Spilling the wind with a cabin top mainsheet

That is but one part of what boats are for.

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Well on bigger boats with aft cockpits the boom end may not even reach the cockpit, making it difficult to have a traveller system that isn't coachroof mounted.

I will assure you that even if you want to sail yours buoy-racer dinghy style against us we would leave you for dead very quickly - care to take the challenge?? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Re: Putting up with a cabin top mainsheet

We managed to simplify the single-line reefing pennants, we got rid of the mast-stacking system - but could do nothing with that infernal rooftop mainsheet. It monopolised one winch for a start, leaving 13 other lines to compete, and the friction was ginormous . . .

Never again. The mainsheet should be located for ease of effective sail trim, and if that means slap bang in the middle of the cockpit so be it.

OK, I'm easily recognised by my cauliflower ears, amongst other characteristics . . .
 
That's a very brave challenge. What form of rocketship are you sailing to issue such a challenge?
 
Mainly cos I don't own my own boat. The Dufour 40 I normaly sail would seem to be a good match for a Sun Legende 41 though. To windward in breeze you wouldn't stand a prayer, but on a reach that big genoa would probably haul you level.
 
Well, lets see,
I left the gentle art of providing entertainment for non paying participants some time ago. If you wish to pursue that for a few more years, you are most welcome. I note from experience that those non paying participants are rarely to be seen in the closed season during maintenance.

I no longer have any crew problems,as we live with each other. My boat is fragrant and also able to be used single handed, something the old 3/4 tonner was never able to afford me.

The race Robin describes would probably result in a IRC levelled conflict n'est-ce pas? Or perhaps he has a waterline length advantage.

What is a rocketship BTW? I dimly remember certain boats described thus for a season, only to be overhauled next season by the next rocketship.
 
I sail a boat with a long traveller works wonderfully for fine tuning the main upwind. Incidentally lots of modern rigs tend to have longer booms - due in part to rating changes and partly to improved materials - so the booms reach well back even on larger boats.

The point you make re an accidental gybe is right as the mainsheet could easily injure somebody. Furthermore following such a gybe it often catches the windward spinnaker winch leaving a seriously oversheeted main. I have resorted to using one of the boom mounted gybe preventers which to be honest is a real pain in the neck. I guess there is no perfect solution!
 
I haven't sailed a Dufour 40 but I have sailed the earlier 41, nice enough sailer but it had I think a coachroof mounted mainsheet!

You would need to try VERY hard to beat us upwind, in a blow or not. The original of our class was a French One Ton Cupper, a French Admiral's Cup team member and won the SORC down under. Would we also get an age allowance for being 1988??? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Offshore though, don't do inland like the Solent. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
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One answer is to put a swivelling cam cleat between the clutch and the winch. Take the main off the winch with the cam cleat jammed, and lead it back to the helm. One quick flick will release the cam cleat and dump the main.

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Freestyle has such an arrangement, and it works a treat.
 
The new dufours bear no resemblance to the old floating caravans! Track spans the whole cockpit.

I really don't think you'd touch a modern performance boat with IRC influences upwind. The big genoa / small main combo was dropped very quickly by race boat designers as soon as IOR (which didn't measure genoa sail area behind the mast) died a death. Large mains and high aspect fractional Jibs point higher and go faster upwind.
On a reach the extra power produced by the large genoa would probably just give the older IOR design the edge. Until Kites are flown that is!
 
I don't think he claimed it is a rocketship but that it is a decent seaboat that might beat a Dufour 40.

Would I be unfair in questioning whether a Dufour 40 really justifies such an esteemed title? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Just had a peek at the EAORA results for 2006, and it seems the Dufours dont touch the performance boats either.
 
read the posts again. I never said a dufour 40 was a rocketship, it's not. It is a fast cruising boat properly equipped with decent sail handling kit.
 
read my replies. I never said the Dufour 40 is a rocketship either. How could I?
But you did imply that it would require a well crewed rocketship to squeeze by the Dufour. Ahem.
 
I used to own a Bav 32, which was a bit tender in gusty conditions. I used to take the mainsheet across the cockpit to the windward genoa winch, which are located within reach of the helm position on the 32. With the mainsheet round the winch and secured in the self tailer, you can release the clutch on the mainsheet and dump the main form the winch when needed. Not ideal, but it does work.
 
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I really don't think you'd touch a modern performance boat with IRC influences upwind.

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Not a race boat maybe but then the Dufour 40 is a cruiser. We have held one of the leading local 40ft racers over a 12ml leg hard on the wind in F3/4 neck and neck, just me and SWMBO (and George the autopilot) versus a full crew of wellies on the rail... We didn't want to take their wind though as we weren't racing so we just climbed half a mile above them to keep clear.

Not my boat, this is a pic of an older one, but you can see where the traveller is.

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Until Kites are flown that is!

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I had my wings trimmed by SWMBO for kiting except in light airs since they gave me a heating allowance and a bus pass. But see below, not exactly slow. Not my boat BTW, I poached the pic.

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