classic double-ended mainsheet

[jonros]

Dear interested reader? i have completed the restoration of Rosanna,she is a one off gaff rigged yawl,her lines were lifted from the remains of a fishing smack on the river Deben by eversons, where she was built by eye in 1960.I am having a double ended mainsheet arrangement with a single block each side of the horse.As her topsides had already gone when i bought her i am not sure which way to make fast the sheets.The aft of the cockpit is 7inch high with a slow sweep fwd of 4ft to the coachroof.Could anyone make a suggestion as to the best way of making fast the tails,although i would prefere a traditional method i am open to all suggestions, many thanks jon

 

[Porthandbuoy]

When I think of a double ended mainsheet I have in my minds eye an endless mainsheet with a jamming cleat on each quarter. This gives you the ability to haul in the mainsheet fast (eg during a gybe) by hauling on both parts, and the ability to haul in the windward, or "uphill", portion when going to windward, which helps the sail shape. The horse becomes redundant and, because the mainsheet is an endless loop, wear and tear will be evenly spread along its length as it shifts. Just a thought; hope it helps.

 

[Mirelle]

For a discussion on this very topic, though it rambles a bit, click here

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Interesting. I'd never heard of a kevel, nor indeed the Wooden Boat forum! Thanks

 

[jonros]

Thanks, all thoughts gratefully received,it does add another dimension to the answer

 

[Poignard]

I converted my boat back to having a double-ended mainsheet a few years ago and I am quite happy with it. The two cleats are mounted on top of the cockpit coaming - painful to sit on; some people have the cleats on the outside of the coaming but I would worry that the loose ends might go overboard into the propeller.

If you don`t take care you can end up with all the sheet out on one side and none one the other. Not a great problem and easily put right, but to avoid it I put a red whipping in the middle of the sheet such that when close-hauled the whipping is near the lower middle block. Then I know I have a roughly eaqual amount of sheet available each side.

 

[Peterduck]

If your blocks are strap-bound [assuming that they are wooden] you could extend the axle out each side of the block and wrap the tail around that to secure it. This was common on working boats. Swallow's bocks are wire-stropped, so I could not do that. [The served wire strop covers the end of the axle]. Instead I carved a pair of horns on one side of each cheek, and I secure the sheet around them.
Peter.

 

[jonros]

thanks twisterowner & peter,my cockpit arrangement is pretty much governing me, but these ideas are grist for the mill and i appreciate your thoughts,methinks a solution is on the horizon, cheers jon