Sabre 28 main sheet rigging

[tomgee]

I'm a new owner of a 1980 Sabre 28. As it's currently rigged, the main sheet is cleated on the cabin top with no easy way to run the sheet to the winch which is on the cockpit coaming. It also makes single handed sailing impossible.

Does anyone have a better solution?

[Faster]

More info would help.

Is it a cabin-top traveller? if so and you need a winch, it may be better to add parts to the mainsheet to make it easier to use. This will require some blocks and a longer mainsheet.

It it's feasible to move the traveller/mainsheet into the cockpit area, then it would be more at hand while sailing. Again, it sounds like you need to increase the purchase to make it manageable though moving the mainsheet attachment aft on the boom immediately gives you better mechanical advantage and you may not need the extra tackle.

If it's already in the cockpit area, then you might consider changing to a bottom block with cleating after you increase the power of the system. Also a ratchet feature on the bottom block will help manageability when the wind is up and when you are gybing in a breeze.

it may also be possible to add a "fine tune" section, that pulls on the "fixed" end of the sheet with another multipart tackle. This multiplies the power greatly, but doesn't give you a lot of adjustment/foot of takeup. However it allows further sheeting at heavier loads without a winch.

Good luck - try to set it up so that a winch is not required - much faster and more effective to use that way.

[tomgee]

Yes, it is a cabin top traveller. Unfortunately, the boom doesn't go that far over the cockpit. (you can see it in the picture on my profile page.) And there's a dodger that's covering the front of the cockpit, so I don't think that would be feasible, although I like the recommendation of not having to rely on a winch.

I wonder if anyone's put blocks at the mast foot and tried to route the sheet forward, then to the side and back towards the cockpit?

[cercole]

I don't think you would need a winch for the mainsheet on a 28 foot boat. But don't listen to me check with the Sabre Yahoo group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sabresailboat/

Good luck

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by tomgee

I'm a new owner of a 1980 Sabre 28. As it's currently rigged, the main sheet is cleated on the cabin top with no easy way to run the sheet to the winch which is on the cockpit coaming. It also makes single handed sailing impossible.

Does anyone have a better solution?

I wouldn't go overboard on the effect of a cabin top mainsheet on singlerhanding. My CS has the same setup and I find it only a little inconvenient relative to singlehanding. The mainsheet is largely set-and-forget untill you change course, its the traveler you need to change on each tack, once again inconvenient if not lead to the helm but not a barrier to singlehanding. My advie is don't worry about it and enjoy your boat.

If you really want to change it, I'd start with the traveler controls first, you might look up pictures of Giuletta's control lines, he has the only good setup of control lines lead to the helm that I have ever seen. The sheet leads forward to the gooseneck down and out to a turning block on the deck, back to the secondary winches, and is double-ended.

[tomgee]

Hi,

I looked at pictures of Giuletta, but I didn't see the analogy since that one has the traveler at the end of the boom. Pictures are a good idea though.

Any Sabre 28 owners care to post pictures of their cabin top main sheet rigging? It'd be great to see some comparisons.

Thanks.

[max-on]

Tom, where are you in RI? I am at Brewers Cowesett now, and will be in Wickford and Jamestown for the summer.

If you wanted to get fancy, you can add a 4:1 setup for the mainsheet at the traveller and run it back to a cam cleat in the cockpit.

[craigtoo]

In case you're still following this thread... here's a link to a running rigging rebuild on my Sabre

Running Rigging Plan - Page 6 - SailNet Community

It's a 34 but maybe you can get some ideas...

craig