Mast up - Valiant 18' Sheet lengths?

[VicS]

On boat today and measured.

Jib
seems to be length of boat 18 foot X 2 = 36 foot = 11Mtrs + 2M = 13 meters.

Main Sheet (boom right out)
4 X 4 Meters =16 M + 2 M = 18 meters.

Extra 2 (x2) can be used for Monkey's Fist tying ...

You are saying the main sheet is 4 times purchase? Seems a lot for a small boat. My 19ft Sea Wych has a three fold purchase. A single block with becket at the top and block and fiddle plus jammer at the bottom.

Dont make the mistake I made once of buying rope to large for the blocks and fairleads

 

[Dave-Shafa]

I looked at another small yacht and it had 4X
Block on boom is missing and it is a dinghy type block with jammer on the traveller.
I can knock 4M off the length of main sheet.

 

[Lakesailor]

You are saying the main sheet is 4 times purchase? Seems a lot for a small boat. My 19ft Sea Wych has a three fold purchase. A single block with becket at the top and block and fiddle plus jammer at the bottom.

Dont make the mistake I made once of buying rope to large for the blocks and fairleads

Yes. On my Valiant it was a 4x purchase when I bought the boat and it's too powerful. There is little feel to the mainsheet and the cockpit fills with line when close-hauled.
I changed to the same as you which was much better. I did try it as a 2 part, but the sheet loads were tiring.

Another handy hint for any small boat, but works very well on the Valiant is to put a carbine hook on the bottom block to the traveller. When not sailing I would disconnect it and clip it to one of the U-bolts at the stern quarter (that the split backstay is attached to) and nip up the mainsheet. That keeps the boom out of the way when you are in the cockpit and makes it a more pleasant place to loll about.