it in and think of it as a self tacking sail without paying much attention to it until l sorted the jib, then l adjust it.
The main sheet is in my hand at all times for well known reasons particularly in blowy bad gusty weather.

If for some reason l want to sit on the leeward side, (weather, spray, traffic, whatever) l run the jib sheet back to the rear winch, passing the front winch on the port side keeping it away from the coaming, without crossing over to the high side.

As l wrote earlier it is m y setup. It is tailored to the boat and my personal preferences.
If you decide following the idea, blindly copying it, then most probably it won't work.
Taylor it to your boat and your physic and you are never going to look back after you worked it out.

I strongly recommend an auto pilot like ST 2000 or similar. I warn you against contemplating the ST 1000 model despite it's price advantage as it's drive is not reliable! When the boat show is on, there is a 15% discount on Sat and Sun at
Whitworths.
Fair winds


Keep us posted how you are proceeding!

Thanks SirGavillant.
Very well explained.
Unfortunately I dont have back winches.
I will muck around with what I have.
I'm thinking of using a continuous sheet set out as if 2 sheets, normal setup, and have a way to cleat it off on the windward side.
I dont have the setup, gps or electrical, or finances to hook up an auto pilot. That will be on the next boat.
Cheers

The set up l explained can be used with two winches as well .
I am lucky to have extras and l use them because of my seating position.

All those tiller pilots have their own built in fluxgate compasses and can be used independently from any GPS or plotter.
Only need power and a fitting on the tiller and a mounting point.


.

Select to expand quote

sirgallivant said..
The set up l explained can be used with two winches as well .
I am lucky to have extras and l use them because of my seating position.

All those tiller pilots have their own built in fluxgate compasses and can be used independently from any GPS or plotter.
Only need power and a fitting on the tiller and a mounting point.


.

Thanks Sirgallivant.
I didn't know that about the tiller pilots. Good to know.

Yep old body, you don't know a lot of things and l am not impressed by your comments on the other thread. We try to help but spitting the dummy or share aggression does not go down very well.

After all, you have not even been made when many participants on this forum were already polished!
Humility is a virtue!

Hi BJR. I'm really happy to see you trying out my cross-cockpit-single-sheet method. Every day that I go sailing I swear that this is the best idea in the whole book. (The other "best" idea in the book is gybing without the pole).
First off, there is a slightly newer version of the free book here:
www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf and there is the published version with lots more stuff in it.

There are two reasons why this is such a handy idea. First, as you mentioned it allows you to make continuous adjustments to the jib sheet without moving from the high side of the boat. Sure, you can make the first dozen adjustments by moving to the leeward side. But on a long afternoon of sailing, will you still be dragging your bum across the cockpit on the 20th one-inch adjustment, or the 50th? After a while you'll just say "screw it".

Second, it allows for amazingly fast tacks. The active sheet is right on your hip when you start the tack, and right on your hip again when you finish the tack. You get to pull the sheet as you are crossing the cockpit and using your knees to control the tiller. Using this method you'll be able to tack faster than any crewed boat in the world - believe me!

From your photo I can see the issue you are facing. I'd suggest that rather than using a line backwards around the other winch, that you add some sort of turning block. As was said earlier, the drawing in my book is not meant to be the perfect solution for every boat, but rather just a way to get you thinking about how you might do something similar on your boat.
Oh, and there is actually very little slack line in the cockpit using this method. Perhaps 6'. Much less than using a dual-sheet method. Below is a quick idea I came up with; adding snatch blocks at the rear of the cockpit. This would keep the lines out of your way better. Just an idea to try the concept.



One other thing; in your photo it looks like you are using a winch for your dock lines. I've heard that this is a bad idea because the constant tug-tug-tug on the lines from movement will wear out the bearings in your winch. I had actually asked this question in another forum a couple of years ago.

Have fun!

