Mainsail sheeting

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by bntii, Jul 18, 2008.

  1. bntii
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    bntii Senior Member

    Hello all,

    I am looking for ideals for main sheeting on a 40 foot cruising boat. The boat is set up for mid-boom sheeting and had a cambered traveler set on a rough teak bridge when I got the boat. The traveler and bridge had to span over the companion way and needed to be fairly high over the cabin top to accomplish this. I am just wondering if there are slicker ways to sheet the boom than this setup. I have seen blocks on three points athwart ships and rigs which use a tackle for each side of the boat. I am reluctant to go end of boom as this would have a mainsheet sweeping the cockpit on this boat.

    Any ideals? Something simple and tough/easy to use. The boat has no vang but I could add one.

    Thanks all
     
  2. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Is is possible to go with a bridge deck traveller? How well it works depends on the boats design, such as the width, height, presence of a dodger, and slant of the companionway bulkhead. Although you have to step over the traveller, it can generally be adjusted to one side or the other.
    What also tends to occur is the sheet bundle lays over the coamings or cabin corners when running, which may or may not be a problem.
    I personally like boom-end set-ups if it can be done. Fewer blocks and less strain on fittings, less friction in light air, nothing in the way forward.
    Far cheaper too, and closer to centerline sheeting, even with a simple track or rod traveller. Again, the individual boat design matters. Booms are either long or short, and cockpits vary as well.
    The boom-end setup might not bother (sweeping the cockpit in a gybe, etc.) if a boom horse is installed, well enough forward to allow the sheets to avoid it when under tension (even mid-cockpit is ideal, and it serves the purpose of stowing the boom too).
    The design of the gallows could be as simple as a smooth "roll bar" in stainless with eyes for lashing on the underside. Well-rounded shoulders would ensure the sheets ride up and over.


    Alan
     
  3. sonosail
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    sonosail SONOSAIL

    Traveler

    What kind of boat is it? Do you have photo of the traveler system you're using?
     
  4. bntii
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    bntii Senior Member

    Hey- thanks alan and sonosail.
    This is my old Rhodes Yawl:

    [​IMG]

    You can see how it is run from this photo. I don't like the fact that the mainsheet was run forward to the mast and then back aft along the house to the self tailer on the starboard coaming. I did not like the big log the traveler was bolted onto. I am playing around with welding up some stand offs to hold the ends- I need about 3.5" under the traveler to clear the hatch. I would mount a self tailer under the dodger for sheeting and also bring the reefing lines aft. I am not thrilled about having the mainsheet winch on the house but suppose I could get used to it.
    Or, if I can get a rigging ideal I would skip the traveler and run the sheeting with just blocks bolted on the house.

    Regards
     
  5. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Winches under the dodger kind of dominate the space. You could opt for more tackle, enough so that you can manage without a winch. Just a simple cam cleat w/bullseye.
    The extra blocks and turns going up to the mast add considerable friction. I agree it's needless complication. If you figure out the tackle ratio required (maybe twice or more the winch setup), mount padeyes port and stbd, You'd probably be happy because it takes no space under the dodger. Or, you might consider a sheet stopper and a bottom-handle winch, which is really nice under a dodger, something like a Murray.

    A.
     
  6. bntii
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    bntii Senior Member

    alan-
    You have it right. In light air the current system has too much friction though is fine in heavy going.
    I will look into the pad eyes and tackle- I don't like the ideal of doubling the blocks port and starboard but think I would do fine with this setup other wise.

    Thanks
     
  7. sonosail
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    sonosail SONOSAIL

    Nice boat and nice picture. A wild guess: Is it a Rhodes 27?
    If it were me, I'd put the traveler down at seat level in front of the wheel with a non-st winch mounted sideways right there and then a regular cleat on either side. But I know most people don't like that arrangement because you're splitting up the cockpit.
    On a mainsheet, I like as few blocks as possible, since it makes it so much less work when you're trimming and jibing and so much less line. If you care about upwind performance in light air, I would keep the traveler no matter where it is. Not very useful advice I'm afraid.
    Cool looking boat though. Looks you've really kept in in good condition too.
    I have a friend with a Condordia who spends endless hours every year before he launches it. Never ends up looking anywhere near as good is this.
     
