Cam Cleat for Main Sheet on H34

[lr172]

I sail a Hunter 34 and sail with an inexperienced crew. I have a traveller with cam cleats that let me easily trim from behind the wheel. However, my main sheet is run through a clutch, requiring a helper to adjust. I am wondering if I can rig a cam cleat instead of the clutch to get control behind the whell. I am still new to sailing and don't know if a cam cleat will hold the load.

When I replaced my main sheet blocks a couple of years ago, I added an extra block. I think this made it a 4:1 purchase instead of the original 3:1, but I can't remember the total purchase (haven't been on the boat in many months).

Will this work?

Thanks for your help.

Larry

 

[kloudie1]

Cam cleat

I use one .. has worked fine for many years. Original mainsheet was run through the clutch so you could use the winch .. A cam cleat, correctly mounted and sized will work fine.
Nope, I can't easily get to it

 

[Dan Johnson]

Larry...

You could lead the mainsheet back to the helm through a series of "bullseyes" or blocks and use a cleat at the helm to hold it.

There's a lot of load on the main at winds over ten knots so what ever you do, it should be strong enough to handle the loading.

I mostly single hand my H34. I bring my main back through the port "tunnel" to the clutch ahead of the self-tailing winch on top of the aft end of the main cabin. Under way I leave the clutch open and the winch does the tailing. With the traveler centered, the main is fuss-free when tacking. The only time I need to make adjustments is when the wind is up and I'm setting the traveller down to leeward and must change it on each tack.

Here's a pic of the common rigging of the mainsheet on many H34's. My previous boat was rigged the way Kloudie has it.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Hi Larry,
Like Dan I sail solo most of the time. Since the 34 is real tender and needs to be reefed early, I tend to set the main sheet, which is run through the clutch on starboard side in front of the winch (not ST) and leave it set unless conditions dictate it. I can bring my traveler up or down staying behind the wheel as I have set the traveler line endless and long enough to come to the pedestal. Take a look at the picture. The line goes through a zippered section on port and starboard sides of the dodger. You can see the cleats on the traveler, just as the line comes off the blocks on either side. With the zippered section open, it is very easy to release or block the traveler in position by just snapping the line up to release or pulling with a downward pressure to block in position, without coming forward. Good luck

 

[lr172]

Thanks for the help. my set up is similar, with the sheet led through a clutch in front of the winch. My travellers have long lines with cams and I use them from behind the wheel. I plan to get proficient with trim this summer and thought having a main sheet similar to the travellers would be convenient. I cannot adjust the main sheet trim without setting the AP. I have an old Autohelm and it does only fair when under sail with any measure of wind. Seems to do fine when motoring, but seems to struggle under sail. I should add that I have pretty significant weather helm (wheel over 135 degrees or so under good wind) and it struggles to keep a good line. I think it might just need time to stabilize and I kill it before it does. The excessive weather helm is why I want to finally learn to trim my sails properly. I am hoping it is trim vs a baggy sail. My main is the original (pretty good condition) and it may be baggy. I will relax the bolt rope this spring and hope that I can shape it properly.

Larry

 

[Dan Johnson]

Larry...

What size headsail are you flying? I regularly fly a 110 and others go no bigger than a 135. I sold my 155 as it was too much sail to single hand in any wind strong enough to blow out a candle...

With too big a headsail, you could be getting the weather helm, especially with an older mainsail that's baggy and hard to trim.

 

[lr172]

What size headsail are you flying? I regularly fly a 110 and others go no bigger than a 135. I sold my 155 as it was too much sail to single hand in any wind strong enough to blow out a candle...

With too big a headsail, you could be getting the weather helm, especially with an older mainsail that's baggy and hard to trim.

I have a 155 genoa. The boat came with a 110, but I haven't tried it because I thought it was too small. I sail in winds 10kts or less more than half the time (Lake Michigan). The boat also came with a 170 Genoa (maybe 4 oz Dacron). I have considered flying this free (leaving primary sail in the furler) in lighter winds. If I can take this setup up to 12 kts or so, maybe I can leave the 110 on the furler as the primary sail. I am also building a reaching asym spinnaker this spring to help with light wind.

My main is the original mainsail that is in very nice condition, but probably baggy. It is hard to trim for a beginner because of the full battens. I am considering also building a Main from Sailrite this spring to help.

Larry

 

[Le Chasseur]

This six to one with a cam cleat on the mainsheet works well.

I have attached a picture.

 

[lr172]

This six to one with a cam cleat on the mainsheet works well.

I have attached a picture.

Thanks for the picture. This looks like a good idea. My only concern is that the blocks look like they need a good angle up on the line to lock in the cleats. Do you have any problems using this? Do you have to lift high while you tighten the sheet?

Thanks for your assistance.

Larry