Cabin top mainsheets

[knuterikt]

Hi Chas,
Glad to be able to help.

Some more coments on the setup; As you can se from the pictures the sheet is almost parallell to the genoa track so I don't think that this setup increases the tripping hazard so much. All my halyards and reefing lines have been led back to the cockpit so the part of the sheet going from the turnbuckles to the boom does not create any problems for me. If I need to go to the fordeck I would normaly go on the windward side outside of the shrouds.

The winches I use for the mainsheet are the original spinnaker sheet winches.

We have been using the genoa sheet winches for the spinnaker sheets.

Some owner chose to splice the two ends into an endless rope - by doing so you can adjust the sheet from both sides an still have enough rope on both sides. We have chosen not to do so, by paying some attention to what side have the most rope you can alway have enough to let out from both sides.

Knut

[BarryL]

Hello,

Since I have 3 kids (15, 12, 8) who like to go below and come on deck and go below and come on deck (you get it) having the main sheet on the cabin top makes the most sense for me. No one can trip on it or get hit by the sheet, or anything like that.

When my family is on board I am basically single handing and having the main so far away isn't that big a deal. I use the autopilot about half of the time, but the other half I just lock the wheel, move forward, adjust the sheet and then move back to the wheel. It takes a few seconds and is easy to do.

Barry

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by knuterikt

Hi
The system described to get the main sheet back to the wheel is called "German sheeting" i posted som pictures of my retrofitted solution a while back. http://www.sailnet.com/forums/genera...tml#post391262

You can find them here

knuterikt - I very strongly suggest that you immediately remove the block you have in the second photo, the one that is attached to the starboard shroud turnbuckle. Instead install a folding ring eye or other deck attachment ring with a backing plate either on the cabin top or the side deck or your toe rail and mount the sheave there.
- - Attaching anything that puts a side load on a shroud will lead to bending that shroud's turnbuckle eyes/studs and additionally put side loads on the chainplate attachment to the deck and below-deck chainplate attachment points.
- - Crash tacking or accidental jibes will put large shock loads on the sheave you have attached to the starboard shroud. Over time such loads with result in bending of the turnbuckle eyes and additionally loosen the bonding material between the chain plate and the deck resulting in water being able to leak down into the cabin and inducing intragranular corrosion in the stainless steel chainplate as it passes through the cabin top.
- - If used long enough you can break the starboard shroud and lose your mast and standing rigging. All loads on the shrouds must be axial with the shroud cables/wire.
- - There are many different versions of pad-eyes that can be mounted on the cabin top or side deck or toe rail that will hold your sheave to assist in bringing the main sheet aft to the cockpit.

[Waltthesalt]

My mainsheet is rigged to a traveler (track) aft. Mid-boom mainsheets were originally a recing thing. Your main set better if the sheet was mid-boom as it acted a a vang and in higher winds it pulled draft out of the main if your boom had soe bend. I guess it's handy to keep rope out of the cockpit area on non-racers. I removed mine becaise it interferred with the dodger and was inconveneint from the helm. There are two ways to go in rirring it aft. You can put in a traveller at the stern, alternatively put in a block at each quarter and have in triangle sheeting arrangement with the third block at the boom,

[knuterikt]

Originally Posted by osirissail

knuterikt - I very strongly suggest that you immediately remove the block you have in the second photo, the one that is attached to the starboard shroud turnbuckle. Instead install a folding ring eye or other deck attachment ring with a backing plate either on the cabin top or the side deck or your toe rail and mount the sheave there.
- - Attaching anything that puts a side load on a shroud will lead to bending that shroud's turnbuckle eyes/studs and additionally put side loads on the chainplate attachment to the deck and below-deck chainplate attachment points.
- - Crash tacking or accidental jibes will put large shock loads on the sheave you have attached to the starboard shroud. Over time such loads with result in bending of the turnbuckle eyes and additionally loosen the bonding material between the chain plate and the deck resulting in water being able to leak down into the cabin and inducing intragranular corrosion in the stainless steel chainplate as it passes through the cabin top.
- - If used long enough you can break the starboard shroud and lose your mast and standing rigging. All loads on the shrouds must be axial with the shroud cables/wire.
- - There are many different versions of pad-eyes that can be mounted on the cabin top or side deck or toe rail that will hold your sheave to assist in bringing the main sheet aft to the cockpit.

I discussed this setup both with my rigger and my sailmaker before attaching the above mentioned block. I have also seeen the same attachment used on new boats at boatshows.

After your post i discussed your concerns with my rigger, but he does not agree with you.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by knuterikt

I discussed this setup both with my rigger and my sailmaker before attaching the above mentioned block. I have also seeen the same attachment used on new boats at boatshows.

After your post i discussed your concerns with my rigger, but he does not agree with you.

I can't tell from the photos, but if that block is attached through the open body of the turnbuckle, I would have to agree with osirissail that this is a very bad idea.

I have sometimes seen attachment made at the chainplate. Could you swap out the clevis pin, and replace it with a D-shackle that has the same pin size? That way you would not be attached to the turnbuckle.

[knuterikt]

I have used a dynema loop through the bottom toggle of the turnbuckle NOT the open body.

I use a piece of shock-cord attached to the upper toggle to keep the block from banging around when the sheet is not fully tensioned. This might add to the confusion, should have had a close up of this

Using a D-shackle could be an option - but then I must get a shackle with bolt diameter exactly matching the clevis pin. Another option is to use a longer clevis pin combined with a (modified) shackle or custom made fitting.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by knuterikt

I have used a dynema loop through the bottom toggle of the turnbuckle NOT the open body.

I use a piece of shock-cord attached to the upper toggle to keep the block from banging around when the sheet is not fully tensioned. This might add to the confusion, should have had a close up of this

Using a D-shackle could be an option - but then I must get a shackle with bolt diameter exactly matching the clevis pin. Another option is to use a longer clevis pin combined with a (modified) shackle or custom made fitting.

Okay, I couldn't tell that from the photos. Thanks for the additional info.

FYI: I've had good luck matching clevis and shackle pin sizes. You might find it's easy to get a perfect fit.