mainsheet

[captain charlie]

Hi everyone, after sailing yepimadeit for awhile, I've been noticing the amount of strength required to hold the main sheet while sailing in a brisk (10 mph) wind. After a day's sailing my arms are really tired. Anyone else had this problem? Any comments about using a double blocks on the boom and ratchet ? Or would they get fouled when changing tack? Any comments would be appreciated, captain charlie

[Bflat]

Mine's not done yet, but I plan to rig like on my racing dinghy. Where the mainsheet exits the main block there's a cam cleat on a Harken swivel base that takes all the sheet tension. I keep my hand on the sheet ready to pop it out when needed. That's the way it's commonly done.
Bob

[truenorth]

My boat will definitely have a cleated mainsheet block. The manual very strongly recommends against one, but I think that has more to do with the realities of inexperience. In other words, the manual has to speak to the lowest common denominator of sailors.

The mainsheet should still never leave your hand, but it's more to be at the ready to uncleat it in a dramatic situation instead of actually applying tension.

[JonLee]

My boat will definitely have a cleated mainsheet block. The manual very strongly recommends against one, but I think that has more to do with the realities of inexperience. In other words, the manual has to speak to the lowest common denominator of sailors.

The mainsheet should still never leave your hand, but it's more to be at the ready to uncleat it in a dramatic situation instead of actually applying tension.

Totally agree with that. I didn't have a cleat initially, but added one late last year, and have never looked back:

http://leeboatworkspocketship.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-round-of-upgrades.html

[DanaDCole]

Cap'n Charlie--you need to exercise more! Just joking--I know what you mean. I get pretty tired just holding the sheet on the Skerry and after sailing just a little bit in your PocketShip I can see how a day of it would be really tiring. I purchased sailing gloves which should help the finger muscles, but won't do anything for the arm muscles.

The idea of a cleat scares me though--I'm one of those "inexperienced sailors" Truenorth mentions. I wonder if there is a better version of the ratchet block that comes with the sailing hardware kit? I noticed that it held a tiny bit but really didn't do much to take off the strain.

I may end up putting a cam cleat on there eventually, but if I do I will never let go of the sheet, and hope I don't fall asleep!

I can't exactly visualize where the cleat would go. Maybe JonLee, Bflat, or Truenorth could provide pictures.

[Bflat]

Hi Dana,

If you Google, "Harken Swivel Base" you'll find pictures of the base with the cam cleat. The main block is mounted to this (above it). Having the sheet in the cleat takes the strain. It's a simple matter to pop the sheet out of the cleat when you need to sheet out.

A valuable skill to learn is "reading the water." You can actually see gusts of wind on the water. They usually appear as dark patches which move across the surface. These are commonly called, "cats paws." By keeping one's eyes out of the boat and on the water in the direction of where the wind is generally from allows one to anticipate gusts, and that's "half the battle." When I see a gust coming I'll pop the sheet out of the cleat and be ready to ease it before the gust actually "hits."

Remember too that a gust doesn't just mean an increase in wind speed. A gust is often accompanied by a change in wind direction too, from slight to severe. And, of course an increase in wind speed alone will affect the "apparent wind." Apparent wind is the combination of the true wind and the wind created by the boat's movement through the air.
It's like adding vectors.

Lastly, it's not uncommon for gusts and lulls to come in a kind of pattern or rhythm. Getting in synch with that can be a great help sailing in gusty conditions. And of course, the air is particularly "squirrely" near shore. On light wind days near shore the wind can seem to come from any and all directions. Reading the water on light wind days is important too for that reason.

Bflat (Bob)

[DanaDCole]

Bflat, thanks for the advice. I'm trying to remember where the ratchet block was located on "Cap'n Charlie's" boat. I remember there was a kind of rope "traveler" and I remember hauling on the ratchet block, but for the life of me I can't remember where it was mounted--pictures on CLC's website did not help. I sort of remember the block being forward of the tiller, but that doesn't make sense. Anyway I'm assuming the cam cleat base would mount in the same place as the ratchet block. Is this correct?

[Bflat]

I'd mount the ratchet block on the aforementioned swivel base. And that is mounted on the bridge deck.

[DanaDCole]

OK, thanks it's coming back to me now. BTW, the reason I didn't just look at the rigging section of the manual is that I'm at work. I'll take a look when I get home tonight.

Anyway, for safety's sake I'll just use the ratchet block at first until I get more experience under my belt, then install the cam-cleat base later.

I'm not quite as green as my earlier post may have implied. Have had a lot of instruction and a couple summers sailing the Skerry. Instruction is vital, but experience is even more valuable. My instructor did teach me to look at the water and how to interpret approaching gusts, but this is the first time I've heard the term "cats paws." I'll have to remember that one. Now if somebody can just explain what Admiral Beaufort meant by "white horses."

[Bflat]

When it comes to advice, I'm a giver I'll tone it down. I just like to talk about sailing and taught it for years. Old habits die hard.