Early Hunter 25 mainsheet help

pk66

.
Jun 26, 2017
10
Hunter Hunter 25 Albany NY
Hi,
I finally raised the mast on my 1974 Hunter 25. After attaching the boom to the goose neck I am a bit perplexed as to how the mainsheet is rigged. I have searched for hours and all I can find are pictures of 25's with the traveler at the front of the foot well. Mine apparently is supposed to be rigged at the end of the boom but the attachment to the boat is alluding me. Any one have a diagram of the early setup. The generic manual does not cover this issue.

Thanks,
Pete
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I don't know anything about the 25. But I've seen a lot of main sheets on multiple boats. Do you have photos of what you do have in place? It's hard to know where you have having difficulties without photos of what you do have.

dj
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Many non 25 owners can rig a boat but not being able to see your blocks and equipment are not able to support your issue. Plus 1 with DJ
 

pk66

.
Jun 26, 2017
10
Hunter Hunter 25 Albany NY
I have attached some photos of the rear of the boat and the main sheet block. I need to know where the main sheet hooks to the boat. The top of the main sheet seems obvious that it attaches to the end of the boom.
 

Attachments

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
Give us a photo facing the other way - what does the front side of the cockpit look like? What does the boom look like? The port-stern side is not a normal location for the main sheet to attach to. Also, take a photo from the side of the boat showing the location of the mast, top of the cabin, and cockpit. More like an overview of what we're looking at. I need more of an understanding what you have from multiple angles. Sorry, those photos aren't giving me enough of a picture...

dj
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I don't see any place that I would normally consider where to attach your main sheet to the boat. The end of your mast has both topping lift and main sheet attachment points on it. So that side is easy. Unfortunately you don't have your boom on your mast yet so I can't see where it ends, at the companionway, half way down the cockpit, near your rudder - wherever that may be.... Typically with a mast attachment point at the end of the boom, as is your case, your main sheet attaches to a point pretty much straight down from that point on the boat.

You could use the two connections at the stern a few different ways, although I'd honestly be looking at where my boom ended and see if I could add in an attachment point straight down from there. The bend in the end of your boom plate indicates to me that previously those back two attachment points were used previously to attach the main sheet.

dj
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The port-stern side
Attachment looks like an adjustable traveler setup. I'd like to see the boom end to see what type of attachment or block. The starboard side is a single block. A guess would be line goes down from boom, Through starboard block, back up to boom then over to port side possibly down to block up then down to turning sheave and cam cleat. But all suspect till you can show us the boom attachments.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Let me correct that. You might have a twin line and blocks that pull the boom left and right. They function as main sheets and travelers. I'll see if I can find an image.
 

pk66

.
Jun 26, 2017
10
Hunter Hunter 25 Albany NY
Looks like we are making progress. I agree as seen in the image of the end of the boom, the tang is bent back a little indicating
that the block was attached there and led aft probably to the back stay anchor point. One of my boats had 2 single blocks shackled to the end of the boom. I was thinking of setting it up exactly like the diagram using these blocks. Both of my boats are '74 and both have the same blocks on the stern. Starboard side has a block with a cleat and the port has a single fixed block. Hard to believe back then there was not a standard setup for the early boats before the traveler came along. The boom ends pretty close to the back of the cockpit. I did have the main sheet attached to the backstay anchor point and it will work that way but does have a pretty good angle to it. Just realized that the fixed single block on the port side is not on a dead eye
but mounted solid on the hull with a ball socket base. This will make attaching a cleat block like in the diagram very difficult.
Thanks for the help so far.

Pete
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Pete. You can go retro and rebuild the system. Or you can consider changing to a different system. If you opt for change I would stay with a system using the end boom rigging. It gives you better control with less force exerted. Harken has some good images of main sheet and traveler systems on their website.

I'd lay the boom on the cockpit as if it was attached to the mast and then layout a rigging system to try. Examine other boats in the area. Looking at all sorts not just your type. You'll quickly see that there are many rigging schemes that have been used throughout the ages.

Or if tired of DIY thinking hire a rigger.
Good luck.
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
jssailem - As always - Great advice!

I've never been on a boat with twin main sheets - and I don't think I have any desire! Hahaha... That means you have two main sheets running out to the boom in a down wind run? Yikes! No thank you! If that were my boat I'd definitely be changing that system...

dj
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,370
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
the early boats before the traveler came along.
Pete
Travelers have been around a lot longer than the age of your boat... In my 1941 Knights Modern Seamanship, it talks about travelers used for sail handling. And, by the way, the ring that moves holding the lines is called the traveler, and the fixed part that the traveler slides on is called a "deck horse". :) (just had to look it up for fun)

dj
 
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pk66

.
Jun 26, 2017
10
Hunter Hunter 25 Albany NY
System B still has more rigging than my boat and that cleat block on the port rear corner of both of my boats seems odd. Both
main sheets have the same block in them as the one attached to the boat. This tells me that it is supposed to be set up as a traveler somehow. I am not at all opposed to changing things around and I am capable of building pretty much anything. Hard to believe that I cannot find a picture of a 25 with the original setup.

Pete
 

pk66

.
Jun 26, 2017
10
Hunter Hunter 25 Albany NY
I attached a picture of 2 blocks that I found with the boat along with 2 pictures that will hopefully show where the boom ends
in relationship to the back of the cockpit.
 

Attachments

pk66

.
Jun 26, 2017
10
Hunter Hunter 25 Albany NY
Hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like there is a dead eye on the back of the boat. Neither one of my boats have this dead eye but might be the best way to set it up.