hi guys, sorry to bring up that old dead horse subject. but i am about to change my mainsheet system as it seems to be putting me in to trouble more than what i want.
the plan is to try the forward ratchet off the centre beam system( i.e darryn kopp/ peter nikitin) instead of the all on the traveller system ( i.e ugg the caveman).BUT......would like to sail MKII and wondering if any MKII guys find this system gets in the way?????? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Brian,
If you want to sail it Mk II the answer to your question is real easy.....absobloodylutey...it does get in the way and your crew will find it a real pain..

Hate to be the carrier of bad news, but think you already knew that.

There are a few arrangements that are sort of comprises...but a well set up system on the rear beam works fine.

David
"Banh Sidhe"

Brian,

Trouble; Why trouble ???

When my son Andrew used to crew for me the centre sheeting was the first thing to go. When I bought my Mozzie it was set up as cat rigged then we put the jib on for some casual family sailing. It was just such a pain <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> and we would both end up too far rearward during tacking manouvers. The Mozzie would virtually stop dead until we got set up again in our proper positions again.

It was far better to get rid of the mess and have the whole trampoline area free for the crew to move around on.

Regards,

Peter

It probably depends on how big your crew is. Gary Maskiell sailed "Perfect Score" as a sloop with a centre mainsheet cleat on the beam. He had his son crewing, who was probably about 12 or 13 at the time. He won the states so it can't have been too much of a hindrance.

You can also put the ratchet block on the boom and run the sheet from there like I do (if you don't need a cleat). Then there's nothing in the crew's way.

Our first two boats were rear beam sheeting, the next two centre beam and the latest rear beam, all sloop rigged. At the moment my son sails with centre sheeting and I have rear beam and to be honest it doesn’t make much difference if it is set up properly. If you go with centre sheeting you will need enough room for your crew to cross the tramp in front of the block. The centre block also acts as a barrier when tacking keeping the crew forward or the skipper back depending on your point of view. We changed to rear beam sheeting a couple of years ago because of the extra rope added to the boat with the spinnaker.

Regards,
Peter

ok thanks all you guys who offered ideas. the question is with the centre beam sheeting do i need to get an opening stitched into the tramp for the pulley/cleat?

Brian,

Yes you should have the hole cut and stitched so as to allow you to fix whatever mounting arrangement you use to be attached to the centre beam.

Have fun with it....rememeber one of the mossie sailors in SA does work for a sail loft...sending business their way..yes.

David
"Banh Sidhe"

thanks david. i have some work to do at the new destroyer base while i have my "two weeks off" there was something strange about my "two on two off" the boss meant two weeks in the mine, then two weeks working in adelaide. anyway, thats put me just near pete so i will probably call in for a chat.
cheers mate.

Brian,

He will be happy to help....have think about how far forward you want your block to be attached...that is a sort of personal preference.
damn happy that I don't have to work on my days off...that would have to suck....but then I could be sailing .

David
'Banh Sidhe'

Yes if you are mounting a swivel/cleat.

If you just want a ratchet block you only need either a tab stitched on (a lot of A-classes seem to have this) or an eyelet punched in either side of the beam - then you just tie a loop of rope around the beam and attach the ratchet block to that.

When I was experimenting to find the right spot to mount the ratchet block I just opened up the weave of the tramp a bit with a scribe and tied the block to the center beam with some 3mm dyneema. I sailed 6 races this way and it didn't do any damage to the tramp.

Darryn
1782

After I settled on the right location I decided to have a go at modifying the tramp myself.

Rather then take my tramp off to put a hole in it I sewed 25mm webbing either side of the tramp then cut a slot in it with a hot knife.

Darryn 1782

Another pic, the bracket is made from an old mozzy mast section as it was the right size for the 50mm center beam and already anodized.

Darryn
1782

thanks darryn, that looks the go.
i must say, thats a dead sexy mainsheet you've got there