Barton Marine removable traveler

[bob45]

Bob, with the proper blocks and minimized friction you should not need a winch to handle the mainsheet, EVER!

Your Islander has a main 212sqft. My Cal 35 Cruiser has a main 254sqft. Using a 6to1 block system it is relatively easy for this old sailor to adjust the main on the waters of the Pacific. It is not a racing boat. So there is never the need to get every ounce of power every second of sailing. If a squall comes up I can un power the main by heading up a bit, trim the main, then slide back on to course.

In my sailors opinion, on boats of our size, one never wraps a mainsheet around a winch. It takes too long to release the sheet from a winch. It creates a dangerous condition trying to flick it off the winch inducing twist to the sheet creating a hockle in the line to jam in the blocks.

There is an opportunity with the 6-1 block to trim the sheet by pulling on the sheet using the lines between the blocks. Pull down on one and the sheet comes in. Then pull the end of the sheet to take out the slack. Works even when the sail is full and powered up.

I have a 4:1 mid boom set-up... i thought i needed a winch?

 

[jssailem]

Ok… I thought you had end of boom mainsheet.

Yes a winch on the cabin top will help you with forces involved with mid boom sheeting. They are double what happens on the sheet at the end of the boom.

For your safety you will not want to leave the mainsheet on the winch while sailing. Many use a clutch to hold the mainsheet. Releasing a clutch can be a challenge, if it is not maintained. It is far safer than flipping the mainsheet off the winch and having the line hockle at the block on the boom.

Spinlock makes a decent flip clutch. Lift on the line and the clutch releases.

Be sure to maintain your sheet loose coiled in the cockpit. You want to limit the formation of hockles that occur when the sheet is winched (straining the line on the winch as you trim in the sail). It means clearing the twist in the line, preparing it loosely coiled in the cockpit, ready to release if needed.

 

[dlochner]

I have a 4:1 mid boom set-up... i thought i needed a winch?

Because of the increase loads on mid-boom sheeting a winch is necessary in higher winds when going to windward, unless of course you spend your off time in the gym pushing iron. With end boom sheeting and enough purchase and a 2 speed block system, a winch is not necessary in most conditions. Although having been a main sheet trimmer on a J35, there were days a winch would have been helpful.

Bringing the mainsheet back to the helm would be the last thing I would try. The fastest way to depower the main is to dump the traveller. If the vang is on, dump that too. The last thing to dump is the mainsheet. This is counter to what smaller more responsive boats do. Dinghy sailing and big boat sailing handle main sail trim differently. Since a dinghy is more responsive than a big boat (around 30' and over) the main is trimmed more actively, or played. For example going up wind on a dinghy it is faster to hold the same course and adjust the main during puffs and lulls while in a big boat it is faster to steer through the puffs and lulls leaving the main sheet trimmed.

Another disadvantage to releasing the main when rounding up is the recovery time. When a traveller is dumped, it is only necessary to bring 3 or 4 feet of control line back to retrim the main. If a mainsail with a 6:1 purchase is released, 20 or more feet of line would have to be trimmed to return to the proper trim. There will also be a lot of flailing line in the cockpit and a lot of noise; often disconcerting to inexperienced guests and crew.

 

[dLj]

I have a 4:1 mid boom set-up... i thought i needed a winch?

The only sailboats I've ever had that did not have a winch for the main sheet were small day-sailors that didn't have any winches for any lines.

dj

 

[bob45]

Right on Ya'll... I think the play is to run the traveller lines back (in case of de-power situations) and leave the main set up alone

thanks again everyone!!!!!!

 

[Tally Ho]

And if you are really concerned about spilling wind in a gust, use the traveller.
I have mid-boom sheeting and a traveller. I use the traveller 10:1 over the mainsheet. And in gusty conditions, the first thing I reach for is the traveller line…mine are long enough that I can lay them on the port and STB cockpit seats or coaming and let it out very easily and quickly If I am over powered.

Yes, I have a cabin top winch for my mainsheet and I need it any significant wind. But I don’t adjust it all that often, unless I am heaving to, or moving from down wind to upwind sailing. Even then I start with the traveller and see if that gets the trim where I can live with it…admittedly, I am a lazy sailor.


Greg