The following is a selection of tips & comments from over the past year or so. The messages are more or less as they appeared originally, though I have taken the liberty of editing out some of the irrelevant byplay. Where they are useful parts of the originating questions are included italicized & in (brackets). Editor’s notes within messages are enclosed in <brackets>.

 

HALYARD

G2 (2000)

Do not use wire or spectra. Spectra stretches and then breaks and wire is heavy, gets jagged and then breaks! Call Annapolis Performance sailing or Layline and order a couple hundred feet of Vectan (Vec) 12 1/8 inch. It is stronger than wire and doesn't stretch like spectra. The two shops can be found at www.apsltd.com or www.layline.com....... I think

Phil (2000)

What he said! Vectrus 12 splices really easily. BUT I hear it doesn't cleat well on its own - if using it for a halyard I think you need a jacket on it OR you need to pull a spare length of it (12") inside the halyard at the point where it will be cleated.

I'd probably (and did) use kevlar or dyneema for main halyard. Spectra is likely fine for the main halyard as well, I don't think the length is long enough for creep to become a problem. –

Henry (2000)

ECHO! Use the Vectrus 12 (Vectran). You will need to feed a 12" piece or so where you want to cleat. Everything inside your mast should be Vectrus, plus trap wires, Vang, Strut, and even your jib Halyard (upgrade to 5/32") and luff wire.

HALYARD TWIST

Rick (Feb. 20, 2001)

You can get an idea if your halyards are twisted if when all the tension is on, something (like the spin halyard, pole control, or jib halyard) won't move when released. Sometimes, the halyards are not actually twisted, but have a loop caught against the inside of the mast when things are loaded up. One way to ensure things do not get twisted is to take the time to feed all the wires and ropes in, keeping them tight when the next ones are put in. Working with the mast vertical really helps, along with two people, one feeding things down from the top, and one catching things at the bottom.

Henry (2000)

As far as getting unwrapped, start over. Pull everything out, and take the mast butt off. You will want a location that allows you to put the mast straight up and feed lines down easily. A ladder resting on your house works good, get creative (tree) if needs be. Do the main halyard FIRST. Then spin, Jib, Topper (top to bottom.) as you complete each one tie it off VERY tight. You can use a drop weight to ease your frustrations getting the halyards to fall where you want them. Use a flashlight to look into the mast from the butt and be very careful, a twist and you are done. Get it all sorted, replace the butt, and go sailing.

SHEETING

Ken Allen (2000)

At present I have a center boom main sheet that I would like to move aft. Right now the bridle is directly over the thwart, attached to a single block. There are two blocks centered on the boom and a hexaratchet with a swivel cleat mounted on the end of the CB case. This gives me a 4:1 purchase. What purchase is standard?

Mike McEvoy (2000)

Most boats today have done away with the thwart sheeting although some still use the Loveday hoop. Changing to a bridle is quite simple. Two small holes need to be drilled through the aft deck gunwhale or alternatively two deck clips mounted. A rope bridle is attached. If you want a 2:1 a block is attached to the middle of the bridle. A block with a becket is then attached near the end of the boom. The mainsheet is attached to the becket; then through the block on the bridle and up to the block on the boom. From there the sheet goes forward to a second block above the end of the CB case and then down to the ratchet block on the case. For a 1:1 system eliminate the block on the bridle and simply attach the sheet to the middle of the bridle.

The bridle doesn't need to be very high off the deck and if too high will catch on the corner of the transom.

Dan Edwards (2000)

There are some advantages for mid-boom sheeting which I use:
1 you don’t have to readjust the hiking stick length on every tack; handy for single-handing; matter of fact, don’t even need an adjustable stick; I'm using a six footer now;
2 it’s very easy to change the purchase from 1:1 to 4:1 as the wind
dies or picks up, by just changing the dead end knot.
3 you don’t hook the mainsheet around your neck any more
4 the bridle doesn’t hook around the transom when jibing in light air.

Brian Pomeroy (2000)

I am all for the center mounted mainsheet traveler. I come from laser II's where the mainsheet traveler must be aft mounted and I hate it. The only advantage I can see for the aft traveler/bridle arrangement would be that the cost of hardware would be reduced. It would seem to me that with the hoop, you could isolate the mainsheet's pull on the boom to side to side adjustment, and use the vang to control up and down. Without any lines between the boom and the deck aft of the skipper, he can just swing the tiller extension around back when tacking and gybing.

Ian (2000)

As I recall the main advantage of a transom traveler over a hoop is that it enables the boom to be sheeted closer to the centreline. Having said that I prefer the hoop, it's ideal to grab hold of, and depending on how you rig it, it enables easier pumping (only when the rules allow though...)

Robin (Oct. 25, 2000)

Mainsheet. 8mm. For end boom sheeting length is 6m (not including bridle)