Andy

Select to expand quote

Foolish said..
Hi BJR. I'm really happy to see you trying out my cross-cockpit-single-sheet method. Every day that I go sailing I swear that this is the best idea in the whole book. (The other "best" idea in the book is gybing without the pole).
First off, there is a slightly newer version of the free book here:
www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf and there is the published version with lots more stuff in it.

There are two reasons why this is such a handy idea. First, as you mentioned it allows you to make continuous adjustments to the jib sheet without moving from the high side of the boat. Sure, you can make the first dozen adjustments by moving to the leeward side. But on a long afternoon of sailing, will you still be dragging your bum across the cockpit on the 20th one-inch adjustment, or the 50th? After a while you'll just say "screw it".

Second, it allows for amazingly fast tacks. The active sheet is right on your hip when you start the tack, and right on your hip again when you finish the tack. You get to pull the sheet as you are crossing the cockpit and using your knees to control the tiller. Using this method you'll be able to tack faster than any crewed boat in the world - believe me!

From your photo I can see the issue you are facing. I'd suggest that rather than using a line backwards around the other winch, that you add some sort of turning block. As was said earlier, the drawing in my book is not meant to be the perfect solution for every boat, but rather just a way to get you thinking about how you might do something similar on your boat.
Oh, and there is actually very little slack line in the cockpit using this method. Perhaps 6'. Much less than using a dual-sheet method. Below is a quick idea I came up with; adding snatch blocks at the rear of the cockpit. This would keep the lines out of your way better. Just an idea to try the concept.



One other thing; in your photo it looks like you are using a winch for your dock lines. I've heard that this is a bad idea because the constant tug-tug-tug on the lines from movement will wear out the bearings in your winch. I had actually asked this question in another forum a couple of years ago.

Have fun!

Andy

Thanks Foolish.

Thanks for the heads up on the winch for moorings. But this is not a picture of my actual boat. Just one i got off the net. But the same boat.

I actually have 2 blocks just forward of where you have them in your idea. One is broken. I will do a dry run through it and if I think it will work i will replace it. Only thing I would be worried about is the amount of rope back near the tiller and the rope just behind where i sit next to the winch. I still think your original design is better. Just have to work out how to do it on my boat.

Cheers

Select to expand quote

sirgallivant said..
Yep old body, you don't know a lot of things and l am not impressed by your comments on the other thread. We try to help but spitting the dummy or share aggression does not go down very well.

After all, you have not even been made when many participants on this forum were already polished!
Humility is a virtue!

Thanks for the kick in the ass Sirgallivant.

Yes I went too far. and I apologise to everyone for this.

I work outside, and the rain this last 3 weeks has sent me into a dark place. Paying staff to sit around is killing me.

Again, sorry for my outbursts.

Select to expand quote

Foolish said..
Hi BJR. I'm really happy to see you trying out my cross-cockpit-single-sheet method. Every day that I go sailing I swear that this is the best idea in the whole book. (The other "best" idea in the book is gybing without the pole).
First off, there is a slightly newer version of the free book here:
www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf and there is the published version with lots more stuff in it.

There are two reasons why this is such a handy idea. First, as you mentioned it allows you to make continuous adjustments to the jib sheet without moving from the high side of the boat. Sure, you can make the first dozen adjustments by moving to the leeward side. But on a long afternoon of sailing, will you still be dragging your bum across the cockpit on the 20th one-inch adjustment, or the 50th? After a while you'll just say "screw it".

Second, it allows for amazingly fast tacks. The active sheet is right on your hip when you start the tack, and right on your hip again when you finish the tack. You get to pull the sheet as you are crossing the cockpit and using your knees to control the tiller. Using this method you'll be able to tack faster than any crewed boat in the world - believe me!

From your photo I can see the issue you are facing. I'd suggest that rather than using a line backwards around the other winch, that you add some sort of turning block. As was said earlier, the drawing in my book is not meant to be the perfect solution for every boat, but rather just a way to get you thinking about how you might do something similar on your boat.
Oh, and there is actually very little slack line in the cockpit using this method. Perhaps 6'. Much less than using a dual-sheet method. Below is a quick idea I came up with; adding snatch blocks at the rear of the cockpit. This would keep the lines out of your way better. Just an idea to try the concept.



