I managed to snap one of the bungees that pull the spinnaker sheets back in last week. It's not immediately obvious (to me anyway) how to get to the holes to rethread this as the sock is in the way.  Any ideas?

Don't bother. More trouble than they are worth

Take the whole lot out.

Tie a bit of The elastic tightly between chain plate and toestrap take off on eavh side of the boat so it lies flat across the deck. Loop sheet under that when kite not in use

Thanks Clive. I've did what you are suggesting as a stop gap so I'll leave alone.

Not sure why my original post came through as Anthony.

Me neither, looking into it!

I agree that the current implementation of the sheet retainers doesn't work properly, there is too much friction as they pull through the deck holes.  I managed to make mine work in a reliable way as follows:

1.  Tie a thin piece of string with a small block on it between the two "polos"

2. Tie a piece of elastic from the block to the normal attachment point (i.e. on the pole outhaul block)

Hope this helps

Hello Robert,

Could you describe your fix in a little more detail. Not sure how your system goes together so far. I have to admit that the system originally fitted is not wonderful so am keen to improve mine.

I must say Clive's solution has an elegant simplicity about it.

Hello Robert,

Could you describe your fix in a little more detail. Not sure how your system goes together so far. I have to admit that the system originally fitted is not wonderful so am keen to improve mine.

I must say Clive's solution has an elegant simplicity about it.

Sorry everyone, I have learned a new trick. Don't refresh your screen with F5 button otherwise you send same post twice 

Hi Colin,
I`d agree with Clive, been running the knicker elastic solution across the deck for a year or so and it`s the easiest way to go. The original installation had problems, particularly when the shock cords jambed in the blocks and the kite half up & half down. only one ending to that in a breeze.

Hello Colin,

I'll try and explain it better.  You have a single piece of thin line that goes across the boat, down one hole and up the other.  Each end of the line has a plastic "doughnut" connected to it.  The length of the line is such that when one end is in, the other is fully out.  This line is threaded through a small block (under the deck) this block is tied to a piece of elastic.  The other end of the elastic is connected to the same block as the ring through which the current elastic feeds.  The system functions as a sheet tidy in the same way as the current implementation.

Hope this helps

Bob

Thanks for the explanation Bob, now I understand exactly what you have done and the thin line will certainly really reduce the friction through the deck.

Does the system serve any purpose other than tidying up the sheets eg give a better sheeting angle? Clive's suggestion is working better for tidying than the original system ever did so I'm wondering whether I need the plastic hoops at all.

I think it was only every a tidy-away system and certainly should not be impacting the sheeting angle.

Another advantage of getting rid; extra weight is the last thing needed in kite sheets, particularly in the light. Personally I am obsessive about this, to the extent my sheets are 4mm tapered down to the probably 2mm of the core. And no, they don't hurt my hands, the loads are not that great.