Mainsail; cunningham option & old tech rigging

[patrscoe]

Beginning to retrofit all the running rigging on our recently purchased (Spring 11') Pearson 35.

The mainsail has no cringle for a cunningham. The boom is set up for a downhaul as the boom runs on a track. For a temporary fix, do you think attaching a cunningham purchase to the first or second grommet that has the mainsail hank/sliders attached to them would be strong enough?
I figured this Winter I'll have a additional cringle put in the mainsail about 8" above the foot.

Another note... I have never been a fan of a boom track downhaul because if you're on a reach, I want my boom down or horizontal by hauling in the boomvang but also want my luff loose but the vang will pull the boom down as it is on a track. I think this is old tech trim but then again, she is 38 yrs old. One thought is to have a uphaul / downhaul rigged on the boom track so that I could control the luff during this conditions, if I don't install a cunningham this year.

Since I'm on the old tech trim. The boom is also set up with a builtin outhaul that is cranked with a handle mounted within the boom located about 2/3rds down the boom. Not use to it, to trim, you need to jump up on the cabin or reach over through the campionway and crack on this small handle. Need to remove and retrofit.

Any thoughts on retrofitting the running rigging, would love to hear about it.

Patrick

[nolatom]

I favor your idea for a gooseneck up/downhaul, that way you can freeze the slide in place, so it won't move up or down when you apply the vang tension, which as you point out would defeat the purpose of the vang.

then you wouldn't need to worry about overloading the small main cringle with a Cunningham. You can just put your luff tension on with the downhaul. Problem is you'd have to keep readjusting the vang when you adjust the luff tension, but that's a small problem you can fix once you get a real cringle.