Hunter 310 mainsheet purchase

[carl gamble]

I am wanting to add a purhase to the mainsheet on my Hunter 310. The boat is currently set up with an arch traveler and uses single Harken 3.00" blocks on the boom and travel.Has anyone out there had any luck with a 3:1 or higher ratio purchase? What size blocks did you use and how did you set it up?I am trying to set up a purchase that will allow me to easily pull in the mainsheet by hand and leave the cabin top winches for the jib sheets.

 

[Pat Higgins]

It helped

Carl,My previous boat was a 310 and hauling in the mainsheet with the wind up about wore me out. I replaced the single blocks with harken 57mm double air blocks, the block on the boom with a becket. I used air blocks because the heads can swivel. Harkens double 3" blocks dont and would not align with the load properly.Pros were considerably greater purchase and easier handling in strong winds.Cons were a heck of a lot more mainsheet to deal with. Slower sheeting due to greater purchase, especially noticeable on gybes. In light winds during gybes the now quadrupled lines were prone to fouling on the various protruding bits on the traveler without a load to keep them taut.In spite of the cons I was pleased with the result.

 

[Bill Colombo]

Mainsheet Purchase

It sounds like Carl has done his homework on this one. I certainly agree with him that the added purchase will make the sail easier to handle in spite of the extra length of the sheet. With the extra purchase you will find it easier to "fine-tune" the mainsail trim since easing or tightening the sheet will adjust the sail in smaller, finer increments.Bill Colombo, Doyle SF