Hi
I am thinking of doing away with the main sheet 'D' rong in the cockpit floor and fitting a more up-to-date traveller rail and main sheet car on the transom. I guess the tiller will be a problem but I have considered fitting a 'horse' to run above the tiller with a single block running on it. The idea is to create more room in the cockpit for the crew and make moving about less of a problem. Does anyone know of this being done on a Swift 18 before?
Main Sheet Traveller
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helenandpete
- Under way
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 9:02 pm
- Location: Warwickshire
Main Sheet Traveller
Best Regards
Peter
Peter
Main Sheet Traveller
My own experience with a traveller rail athwart the coskpit is that it is more trouble than it is worth. My Hunter F1 had a traveller and the only time it was ever used was to bring the boom up to windward when sailing in very light airs. The kicker was capable of doing whatever else was required. One could rig a line from boom to toe-rail to achieve the same effect. The traveller was a great hindrance to crew movement in the cockpit.
Another fallacy seems to be that the shrouds need to be bar tight, even to the point of taking up any slack in the leeward shrouds when reaching. This only serves to stress the rigging unnecessarily. I prefer to have the shrouds only just taut when I put the mast up and I leave them that way. I only use backstay when the wind rises, to depower the main. Again, the backstay is best used for support, not to put high tension into the rigging.Robin Rew SNIPE
Another fallacy seems to be that the shrouds need to be bar tight, even to the point of taking up any slack in the leeward shrouds when reaching. This only serves to stress the rigging unnecessarily. I prefer to have the shrouds only just taut when I put the mast up and I leave them that way. I only use backstay when the wind rises, to depower the main. Again, the backstay is best used for support, not to put high tension into the rigging.Robin Rew SNIPE
Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)----- Original Message -----
From: helenandpete (forum-rigging@swift18.org)
To: forum-rigging@swift18.org (forum-rigging@swift18.org)
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 10:52 PM
Subject: [Swift 18] Main Sheet Traveller
Hi
I am thinking of doing away with the main sheet 'D' rong in the cockpit floor and fitting a more up-to-date traveller rail and main sheet car on the transom. I guess the tiller will be a problem but I have considered fitting a 'horse' to run above the tiller with a single block running on it. The idea is to create more room in the cockpit for the crew and make moving about less of a problem. Does anyone know of this being done on a Swift 18 before?
Best Regards
Peter
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last_tuesday
- Under way
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:55 am
- Location: Nairn
I think the position of the mainsheet on the Swift is one of its few bad design features.
I'm far less bothered by any need to fit a system with a traveller to allow more rig tuning, more to just get the mainsheet out of the way. It really is a pain when there are a few folks on the boat.
Before I got our boat, I'd already thought about various ways to do it. When I actually got it though, it seemed that a previous owner must have had the same feelings as myself.
I would need to take a photo to make it clear, as my description is likely to be as clear as mud but , basically.
On either side of the engine well there is a stainless strap, bolted through the vertical face of the lockers, close to the inside face of the transom.
Above the top of each strap there is a eye bolt mounted into the transom itself ( roughly level with the hinges for the engine cover, but further 'outboard')
We used the 'normal' mainsheet, the few times we used the boat late this season.... but, in the Spring, I intend to fit two strops from shackles on the top of the stainless straps, up through the eye bolts, to another shackle that I can clip the bottom of the mainsheet to.
This will obviously offer no adjustability , in terms of the boom position, at all but it will get the mainsheet out of the way, and , as best as I can tell , the position of the eyebolts will hold the strops far enough out the way to allow the tiller full freedom of movement.
I will take a picture of the fittings when I am home, and when I've managed to smash the ice off the boat
I'm far less bothered by any need to fit a system with a traveller to allow more rig tuning, more to just get the mainsheet out of the way. It really is a pain when there are a few folks on the boat.
Before I got our boat, I'd already thought about various ways to do it. When I actually got it though, it seemed that a previous owner must have had the same feelings as myself.
I would need to take a photo to make it clear, as my description is likely to be as clear as mud but , basically.
