Conversion to mid-boom sheeting

[Neil D]

Last week I was out on my local lake for a day of single-handed sailing. The forecast was for winds out of the South, at 9 mph with gusts to 12-15.  Launching mid-day, the weather was more or less as predicted and the sailing was great.  But by 2pm, the winds increased, with gusts to probably 20, and with wind shifts that made sailing the boat on her lines all the more challenging. Even with a reef in the main, the gusts were a handful.

This experience got me thinking about rigging changes.  For all the benefits of an "open uncluttered" cockpit, the necessity to manage both the tiller and the mainsheet with the same hand, in unstable conditions, has given me pause for concern.  My prior boat had mid-boom sheeting to the bridge deck. Yes, it impeded access past the companionway, but I could always have one hand on the main and the other on the tiller and thus actively manage the lines and steering.

So  since I'm doing lake sailing, I am contemplating a conversion.  Anyone else try this?

A short track to run along the bridge deck, with a car to fit in the track, which will accept the post that is part of the fiddle block assembly

See
http://www.harken.com/content.aspx?id=3901

The assembly on the track would have the block system, integrated fairlead, and cleat, and would swivel. Directly above on the mast would be another block, the two together providing the amount of purchase  needed for managing the load on the boom.  I am thinking that maybe I could repurpose some of the end-boom sheeting hardware.

A second block along the boom to feed the main to the end-boom block, which would feed to a traveler block on the gallows and then back up to the end of the boom to be tied-off.

Then on the mast, just below the two P & S cleats for the halyards, I would like to mount a forward-facing padeye,to serve both as a potential attach point for a whisker pole but also as a place to attach the halyard shackles for lowering the mast and keeping the lines neat and tidy.  Once those shackles are attached, the slack would be taken up through the cleats and neatly tied up for lowering the mast and getting the boat ready for trailering.

Comments / suggestions welcome!

[brackish]

With regard to the mid boom sheeting, I too am contemplating the conversion on my 23 for the reason you state.  I singlehand a lot and would prefer to have everything in front of me rather than having to deal with a mainsheet the requires me to turn around to get reasonable purchase.  All my prior boats had mid boom sheeting.  Additionally, the bridge deck traveler should offer the opportunity for better sail shape.  Regarding impeding the access to the cabin, I never found that to be problematic on boats past, and the removal of the lines aft would be a positive thing cleaning up the clutter back there for motor, magma grill, and boarding ladder access.  I suspect my Tilley would not spend so much time in the water being swept off by a sheet part during a "controlled" jibe.

The only caution I would offer is to avoid a single point load mid boom which will be an area that is not as strong as your end boom point with cast cap.  I'm considering having a custom SS half pipe made, contoured to the boom, that will have three eyes for three single blocks, maybe 10" total length to spread the load and reinforce the boom.  For the 23 that would be going from 4:1 to 6:1 purchase.  I think Garhauer's MT-3 which is fairly reasonable would work for the traveler hardware.

[Jon898]

Remember that going to mid-boom from end-boom, you essentially double the load on the mainsheet.  To a certain extent you're avoiding that by leading back along the boom to the traveller on the gallows (at the cost of more block friction) but the solution proposed by brackish is probably simpler.

Jon

[Neil D]

Good ideas...thanks!