Main Sheet

[guidera48]

As I start replacing some of my lines, I find the fiddle block on the main sheet has lost several of the pastic sheeves to weather and father time. The main sheet on my 79 C37 follows the boom back to the mast through two blocks, then on the deck trough a cheek block back to the winch and cleat. Could I replace the whole shebang with a simple boom van with cam cleets on it. It would allow me to release the sheet by a single whip movement from the pedestal rather than having to go to the companionway top and working on the winch and cleat.
Has any one used this set up.
Thanks
Jose

 

[Ed Schenck]

Jose, I think most of us have replaced that routing of the mainsheet. It was one of the very first changes I made. I first bought a pair of Garhauer fiddle blocks with a cam cleat on the bottom to keep everything in the cockpit. Now I am replacing those with a 6:1 setup like Blaise uses.

 

[rardiH36]

Jose:

By your description that your sheet leads forward to the mast then routes back to the cockpit, it seems that you have mid-boom sheeting -- rather than the cockpit traveler sheeting as Ed has pictured?

If so, this is the set-up on the 1980-82 Cherubini Hunter 36 (my boat).

The attached pictures show how I modified my boat towards the outcome you are looking for. I can go either hand sheeting or with the winch if I want more tension. 99% of the time, I don't bother with the winch. So the rope clutch stays open. If I want to sheet close to the center-line when the wind is blowing, I pinch into the wind a bit until the sail and boom luff and then pull. If I want to use the winch, then I close the rope clutch, remove the sheet from the cam cleat, wrap it around the winch, tension, unwind the sheet from the winch, put it back into the cam cleat and lead the line back to the helm. Snapping the sheet out to the the cam cleat when under tension can take a few aggressive tries.

I did change out my fiddle block (also falling apart when I bought the boat) for others and more of them to add more purchase. If you don't increase the purchase, then manually tensioning the sheet becomes hard when the wind picks up.

Finally in the pic of my pedestal, note the eye-bolt that I mounted on the pedestal guard. I flop my sheet over this so the sheet is always at hand.

rardi

 

[guidera48]

Thanks for your responses. I did find a used fiddle block in the boat so for now I am just going to rig it as the factory and later on upgrade to a Gerhauer vang. I had picked a complete unit that had fiddle blocks but after seeing the triple block set up, I think I may need to revise my search.
Thanks

 

[rardiH36]

Hellor Jose:

I am unsure somewhat by your use of the term "vang". A "vang" is usually associated with the term boom vang which is a totally different system from anything on the main sheet rigging. Explain more?

Thanks.

rardi

 

[guidera48]

Hellor Jose:

I am unsure somewhat by your use of the term "vang". A "vang" is usually associated with the term boom vang which is a totally different system from anything on the main sheet rigging. Explain more?

Thanks.

rardi

Sorry I used the wrong terminology. I understand a boom vang ties the boom to the base of the mast to reduce uplift. Rope or mechanical. But since it contains prety much the same parts the most main sheet systems, I sometimes use the wrong names. My brain does not say what my mouth thinks sometimes.
Mea Culpa.
Jose
Www.hunter37.com

 

[Ed Schenck]

And Rardi, whether mid-boom or end-boom sheeting the routing to that winch is/was the same. On end-boom the sheet went from the top block forward under the boom. Then down to a deck block, over to a deck organizer and back to that winch. Jose's boat is a 79 like mine and could have been moved to the top. I now use that winch and cleat for my staysail sheet.

 

[rardiH36]

And Rardi, whether mid-boom or end-boom sheeting the routing to that winch is/was the same. On end-boom the sheet went from the top block forward under the boom. Then down to a deck block, over to a deck organizer and back to that winch. Jose's boat is a 79 like mine and could have been moved to the top. I now use that winch and cleat for my staysail sheet.

Ed:

Then the mod as you did per your pictures certainly looks to be the preferred solution for the end boom sheeting and cockpit mounted traveler. And as you say, frees up the cabin top winch for other duty!

Before I added the main sheet cam cleat to my cabin top, I did contemplate installing a quick release block like your Garhaurer triple to my mid-boom traveler location. I saw this on another boat or two. I don't have a dodger, so the line would have been free to lead back to the cockpit. But the traveler level is almost shoulder high and a good six/seven feet from behind my normal position behind the wheel, so flipping the line up (or maybe down) to release from the cam cleat would have been rough.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

Both vangs and mainsheet tackles look similar and indeed can be exchanged in most cases. Given the reduced leverage due to a vang's being mounted so far forward on the boom, it is not out of the question to use the same number of parts as on the mainsheet (if the mainsheet is 5:1 or 6:1, i.e., uses triple blocks, the vang can be the same).

The chief difference between the two is that vangs typically (but not always) use snap shackles at the ends to allow them to be removed, especially under load, for the sake of convenience; and mainsheets are more typically pinned with round rings or cotter pins. I would not recommend using snap shackles on the mainsheet tackle for the same reason that I would not go aloft in a bo's'un's chair on a jib halyard with one.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Interesting that you bring up the subject of snap shackles on the mainsheet rigging. I have always used one on the block to the traveler. Being that it is in the cockpit I like to move it to the toerail when not sailing. The other day on the new traveler didn't that thing come off while raising the main. Fortunately since it was luffing it did not take off to the shrouds. Still want to keep the snap shackle but somehow insure it does not happen again.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Still want to keep the snap shackle but somehow insure it does not happen again.

Ed, try a large D shackle. You can also buy captive ones that will stay on your tackle. Snap shackles are simply a problem waiting to grab you.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50046&classNum=50050#.UY_Jrco2hvY

This one has the locking bar. For your use, a large D without one would work, too, since you're not removing it under load. Just have to be more careful with it.

 

[Angus Fleming]

re: dianaofburlington

I was considering making my mainsheet tackle removable from the traveller car as an emergency MOB rescue winch or a crane for bringing heavy gear onboard from my tender.

If snap shackles are a no-no, (thank goodness I haven't ordered the parts yet) what might suffice in this situation?

 

[Ed Schenck]

I like your idea of the captive shackle Stu. Always worried about the one on the yankee halyard. I use a nylon wire tie on that one.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Mainsheet update.

Finally sailed with my new Garhauer traveler and 6:1 mainsheet rigging. Geez, why did I wait so long to make that conversion?! In fifteen knots I had complete control of the main with one hand on the sheet and one on the wheel.

 

[kloudie1]

Good stuff, Ed.

 

[rardiH36]

Re: Mainsheet update.

Hi Ed:

Congrats on getting it all done. Behind your pic of the 6:1 purchase lines, the rest of your boat is looking pretty.

Just yesterday I was on a boat that had the traveler mounted in the same location as yours and fitted a Harken version of the triple blocks and cam cleat for the main sheeting. I also was impressed with the significantly lighter effort required to trim the mainsail as compared to my 7:1 mid-boom and cabin top arrangement (as pictured in the middle photo of post #3 of this thread).

 

[Ed Schenck]

Yep, but the price is having to sit on the traveler and the 100+ feet of sheet all over the cockpit. Still nice to have such fine control from the helm.

 

[Blaise]

Midnight Sun has snap shackles on both ends of the main sheet, which is actually 7:1 and occaisionally get twisted. Removing it via snap shackles makes it very to un twist. On the subject of going aloft, It have been standard practice in every group I have ever sailed with to go aloft with snap shackles holding the bosun chair as long as they were securely taped shut so they couldn't accidently release.