One other thing; in your photo it looks like you are using a winch for your dock lines. I've heard that this is a bad idea because the constant tug-tug-tug on the lines from movement will wear out the bearings in your winch. I had actually asked this question in another forum a couple of years ago.

Have fun!

Andy

Hi Foolish

Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?

I know I would have to reinforce it when mounting it.

Select to expand quote

BJRobinson said..

Foolish said..
Hi BJR. I'm really happy to see you trying out my cross-cockpit-single-sheet method. Every day that I go sailing I swear that this is the best idea in the whole book. (The other "best" idea in the book is gybing without the pole).
First off, there is a slightly newer version of the free book here:
www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf and there is the published version with lots more stuff in it.

There are two reasons why this is such a handy idea. First, as you mentioned it allows you to make continuous adjustments to the jib sheet without moving from the high side of the boat. Sure, you can make the first dozen adjustments by moving to the leeward side. But on a long afternoon of sailing, will you still be dragging your bum across the cockpit on the 20th one-inch adjustment, or the 50th? After a while you'll just say "screw it".

Second, it allows for amazingly fast tacks. The active sheet is right on your hip when you start the tack, and right on your hip again when you finish the tack. You get to pull the sheet as you are crossing the cockpit and using your knees to control the tiller. Using this method you'll be able to tack faster than any crewed boat in the world - believe me!

From your photo I can see the issue you are facing. I'd suggest that rather than using a line backwards around the other winch, that you add some sort of turning block. As was said earlier, the drawing in my book is not meant to be the perfect solution for every boat, but rather just a way to get you thinking about how you might do something similar on your boat.
Oh, and there is actually very little slack line in the cockpit using this method. Perhaps 6'. Much less than using a dual-sheet method. Below is a quick idea I came up with; adding snatch blocks at the rear of the cockpit. This would keep the lines out of your way better. Just an idea to try the concept.



One other thing; in your photo it looks like you are using a winch for your dock lines. I've heard that this is a bad idea because the constant tug-tug-tug on the lines from movement will wear out the bearings in your winch. I had actually asked this question in another forum a couple of years ago.

Have fun!

Andy

Hi Foolish

Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?

I know I would have to reinforce it when mounting it.

The idea is to use the leeward winch as a turning block and winch the sail on with the windward winch, which is near you when you sit to windward. That stops the sheet rubbing on the winch flat and lets you both trim the sheet and throw it off when you tack from your normal steering position. All your turning blocks stay in place. The main is central on it's track with the vang on to hold shape, and is treated as a self tacker. It is very quick.

Select to expand quote

PhoenixStar said..

BJRobinson said..

Foolish said..
Hi BJR. I'm really happy to see you trying out my cross-cockpit-single-sheet method. Every day that I go sailing I swear that this is the best idea in the whole book. (The other "best" idea in the book is gybing without the pole).
First off, there is a slightly newer version of the free book here:
www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf and there is the published version with lots more stuff in it.

There are two reasons why this is such a handy idea. First, as you mentioned it allows you to make continuous adjustments to the jib sheet without moving from the high side of the boat. Sure, you can make the first dozen adjustments by moving to the leeward side. But on a long afternoon of sailing, will you still be dragging your bum across the cockpit on the 20th one-inch adjustment, or the 50th? After a while you'll just say "screw it".

Second, it allows for amazingly fast tacks. The active sheet is right on your hip when you start the tack, and right on your hip again when you finish the tack. You get to pull the sheet as you are crossing the cockpit and using your knees to control the tiller. Using this method you'll be able to tack faster than any crewed boat in the world - believe me!

From your photo I can see the issue you are facing. I'd suggest that rather than using a line backwards around the other winch, that you add some sort of turning block. As was said earlier, the drawing in my book is not meant to be the perfect solution for every boat, but rather just a way to get you thinking about how you might do something similar on your boat.
Oh, and there is actually very little slack line in the cockpit using this method. Perhaps 6'. Much less than using a dual-sheet method. Below is a quick idea I came up with; adding snatch blocks at the rear of the cockpit. This would keep the lines out of your way better. Just an idea to try the concept.



