modified mainsheet setup

[DanaChurch]

I see that some of the better sailors are using a secondary bridle which allows a raised block to sheet from. In practice this seems to result in a horizontal sheeting angle, opposed to pulling upwards from the floor.

Could this become a Latest Handy Tips with photos illustrating how to set it up?

Looking at some recent racing photos some boats appear to use a double bridle while others use some type of strop.
I don't have the rigging skills or mindset to work it out myself, so would benefit from instruction.

Thanks,
Dana Church
#1139

[Kevin]

Hi Dana,

That’s a good question, as I did this modification a couple of years ago, then hardly used the boat during the Covid pandemic. I’ve hopefully attached a photo taken in 2020 showing the basic layout of the ‘flying block’ mainsheet plus a new smaller ratchet block for the boom and the smaller still flying block.
I remember Pete Bingham helped with the measurements.
Because the file size for the photo is limited some of the detail is lost but I can send you better photos if you give me an email address ( I think there’s a way to do this privately on the forum so you don’t share your details with everyone )

Regards
Kevin 1226

[Kevin]

Hi Dana,

Photo taken at the Pwllheli Nationals 2022, probably the first good test I had of the ‘flying block’ mainsheet arrangement.
I’m not sure the set up is better than sheeting from the cockpit floor, just different.
It doesn’t work if you have side cleats on the deck for the mainsheet.
The good thing about the way I’ve done it is the bridle is the same for either arrangement, so I can remove the small flying block and go back to the original set up if I feel like it.

Regards
Kevin 1226

[Pete1177]

Hi Dana,

I remember having this discussion with Kevin in 2019. I've attached a drawing from my notebook at the time I did the bridle (March 2018). Sorry it's a bit of a sketch but I hope you can follow it with the following notes to help.

Bridle Off Boom Sketch_0.jpg (34.29 KiB) Viewed 5107 times

Completed Bridle_0.jpg (20.36 KiB) Viewed 5106 times

The top diagram in the sketch (labelled Option 2) uses a mini-traveller which I used on my old boat 1068. The middle diagram (Option 3) is a schematic of a simpler block arrangement without the mini traveller. The boom blocks are laid exactly as Hartleys's do it but the aft boom block (A) is now a new 45mm autoratchet block (Selden). You could use the existing ratchet off the floor but it's a bit large. The old block (A) becomes the mainsheet block (D). Blocks B and C remain unchanged. The arrangement gives a 1/4 boom load on the mainsheet which you hold, so no difference from the 'off the floor' system in terms of loading.

You can do all the splicing in the warm on a table then assemble on your boat. You will have to undo the deck eye screws though to fit the dyneema loop through it. You can do the Brummell splices with one end fixed - there are YouTube videos on how to do this.

I used 5mm Dyneema 3m length. Start with an eye-splice at the centre with a small eye loop. You should have 2 1500mm tails after the eye splice, one for port and one for starboard. You will do port and starboard splices separately. The tricky bit with the splicing is getting the eyes back through the bury's - it can be done but is tricky/fiddly. I used Liros Dyneema (from Force 4) as it has a looser braid than Marlow.

I have some stage by stage photos that I'm happy to send you, if you wish, by email.

At the time I chose a finished bridle length of 500mm per side. You may want it longer. If I did it again I'll probably make it 520 or 530mm to concur with Gav and Tony Critchley's set up. You can modify the measurements to suit what you want but you'll have to do it when you make the bridle - it's not adjustable afterwards though.

Since doing this I've reverted to the standard off the floor arrangement, but I have to say I much preferred the off the boom setup. I find the mainsheet near the floor always tangles around my feet at some stage during a race. I'm going to re-rig back to off the boom sheeting soon and also revert the control lines back to a standard continuous loop arrangement. I've got a 'Matt Biggs' anti-slack elasticated system to keep the control lines taught, but it's a bit complex (see below). I've used it for one year. Simpler is better sometimes.

Anti-slack control lines

IMG_0919.jpg (102.67 KiB) Viewed 5107 times

Pete
SN1177