Twin mainsheets

[srm]

My Boat (Archambault 40) has the Twin Sheet 'German' system.
It's handy for adjusting the mainsheet, whatever tack you're on, lots of leverage but honestly, I find it to be a bit of a pain in the ****. Also, you need a pair of winches.
My mate has a superb double sheet, off one block system on his Elan 33 and I've looked at changing mine to his, but the cost is huge.
Me thinks I prefer the simpler system.

View attachment 88135

This looks lke a conventional single sheet, only with both ends leading out of the blocks so they can be adjusted on either side of the boat. I had a similar system on an earlier boat but finished up tying one end off and only adjusting on the other end.
To my mind a double sheet system has two independentl sets of mainsheets with their top blocks attached to the boom. One sheet set up on the port side of the boat, the other on the stbd.

 

[Farmerwilliam]

My Boat (Archambault 40) has the Twin Sheet 'German' system.
It's handy for adjusting the mainsheet, whatever tack you're on, lots of leverage but honestly, I find it to be a bit of a pain in the ****. Also, you need a pair of winches.
My mate has a superb double sheet, off one block system on his Elan 33 and I've looked at changing mine to his, but the cost is huge.
Me thinks I prefer the simpler system.

View attachment 88135

:1
Actually Cariadco its an Elan 333 ! Yes the Elan double sheet system is clever. You pull on both for fast 4:1 and and single 8:1 for more leverage . The problem with the Elan 333 set up is that the traveller goes across the gangway. Apparently there have been some serious accidents from crash gybes when someone is sitting in the gangway. Otherwise system is genius. Other factor is that the mainsheet is not coachroof mounted (with the inherent mechanical deficiencies of attaching mid-boom), but also does not dissect the cockpit. This works well for med use as a full length bimini is possible.

 

[Catalina36]

I fitted them some years ago, not to replace the existing mainsheet with its track in front of the sprayhood but to augment it when beating single-handed as it's not easy to reach the mainsheet or the traveller lines from the wheel. Each one uses a pair of Garhauer fiddle blocks giving 4:1. With the comination of the original sheet and the two on the end of the boom the mainsail can be set up to be self-tacking with no intervention needed, so I've only got the genoa to deal with. The extra sheets give some interesting opportunities to tweak leech twist without adjusting the kicker and they also take the load off the centre of the boom which is quite handy in heavier winds.

I just fitted a pair of Wichard deck plates on the cockpit coamings about 18" back from the cabin bulkhead , originally as lifeline attachment points but which proved to cuminandy for this job too. I disconnect the extra sheets when off the wind as otherwise they foul the sprayhood, would need to be excessively long and in any case are unnecessary.

 

[Cariadco]

:1
Actually Cariadco its an Elan 333 ! Yes the Elan double sheet system is clever. You pull on both for fast 4:1 and and single 8:1 for more leverage . The problem with the Elan 333 set up is that the traveller goes across the gangway. Apparently there have been some serious accidents from crash gybes when someone is sitting in the gangway. Otherwise system is genius. Other factor is that the mainsheet is not coachroof mounted (with the inherent mechanical deficiencies of attaching mid-boom), but also does not dissect the cockpit. This works well for med use as a full length bimini is possible.

So? What's a 3 between friends??