One other thing; in your photo it looks like you are using a winch for your dock lines. I've heard that this is a bad idea because the constant tug-tug-tug on the lines from movement will wear out the bearings in your winch. I had actually asked this question in another forum a couple of years ago.

Have fun!

Andy

Hi Foolish

Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?

I know I would have to reinforce it when mounting it.

The idea is to use the leeward winch as a turning block and winch the sail on with the windward winch, which is near you when you sit to windward. That stops the sheet rubbing on the winch flat and lets you both trim the sheet and throw it off when you tack from your normal steering position. All your turning blocks stay in place. The main is central on it's track with the vang on to hold shape, and is treated as a self tacker. It is very quick.

Thanks Phoenix.

I still cannot get my head around this.
Am I correct in saying the order you do things while tacking is....
*start to tack.
*let off at the windward winch.
*lay the sheet aft of the windward winch so it will pull against it when sheeted on.
*rush across and the do the 3 wraps around the old leeward winch, now the new windward winch, and sheet on?

I am just use to having the windward winch ready to go when I want to tack. This way I am doing the wraps in the middle of the tack.

Select to expand quote

BJRobinson said..

PhoenixStar said..

BJRobinson said..

Foolish said..
Hi BJR. I'm really happy to see you trying out my cross-cockpit-single-sheet method. Every day that I go sailing I swear that this is the best idea in the whole book. (The other "best" idea in the book is gybing without the pole).
First off, there is a slightly newer version of the free book here:
www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf and there is the published version with lots more stuff in it.

There are two reasons why this is such a handy idea. First, as you mentioned it allows you to make continuous adjustments to the jib sheet without moving from the high side of the boat. Sure, you can make the first dozen adjustments by moving to the leeward side. But on a long afternoon of sailing, will you still be dragging your bum across the cockpit on the 20th one-inch adjustment, or the 50th? After a while you'll just say "screw it".

Second, it allows for amazingly fast tacks. The active sheet is right on your hip when you start the tack, and right on your hip again when you finish the tack. You get to pull the sheet as you are crossing the cockpit and using your knees to control the tiller. Using this method you'll be able to tack faster than any crewed boat in the world - believe me!

From your photo I can see the issue you are facing. I'd suggest that rather than using a line backwards around the other winch, that you add some sort of turning block. As was said earlier, the drawing in my book is not meant to be the perfect solution for every boat, but rather just a way to get you thinking about how you might do something similar on your boat.
Oh, and there is actually very little slack line in the cockpit using this method. Perhaps 6'. Much less than using a dual-sheet method. Below is a quick idea I came up with; adding snatch blocks at the rear of the cockpit. This would keep the lines out of your way better. Just an idea to try the concept.



One other thing; in your photo it looks like you are using a winch for your dock lines. I've heard that this is a bad idea because the constant tug-tug-tug on the lines from movement will wear out the bearings in your winch. I had actually asked this question in another forum a couple of years ago.

Have fun!

Andy

Hi Foolish

Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?

I know I would have to reinforce it when mounting it.

The idea is to use the leeward winch as a turning block and winch the sail on with the windward winch, which is near you when you sit to windward. That stops the sheet rubbing on the winch flat and lets you both trim the sheet and throw it off when you tack from your normal steering position. All your turning blocks stay in place. The main is central on it's track with the vang on to hold shape, and is treated as a self tacker. It is very quick.

Thanks Phoenix.

I still cannot get my head around this.
Am I correct in saying the order you do things while tacking is....
*start to tack.
*let off at the windward winch.
*lay the sheet aft of the windward winch so it will pull against it when sheeted on.
*rush across and the do the 3 wraps around the old leeward winch, now the new windward winch, and sheet on?

