[Public-List] mainsail outhaul travel

[David Tessier]

I want to start tweaking the outhaul on our loose-footed mainsail.So I am implementing an outhaul with mechanical advantage,likely using blocks/line to achieve the mechanical advantage, perhaps 4:1./*** How much travel should I allow for loosening the outhaul from its fully tight position?/I recently saw an outhaul on a Hughes 38 where the mechanical advantage is provided by a low-profile piece of gear along the side of the aft end of the boom.  It uses a threaded rod which turns and thereby moves a "car" linked via a block and wire line to the clew of the mainsail.  I took no pictures and am not sure how much travel this thing had.It looked to me to provide lots of mechanical advantage and fine tuneability, but might be hard to access with the boom out on a reach.Is anyone out there using something like this?/David#319