OCC Forums » Systems and Maintenance » Sails, Standing and Running Rigging » Mainsheet System

Mainsheet System

David.McKay — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 21:53:57 GMT

Does anyone have experience with or thoughts regarding mainsheet block arrangement of central point attachment versus slight lateral placement in boats without mainsheet travellers? This photo shows "side to side" placement of blocks for a single mainsheet running aft on port. Our boat has a single up standing becket block centrally. Pros and cons

RE: Mainsheet System

Dick — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 21:53:57 GMT

+x[quote]

[b]David.McKay - 5 Sep 2021[/b]
+x[quote]

[b]Simon Currin - 5 Sep 2021[/b]
Oddly that’s how our boat was configured originally but, being unfamiliar with, we got the yard to retrofit a conventional traveller. Maybe we should have kept it as it was? Sorry haven’t a clue about the pros and cons but it would be great to lose the traveller from the cockpit without compromising performance. Does it work for you and Andrea?Simon
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We have a single point fixation, in the midline. But there are two outboard padeyes that were clearly put there for the alternate system and I was thinking about changing over to that method.

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Hi David and Simon,
I think:
The single point centerline fixation position necessitates a boon vang being quickly applied when the mainsheet is eased off even a trifle as the boom will start to rise quickly and sail shape will be compromised. This will not be so quickly necessary if the 2-point fixation system is used. A benefit of the 2-point fixation is that the boom is triangulated and less likely to jump around than a single centerline position. This is a bit of a safety issue as I consider the boom the most dangerous item on a boat and triangulating its position makes for a well behaved boom.
Two things jump out at not having a traveler which were not immediately apparent to me. First are the times when I wish to bring the boom to centerline or even a bit above centerline when sailing light airs (getting the boom above centerline gets the sail at centerline and improves pointing).
The next is that I have found that adjusting the boom position with the traveler (and the sheet strapped in hard) when heaving-to makes a big difference. I believe many boats have a much harder time finding a good hove-to position without resort to their traveler. That said, I am more familiar with mid-boom mainsheet and traveler systems and not so much end of boom systems like yours.
Random thoughts, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

RE: Mainsheet System

David.McKay — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 20:54:12 GMT

+x[quote]

[b]Simon Currin - 5 Sep 2021[/b]
Oddly that’s how our boat was configured originally but, being unfamiliar with, we got the yard to retrofit a conventional traveller. Maybe we should have kept it as it was? Sorry haven’t a clue about the pros and cons but it would be great to lose the traveller from the cockpit without compromising performance. Does it work for you and Andrea?Simon
[/quote]

We have a single point fixation, in the midline. But there are two outboard padeyes that were clearly put there for the alternate system and I was thinking about changing over to that method.

RE: Mainsheet System

simoncurrin — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 18:20:10 GMT

Oddly that’s how our boat was configured originally but, being unfamiliar with, we got the yard to retrofit a conventional traveller. Maybe we should have kept it as it was? Sorry haven’t a clue about the pros and cons but it would be great to lose the traveller from the cockpit without compromising performance. Does it work for you and Andrea? Simon