On either side of the engine well there is a stainless strap, bolted through the vertical face of the lockers, close to the inside face of the transom.
Above the top of each strap there is a eye bolt mounted into the transom itself ( roughly level with the hinges for the engine cover, but further 'outboard')
We used the 'normal' mainsheet, the few times we used the boat late this season.... but, in the Spring, I intend to fit two strops from shackles on the top of the stainless straps, up through the eye bolts, to another shackle that I can clip the bottom of the mainsheet to.
This will obviously offer no adjustability , in terms of the boom position, at all but it will get the mainsheet out of the way, and , as best as I can tell , the position of the eyebolts will hold the strops far enough out the way to allow the tiller full freedom of movement.
I will take a picture of the fittings when I am home, and when I've managed to smash the ice off the boat
Main Sheet Traveller
I have struggled with the traveller problem as well and I have tried a few of the poormans solutions.
Having a line from the boom to the toerail works but not as well as you might imagine. This arrangement applies a lot of downward force which is actually the job of the mainsheet and this just means you have two lines doing the same thing to some degree. I have found a line to the top of the pushpit applies a lot less downward force and more lateral force which is the goal.
John
On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM, last_tuesday <forum-rigging@swift18.org (forum-rigging@swift18.org)> wrote:
________
Vermont dispensaries
Having a line from the boom to the toerail works but not as well as you might imagine. This arrangement applies a lot of downward force which is actually the job of the mainsheet and this just means you have two lines doing the same thing to some degree. I have found a line to the top of the pushpit applies a lot less downward force and more lateral force which is the goal.
John
On Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 2:44 PM, last_tuesday <forum-rigging@swift18.org (forum-rigging@swift18.org)> wrote:
Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)I think the position of the mainsheet on the Swift is one of its few bad design features.
I'm far less bothered by any need to fit a system with a traveller to allow more rig tuning, more to just get the mainsheet out of the way. It really is a pain when there are a few folks on the boat.
Before I got our boat, I'd already thought about various ways to do it. When I actually got it though, it seemed that a previous owner must have had the same feelings as myself.
I would need to take a photo to make it clear, as my description is likely to be as clear as mud but , basically.
On either side of the engine well there is a stainless strap, bolted through the vertical face of the lockers, close to the inside face of the transom.
Above the top of each strap there is a eye bolt mounted into the transom itself ( roughly level with the hinges for the engine cover, but further 'outboard')
We used the 'normal' mainsheet, the few times we used the boat late this season.... but, in the Spring, I intend to fit two strops from shackles on the top of the stainless straps, up through the eye bolts, to another shackle that I can clip the bottom of the mainsheet to.
This will obviously offer no adjustability , in terms of the boom position, at all but it will get the mainsheet out of the way, and , as best as I can tell , the position of the eyebolts will hold the strops far enough out the way to allow the tiller full freedom of movement.
I will take a picture of the fittings when I am home, and when I've managed to smash the ice off the boat
________
Vermont dispensaries
Last edited by jjspicer on Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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robvega
- Cruising
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:37 pm
- Location: Cleckheaton, West Yorks
- Boat Name: Vega
- Sail Number: 191
Hi All
This topic has been discused before on the old Yahoo group. This is what I wrote in June 2006:-
I've fitted a rope bridle with a small block running on it between
the two backstay anchorage points on the transom. When sailing with
more than 2 on board the mainsheet is rigged to this & a slider at
the end of the boom, to make more room in the cockpit, otherwise I
use the standard cockpit floor takeoff position.
This is the best picture I could find.
Rob
This topic has been discused before on the old Yahoo group. This is what I wrote in June 2006:-
I've fitted a rope bridle with a small block running on it between
the two backstay anchorage points on the transom. When sailing with
more than 2 on board the mainsheet is rigged to this & a slider at
the end of the boom, to make more room in the cockpit, otherwise I
use the standard cockpit floor takeoff position.
This is the best picture I could find.