I am just use to having the windward winch ready to go when I want to tack. This way I am doing the wraps in the middle of the tack.

You got it. Because you are always in the right place at the right time you have plenty of time to release the working winch (on the side normally thought of as being wrong) and take turns on the new working winch. In fact normally you have time to sheet it tight without even working the winch handle.

Dead right.
You not just a pretty face PS.

"Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?"

There's two issues I see. First is friction. If you think that adding the eye will not impact much on friction, then go for it. The jib car can slide a long way forward, so perhaps you could add a second non-moving car in the correct position on the track to match up with the eye you are adding.

Second, is that you want to be able to step over the sheet that is running across your cockpit. It looks to me like the top of the cockpit sides are quite high. Would you be able to step over the sheet, even if you have to step over the hatch ledge at the same time.

Select to expand quote

Foolish said..
"Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?"

There's two issues I see. First is friction. If you think that adding the eye will not impact much on friction, then go for it. The jib car can slide a long way forward, so perhaps you could add a second non-moving car in the correct position on the track to match up with the eye you are adding.

Second, is that you want to be able to step over the sheet that is running across your cockpit. It looks to me like the top of the cockpit sides are quite high. Would you be able to step over the sheet, even if you have to step over the hatch ledge at the same time.

I had actually thought the same with all you have said above.
Friction being the biggest problem. The sheets will be on a steep angle from the jib car to the eye.
The fact that the car will be moving backwards and forwards as the wind changes. So definitely need a stopper on the track.
And stepping over it will be a problem. Especially in rough weather. This one goes for both methods discussed so far.

Select to expand quote

BJRobinson said..

Foolish said..
"Would it work if I put an eye, see picture, on the side, as shown as blue circle, and pass the sheet through it?"

There's two issues I see. First is friction. If you think that adding the eye will not impact much on friction, then go for it. The jib car can slide a long way forward, so perhaps you could add a second non-moving car in the correct position on the track to match up with the eye you are adding.

Second, is that you want to be able to step over the sheet that is running across your cockpit. It looks to me like the top of the cockpit sides are quite high. Would you be able to step over the sheet, even if you have to step over the hatch ledge at the same time.

I had actually thought the same with all you have said above.
Friction being the biggest problem. The sheets will be on a steep angle from the jib car to the eye.
The fact that the car will be moving backwards and forwards as the wind changes. So definitely need a stopper on the track.
And stepping over it will be a problem. Especially in rough weather. This one goes for both methods discussed so far.

Do not use an eye. It is not needed and just complicates a simple system. And yes, you will have a taught sheet across the cockpit to step over and also you will have some slack sheet in the cockpit, because you will have to have enough sheet to be able to broad reach and that means there will be excess sheet when you come on the wind. You also need slack sheet so you can easily put the three turns plus a jamming turn on the new working winch and also so you can leave one turn on the port winch so that it can act as a turning block, though some people are happy to just let the port winch be a guide without the clockwise turn..

This subject, so simple and straightforward, stirred some brains. It made us bouncing ideas which is good!

On my tub ! , the back winches are not far from the trveller's bridge across the cockpit so there is not much disturbance by the sheet running across the cockpit, about foot and a bit from the floor. As l must step over the bridge anyway, it is irrelevant, that a sheet is running across, few inches from it.
When one is trying a new system one must think laterally to tailor it to one's own circumstances and physical size.
I am 6/2 my son is 6/9 and we need different approach to the same problem than shorter specimens.

As far as that S/S contraption is concerned you are going to curse it forevermore you sat on it first time!
Y??? anyway. The winch is a given turning block, right there to be used. Just get another jib car to keep the sheet away from the coaming. The " Boat Locker" is selling second hand bits, one could pick up a pair of jib cars for a very small outlay.(9979-8278)

Andrew, l would not turn the sheet around the winch - especially not clockwise - as it will stall the whole process. It should be run outside of the winch (on the lee side) without any hindrance like a turn.
This is my experience, anyway.

Thanks for all the advice.
Time to go out and try it..