[Public-list] mainsheet questions

[Gordon Laco]

Good morning - 

I use a 3:1 mainsheet with the cleat 'upside down' like yours is.  I took
off the cam cleat and fitted a Spinlock PX cleat.  The advantage of the PX
is that they require very slight downward deflection to release; even under
high load.  Cam cleats, despite the claims of makers of ball bearing ones,
tend to get harder and harder to release as load goes up.

Downward releasing is good in keelboats because when you want to sheet in
and have the cleat grab, the natural angle is up... You don't have to haul
in and then struggle to snap the sheet down.  In dinghies the loads are
lower so the ergonomics don't matter so much.

We went to 3:1 because there is so much less sheet to mess with.  On the
rare occasions when the force required is too much, I untie the bowline on
and haul down the bitter end of the sheet and re-tie it on the other block
making 4:1.  


Gord #426






> Folks,
> 
> I don't like the way my mainsheet cleat works. I think it's backwards
> having to pull down to uncleat the main. I much prefer pulling up to
> uncleat and pulling down to cleat it. This makes it easier to ease the
> main in a puff and is the way every dinghy I ever sailed is rigged
> (although many dinghies actually have no cleat at all...). My boat has
> a cleat that is mounted on a fiddle block and the cleat faces down. So
> when you pull up, the sheet cleats. This seems to be a pretty standard
> setup for keelboats, at least, for traditional ones.
> 
> I would like to reverse this. I have considered 2 options. The ideal
> situation would be to use my existing blocks with a harken 402 swivel
> pedestal cleat base, like:
> 
> http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/sccyspw1.eShowPage?409Z56LC7FV66&409Z56
> LC5IU7U
> 
> The only problem is that I am not sure anybody makes a traveler car
> which would accept a base like this. I am looking for one. If anybody
> knows of a traveler car that would work with a swivel pedestal base, I
> am all ears.
> 
> The secondary option, less ideal, but still superior to the existing
> solution would be to unscrew the existing cam cleat and turn it upside
> down, using some kind of spacer between the plate and the cleat to
> allow clearance for uncleating the sheet. I have seen cleats where
> people have done this with plastic or delrin balls. The problem with
> this is that there is a lot of bending load on the fasteners because
> the load is transferred through them all the way up to the top-mounted
> base. You really have to have big ones and have them screwed down
> tight or you'll bend them.
> 
> I was just wondering if anybody on the list has pursued either of
> these options? Alternately, is there some reason that I am missing why
> it is better to have your mainsheet auto-cleat when you pull up on it?
> 
> Also, I have 5:1 on the mainsheet with no ratchet block. Is there
> anybody out there who is using a ratchet with less purchase (say 3:1)?
> Less purchase would allow you to use a much shorter mainsheet.
> Alternately, is there anybody with a gross/fine trim system?
> 
> Thanks as always for your thoughts and input.
> 
> J Bergquist
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