Rob
- Attachments
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Phil De Troy
- Making way
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:00 pm
- Location: Seneffe (Belgium)
- Contact:
Main Sheet Traveller
Hello
My boat is not a Swift, but similar size, same problem.
Even with a flat cockpit, with less problems, the mainsheet traveller was bringing as many problems than solutions, especially as there are straps across the traveller's track.
Now the sheet cleat is still in front of the cockpit, but the sheet is then led aft to the boom end, then on a block on the rope bridle as on Rob's boat, except that I'm using the runners anchorage points as the backstay fittings are close to the centreline on both sides of the rudder. Anyway there are neither runners nor backstay any more...
On a similar Micro, the sheet has a 3:1 purchase, I used 2:1, then the sheet is led back to the front of the cockpit, and another block on this end allows a further 2:1 purchase for fine trim, using most of the original traveller controls. Just a problem of management, there are three modes, light weather with fine trim totally released (gives 3:1 purchase), medium with fine trim set but not used (4:1) and finally fine trim used (8:1). effective purchases, related to the boom end, are 2.6 / 3.2 / 6.4, anyway better than the original 5:1 at 60% boom length, effective 3:1 !
Pictures are from a provisional installation, now the bridle controls are also led forward of the helsman position, further arrangement for the winter works is to have these controls available for both sides of the bridle to port and starboard helmsman position.
Phil
My boat is not a Swift, but similar size, same problem.
Even with a flat cockpit, with less problems, the mainsheet traveller was bringing as many problems than solutions, especially as there are straps across the traveller's track.
Now the sheet cleat is still in front of the cockpit, but the sheet is then led aft to the boom end, then on a block on the rope bridle as on Rob's boat, except that I'm using the runners anchorage points as the backstay fittings are close to the centreline on both sides of the rudder. Anyway there are neither runners nor backstay any more...
On a similar Micro, the sheet has a 3:1 purchase, I used 2:1, then the sheet is led back to the front of the cockpit, and another block on this end allows a further 2:1 purchase for fine trim, using most of the original traveller controls. Just a problem of management, there are three modes, light weather with fine trim totally released (gives 3:1 purchase), medium with fine trim set but not used (4:1) and finally fine trim used (8:1). effective purchases, related to the boom end, are 2.6 / 3.2 / 6.4, anyway better than the original 5:1 at 60% boom length, effective 3:1 !
Pictures are from a provisional installation, now the bridle controls are also led forward of the helsman position, further arrangement for the winter works is to have these controls available for both sides of the bridle to port and starboard helmsman position.
Phil
Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)----- Original Message -----
From: robvega (forum-rigging@swift18.org)
To: forum-rigging@swift18.org (forum-rigging@swift18.org)
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 11:01 PM
Subject: [Swift 18] Re: Main Sheet Traveller
Hi All
This topic has been discused before on the old Yahoo group. This is what I wrote in June 2006:-
I've fitted a rope bridle with a small block running on it between
the two backstay anchorage points on the transom. When sailing with
more than 2 on board the mainsheet is rigged to this & a slider at
the end of the boom, to make more room in the cockpit, otherwise I
use the standard cockpit floor takeoff position.
This is the best picture I could find.
Rob
Attachments:
2005_0706lakes0037a.JPG
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Phil De Troy www.MicroClass.org
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helenandpete
- Under way
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 9:02 pm
- Location: Warwickshire
Main Sheet Anchor
Rob
I like your solution but would be a bit concerned in a blow that the back stay anchor points are under too much load. Come the better weather I think I am going to fit 2 additional 'D' bolts into the top of the transom and make a SS wire rope strop for the block to run on. If I get it done I will post some photos.
I am going down to the Boat Show on Saturday 17th and will look round for some other solutions / ideas.
I like your solution but would be a bit concerned in a blow that the back stay anchor points are under too much load. Come the better weather I think I am going to fit 2 additional 'D' bolts into the top of the transom and make a SS wire rope strop for the block to run on. If I get it done I will post some photos.
I am going down to the Boat Show on Saturday 17th and will look round for some other solutions / ideas.
Best Regards
Peter
Peter