  8. Butch .H
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    Butch .H Senior Member

    Hi bntii
    No sheeting for you.What a boat man you must be the envy of all around you

    Regards
    Butch
     
  9. bntii
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    bntii Senior Member

    Thanks all-
    sonosail- good guess
    This is a Rhodes Bounty II. Hull #5 of ~100 she was laid up in 1956.

    This is going to be a tough nut to crack. Boom has been shortened from plans by former owner, mizzen added as well as wheel. What was a simple end boom sheeting is now not so easy. The cockpit is a nice 'T' in the foot well but there are hatch issues with placing the traveler just in front of the wheel.......

    edit- Right about now a big eye bolted in the cockpit sole just forward of the helm is looking good to me. Sole is 1" solid glass to hold the fitting, the change is reversible and end of boom simplicity.
     
  10. Meanz Beanz
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    Meanz Beanz Boom Doom Gloom Boom

    I'd be tempted to look at lengthening the boom and running the traveler in front of the helm, its handy and you have the wheel across the cockpit at that point anyway. I'd also look at at a two speed main sheet system, the kind with an endless sheet, pull one tail for 8:1 pull two for 4:1. I forget who makes the system, anyway avoiding the winch on the main would be the idea.

    2c worth from a quick look at the pic... maybe thats all its worth :D

    Hmmmm... missed the hatch issues bit... can you bridge it from the coamings and perhaps tie the center down to the cockpit floor with a rod? Move the kite winches closer to the primary's? Turning into a job and a bit .... no?

    A traveler is to useful in setting the main correctly especially in heavier air, great for express dumping when required. I would not ditch it for a three point system but IMO it needs to be handy to the helm on a cruising boat.

    Cheers
    MBz
     
  11. sonosail
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    sonosail SONOSAIL

    You cheater! A fiberglass hull! No wonder you have so much time to fool around with things like mainsheets!
    I can't believe I missed this one.
    They must have changed the shape of the coachroof or coaming or something on later models. http://www.sailboatdata.com/viewrecord_access.asp?class_ID=2006(yours looks better) Is this of the ones built by Coleman?

    I've been redoing my mainsail setup for years and still hate it, so I'm afraid I don't have much wisdom to share on that front. Except that end boom sheeting of one form or another always seems to work best. But I'm more of a racer. And I do understand why cruisers don't like all that mess right in the middle of the cockpit.
     
  12. bntii
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    bntii Senior Member

    Cheater it right- but did not feel that way as I was peeling and grinding the 1/4" thick gel coat off the whole boat- was scooping up 100s of pounds of this mess with a snow shovel :eek:
    Boat is modified from plans a bit- got the bomar ports in place of the large fixed light in the house- bit more modified now.

    Yeah- Coleman boat. Was one of the early fractional rigged boats with the glass spar.
    Nutty eh?

    Great sailing boat. Goes to windward like a freight train.
     

  13. Paul Scott
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    Paul Scott Senior Member

    How much twist does your main like? How much overlap on your jib? I'm on Mk 11 (that's eleven) on my mainsheet for a 40' boat, and I've settled on an end boom, 8:1 gross, and a 4:1 fine, which is ok with the 110%, but a bit of a wrestle with the 95%. What some sailors are doing (and on some big honker boats) with your kind of set up is no traveler, and a big powerful vang, although there's not a lot of room under your boom. I like the idea of lengthening the boom, and running one line down into the cockpit, or maybe doubling it with a double on the end of the boom and leaving the rest up the middle where it is, possibly with no traveller, and bagging the stuff forward of that. Use a winch so that small cockpit doesn't fill with line. Maybe 4:1 (or 6:1?) purchase so the light stuff is not a winch zone. You have leads and etc. up there for a vang, if it is appealing to you. Might use a strut vang, which could sread out the load a bit(?).

    Paul
     
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