If I ever need a new system I'd probably go for an in boom cascade. It's more work to setup right but it is cheaper to buy and cleaner.
How do you figure?
Most boats now use a direct block to sail connection. This means the sail cut has to be boat specific, but the boom can be very light as there is just a minor compression load on it.
To go cascade you now have all the loads being sent into and through the boom plus the added compression load from the internal cascade. You need a bigger stronger boom for this plus the added room needed to mount the cascade.
M
There is also a function issue starting to appear as the front beam is getting further back of the newer designs, the rear of the sail is now over the rear of the boat, which means that to have a direct sail to block connection, the angle is now forcing excessive mast rotation load.
I found with my Stealth that to have the block connection point slightly foward of the effective direct sail connection point allows the mast to rotate quite smoothly and under all sail conditions.
I would like to have a mid sheeting position, I did try it with a 4:1 main and a 2:1 cascade finetuner which worked a treat except that letting the 2:1 out when tacking was too much "out " and also the angle was wrong when you were out on the wire and standing near the front beam ( the sheet caught on the rear of the shroud ). Has anyone perfected a mid sheeting system as the angles make it almost effortless to pull in the sheet ?
