Mainsheet Bridle

My Chrysler 26 has a bridle mainsheet mounted on the cabin top over the companionway. The sheet starts on the starboard side,goes up to a double block on the boom, down to a block on the port side,back up to the double block on the boom and back to a block and jam cleat on starboard. I hate it. I can't get the boom to the center line of the boat. There is not a good place for a traveler. Would a padeye on the cockpit sole help to center the boom in conjuction with my boomvang.

[SailDesign]

Would a padeye on the cockpit sole help to center the boom in conjuction with my boomvang.

THe simple answer is "No". As forthe rest of the question - without a traveller, it is pretty much impossible to centre or over-centre the boom. THat said, it would not take much to improvise a system (using two sheets) where you always pull from the windward side, and thus can over-centre the boom. But..... it means two sheets, two winches, two lengths of line that need to be adjusted together so you don't get loops.
Harken builds a windward-sheeting traveller car, and I'm sure there are ways to duplicate it's workings on a boom. Anyone?

Steve

[tspeer]

How about rigging two sheets as one line? The two ends would be anchored on each side of the boat, run through their purchases, and come out through two side-by-side cam cleats. For rapid sheet changes, you'd grab both sheets. For finer adjustment you just pull on one. The windward end would control the boom position, and the leeward end would control twist (sort of).

[Overdraft]

A lot of the T-Birds in our area as well as any number of dinghies use a bridle with a fixed point in the middle instead of a traveller. You have a conventional tackle mainsheet between the boom and the fixed point on the traveller. This will get you closer to the centerline than your existing setup. Then if you want to get even closer, have each side of the bridle adjustable. Because the mainsheet is attached to the fixed point you can shorten the weather leg of the bridle and it'll bring the boom closer to center.

I think one other person had this idea already, but this site explains with pictures how the guy over came the same problem. Im thinking of rying it out on my 26

http://users.accesscomm.ca/gbabish/double.html

[dan coyle]

I used a double main sheet on my Macgregor 25, which had a similar bridle to the one you describe. I used a 4:1 purchase on both sides and a continious line. I find it worked well and leaves the center of the cock pit open, without worrying about a barney post breaking or leaking.
Dan

[SuperPiper]

I watched an accidental gybe kill a crewmember on a 35-footer. He did not actually die. But, the amount of blood and guts and the sight of his limp body hanging over the rail convinced us that our friend was dead.

One feature of a double-mainsheet is that it has a built-in preventer.

Also, one of the Around-Alone or Vendee Globe skippers refitted his traveller as a double to generate a weight savings.

So, how does one trim with a double mainsheet? Which string to pull? One sheet would be acting as a vang while the other would be trimming the boom to the wind. What are the advantages? There must be disadvantages or more boats would be sporting them.

[dan coyle]

The disadvantage is you have to know which sheet to release in a gust and you have to handle both sheets each time you tack. For that trouble, you get a sail as well trimed as a curved traveler would provide, with a clear cockpit. I put my rig on jib track on either side of the of the cockpit and could put it aft when I raised the Bimini.

Dan