Main Sheet Alteration

[Bull City]

Right now, TONIC has a short mainsheet traveler that bisects the cockpit. See the photo below. It's about 26' long, a bit of pain in the ass to move past, and I'm not sure how much benefit it provides. It would be nice to have an open cockpit.

I've been thinking about removing it entirely, and going with two blocks at the end of the cockpit, which would allow me to straddle the tiller. See red lines on photo.

I'm not sure about a few things:

1. Is the angle from the end of the boom to the point on the deck too great?

2. How can I obtain the proper purchase?

3. Where would I cleat it?

4. Is this a stupid idea?

Thanks,

B.C.

 

[Ishmael]

#4. Not entirely stupid, but far from ideal.

 

[rustylaru]

you'll need 2 of these or smaller and their fiddle block partners. You can set it up to be self balancing by having 1 continuous sheet and 1 double block on the boom. Ask this question on multihull anarchy and you'll encounter people who have done this on Corsairs tri's and L7 tri's. Hardest part is about it is having to listen to the people who will tell you it won't work.

 

[rustylaru]

It looks like i started a thread some time ago.

 

[weightless]

For just bopping around maybe add a Boomkicker / spring loaded vang type thing and replace the traveler with a padeye on the cockpit sole?

 

[DELETED]

Or if the Traveller isnt structural:

Get two sets of these or similar(Expensive) and rig one set Port and one starboard in an inverted ‘V’ for independant boom control/tuning. 
With this setup though they maybe best mounted within the length of the boom to prevent too much aft  tension on boom and gooseneck fitting.

Also, with the Inverted ‘V’ setup you need alot of rope to set it up and when boom is out the opposing sides lines would stretch out over cockpit. 

check out “Vernon Deck” s boat ‘Scheihalion’ on youtube, he has invested in it on a mono.

 

[Jud - s/v Sputnik]

The venerable Cal 20 was originally designed with dual end-boom sheeting.  I re-rigged my Cal 20, adding a Lewmar traveler in the middle of the cockpit (and blocks near the middle of the boom), to make it mid-boom sheeting (per advice from the owner of Blackfeathers, who raced singlehanded to Hawaii - he made his Cal 20 sheeting mid-boom to improve performance).

I preferred it mid-boom - worked better - and just accepted the traveler where it was.  Zen calm solves lots of problems

 

[Whinging Pom]

Loads of Westerlys have their mainsheet rigged at an angle to a track aft of the cockpit.  Main problem is the mainsheet falls garotting the helmsman during a gybe.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

My Catana has a delta mainsheet as stock. What I don’t like is the loss of leech control when running. If you have a boom vang that may solve.

 

[fufkin]

If moving past the traveller is only’a bit of a pain in the ass’ it seems a shame to mess up a perfectly fine end boom sheeting set up with good tiller ergonomics, good purchase, that’s properly located right near your jib trimming area...for a tangled up two block set up that’s all over the tiller not to mention your neck if I’m interpreting‘straddle the tiller’ properly. You really want to trade moving across the traveller for reaching across the tiller for a leeward block adjustment? A block that is about as far away from your windward jib sheet as possible...singlehanded...whose gonna hold your drink? 

Compare ergonomics, purchase, tiller location, dual mainsheet cleat location and jib trimming location with Vernons conversion on the other thread. Two different sets of implications.

So yeah I’m in the #4 camp.

 

[Sail4beer]

Remove traveller, install Barney post in the cockpit sole for the mainsheet and go sailing. 

 

[2airishuman]

Something like that was the stock setup on my Morgan 250 although boom was longer and the rudder post further forward so the angles worked out better.

As posted upthread, you use a block cam cleat (and becket) on one side, a two-sheave block on the mast, and a plain block on the other side, and so end up with a 4:1 with no need for an extra cleat.  With the angles you have, it looks like the sheet is going to hit the tiller if you're on a run.

My H26 had sheeting like 80% of the way to the end of the boom, that basically went straight down to a pad eye on the cockpit sole just forward of the tiller.

Neither of these setups was really clutter free the way a traveler on the coach roof can be.

 

[gkny]

If your complaint is about the traveler location when you are NOT sailing, there are removable traveler systems.  Barton makes one and I have seen custom versions.

 

[justsomeguy!]

As posted upthread, you use a block cam cleat (and becket) on one side, a two-sheave block on the mast, and a plain block on the other side, and so end up with a 4:1 with no need for an extra cleat.  With the angles you have, it looks like the sheet is going to hit the tiller if you're on a run.

I think it's known as a Crosby rig.

 

[Sail4beer]

Remove traveller, install Barney post in the cockpit sole for the mainsheet and go sailing. 

My friend Yotguy does this to all his boats and it worked out well each time. He still won the Beercan series every year with each new boat. I removed the traveller on his Ranger 22 and he installed a tall Barney post so he wouldn’t keep banging his shins on the traveller. It’s worth it. These have aft travelers, you would just need to create a simple bridle system.

 

[blurocketsmate]

Sheeting directly from the boom is standard in skiffs and some sportboats. It feels weird at first but you get used to it quickly. You can put your camcleat block on the end of the boom, or lead the sheet forward to one in the middle. 

Also, instead of a two-leg mainsheet, you could have a single leg down to a bridle over the tiller, which could be fixed or adjustable.

 

[Sail4beer]

^ The ensign sails with a “head knocker” ratcheting Oxen block hanging from the boom. That’s how I setup my daysailor after I bought it from the Yotguy. I removed the Barney post he installed so I’d have a wide open cockpit. 

 

[Sail4beer]

It was a short Barney post base and the boat had zero leg room, so I removed the sole and it made things much better but made the headknocker necessary since there’s nothing to attach a base to. And yes, the bottom is solid enough to stand on in the water and on the trailer. Also left the keel sump, I didn’t want to tear the bottom off…

 

[Sail4beer]

Thread drift over! 
 

I’d like to replace the aft deck mounted traveller with just a bridle