Hi, I am new to F16. Having sailed Gary Maskiel's "Twice bitten" I decide to convert my Mossie to carrying a kite. I've still got the mainsheet system at the back beam however. This has led to several tangles of the mainsheet and the spinnaker uphaul. Anyone have any suggestions regarding shockcords to pull the sheet parallel, sheeting from the centre of the boat?

Welcome to the class Bill,

I may have a slightly different answer to your questions then you initially are looking for but my experiences are that you can best totally seperate the spi uphaul (halyard / retrieval line).

I used to lead my spi halyard line (lets keep calling it that from now on) all the way back on my trampoline but never got it too work as I wished.

I still sheet the mainsail of the back beam but I'm going to add a twist to that. The biggest improvement was made by removing the spi halyard from the rear halve of the trampoline all together.

See the drawing :





I now lead the retrieval line that comes out of the snuffer system to a small block that is attached on the underside of the trampoline and right to the rear of the snuffer sock. A line from the block to the rearbeam (also underneath the tramp) keeps the block securely at its place when under load. The retrieval line itself comes out of the snuffer sock and runs through this little block to right behind the port end of my mainbeam near the inner gunwhale of my port hull. Here my trampoline comes clear of the hull and a small gap is present between the hull and the trampoline. On the rear of my mainbeam and above the middle of the decks I have fitted a small block to my mainbeam, (free to rotate and angle to all directions) . The retrieval line also runs through this block and than angles back, and running on top of the trampoline, to a free hanging ring (or block) before angling forward again to my spi halyard cleat on the starboard mainbeam (near the mast). The freehanging ring (or block) is attached to a bungee cord to keep the retrieval line tight and prevent it from tangling.

Not how this system never lets the retrieval line/ spi halyard to ever pass beyond the forward halve of the trampoline and it also allows you to pull on the retrieval line while facing forward. Especially the last is very handy while singlehanding. You can also retrieve the spinnaker from nearly anywhere on the trampoline, this includes the luff hull of the time (both of them) which in big winds is big nice-to-have. By leading the line through the gap and angle it from underneath the tramp to above it, the system has very little friction, less than when pulling through an large eye in the trampoline. This is another advantage. Also the chance of you sitting on the line whil hoisting or retrieving is alot smaller than when leading the line all the way back the rearbeam. This is also a great advantage. You are noticeably less like to foil up.

I'm found this setup to work the best. Give it a try

Wouter

I've got a very simple system and sheet off the rear. Photo attached. Like Wouter, I initially had the halyard back to the rear beam and didn't like it.

If the spinnaker halyard/retrieval sheet is set up correctly, there doesn’t have to be any change in the amount of that line that is on the deck with the spinnaker either up or down, and it shouldn't come far enough back on the tramp as to become fouled with the mainsheet/traveller sheet line when sheeting the main sheet off the rear beam.
You haven't simply, got the spinnaker halyard/retrieval sheet line too long (or longer than is necessary) have you??

Yes--note on the photo of my boat the line coming out of the tramp grommet and into the spinlock cleat--that's about the same amount of line on deck whether the spin is up or down. It has never fouled the traveller or mainsheet lines. It did once hook on the trap dogbone, though...and that led to one very ugly mark rounding, shrimping exercise and a quick trip down to the bottom of the fleet!

How did you manage to get it fouled on the trap dogbone??? (I would say that manoeuvre takes considerable acquired skill, he he)

Uh, that's what I was wondering myself as I drifted further and further past the bottom mark and closer and closer to the rocky lee shore, watching the half doused spinnaker slip under the bow.

Hi Bill,

I am obviously happy with the system on Twice Bitten which I have copied on to Altered. I am pretty sure that a couple of guy's used the same system with back beam sheeting, I hadn't heard of tangling problems.

From my experience it is very important to have halyard as short as possible, on the mossie with kite in chute the slack between pulleys (where you pull it up or down) should only reach to side of tramp. I use to adjust at head of spinnaker on shore leaving any extra length tied away at head of spin until I had tried it out a couple of times and then cut it off.

The other suggestions here involve a complete change of system but seem ok. Although I have to say having the system going to back beam doesn't involve pulling from back of boat at any stage it is more pulling it across the boat from the pulley or if sitting inboard pulling upwards, always facing forward while doing it.

Have you tried the Mossie Forum to ask what others do to avoid tangles?

Did Twice Bitten get sold, I think it was in Trading Post?

Look forward to seeing you on F16 forum again.

Regards Gary.

Here's yet another interpretation of the same theme. This is on Agent Orange is the same basic external system but we moved the spinnaker halyard cleat under the mast base under the beam (but we are strikerless). The spinnaker halyard comes out of the Goodall trampoline pocket and the retrieval line goes through the slot in the forward port section of the tramp. Works like a charm and is very neat too boot! No fouls possible...