• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Mainsheet routing

driftless

Member III
Blogs Author
The sea trial went well. We closed on the boat on Friday and brought it up from Waukegan, IL to Milwaukee, WI on Saturday. Had to motor most of the way up, but set sail north of Racine and had a nice beam reach the rest of the way up to MKE.

But, the mainsheet cuts across the boom vang on a staboard tack and it seems like that isn't good. A lot of friction and potential for chafe. How can I rig the mainsheet better?

IMG_20190809_193012.jpg

The yard obviously didn't take a lot of time in commissioning the boat just to sell it, so I'm not trusting them 100% that this is right.
I found one really scary thing - The nut on the gooseneck was not tight. It was threaded on over the hole for the cotter pin or ring, which must be the weakest point on the bolt. Scary!
 

nquigley

Sustaining Member
The sea trial went well. We closed on the boat on Friday and brought it up from Waukegan, IL to Milwaukee, WI on Saturday. Had to motor most of the way up, but set sail north of Racine and had a nice beam reach the rest of the way up to MKE.
But, the mainsheet cuts across the boom vang on a starboard tack and it seems like that isn't good. A lot of friction and potential for chafe. How can I rig the mainsheet better?
View attachment 27587
The yard obviously didn't take a lot of time in commissioning the boat just to sell it, so I'm not trusting them 100% that this is right.
I found one really scary thing - The nut on the gooseneck was not tight. It was threaded on over the hole for the cotter pin or ring, which must be the weakest point on the bolt. Scary!
Yup - you're right. ... it's wrong, and dangerous.
Do you have another (3rd) place to hang a block from the boom that's aft of the vang attachment point? (maybe aft of the one on the left in your pic?) - in which case, the 3 blocks need to all move aft one place.
You don't need an expensive block in the position just forward of the vang - could use a simple fairlead there to prevent a big loop hanging down between block by the gooseneck and the first block aft of the vang.
 

driftless

Member III
Blogs Author
Does a double block fix it?

Yup - you're right. ... it's wrong, and dangerous.
Do you have another (3rd) place to hang a block from the boom that's aft of the vang attachment point? (maybe aft of the one on the left in your pic?) - in which case, the 3 blocks need to all move aft one place.

Unfortunately no, there isn't a third bail on the boom behind the vang, just the 2. If I lead the mainsheet fair past the vang, it seems like I need a double block on the forward bail order to make the right number of turns and not have lines crossing.
Does anyone see flaws in that thinking?
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
....a double block on the forward bail order to make the right number of turns and not have lines crossing

Easier to put a double (or fiddle) block on the aft bail, then use a single block on the forward bail just to redirect the line forward under the boom.

$.02
Bruce
 

driftless

Member III
Blogs Author
What size block?

Easier to put a double (or fiddle) block on the aft bail, then use a single block on the forward bail just to redirect the line forward under the boom.
$.02
Bruce
I'll take those 2 cents all the way to the bank. That makes perfect sense.

Now the question is what size fiddle block do I need?

All the different manufacturers call different sizes different things. Garhauer seems affordable and is mentioned elsewhere on the forum, but my searches haven't turned up size recomendations.
 

driftless

Member III
Blogs Author
Note the maximum line size and be sure that your line will not bind in the cheeks.

What about working loads though?

I ordered a Schaefer series 5 fiddle block because it should take my 7/16ths sheet, and it was 1/2 off, and aestitically will go nice with the lewmars that are already on there. But then I started looking at Schaefer spec sheets and this seems drastically undersized, even though it will accept the line. Is Garhauer different in that regard?

Thank you all, again and again, for all of your incredible help!
 
Last edited:

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
The block in the referenced link is rated at 3K safe working load, and that is a line size that would be normal for a main sheet for many of our boats. By comparison your SS shrouds are likely rated at about 7K.
i.e. that is a very strong block. Note that Garhauer has always been conservative in their strength ratings.

While I am not a fan of "Sta Set X" a lot of sailors like it and in 3/8 it is rated at 5300# , and doubt that any of your running rigging loads would come anywhere close to that.

ps: we all help as much as we can, and you will (soon, maybe...) find yourself posting an answer on a thread here describing how you solved a related problem on your boat..... and helping another owner who is working toward a solution or ideas leading to one. :)
 
Last edited:

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
.. what size fiddle block do I need?

I went with Harken 57mm blocks for my mainsheet (Ericson 32-III). 800lb working load, ~2500lb breaking strength, more than strong enough in my opinion.

https://www.harken.com/productdetail.aspx?id=4729

ObNote, I use those Schaefer series-5 blocks for turning halyards at the base of the mast. They're rated significantly stronger (~1750lb working load), the series-5 fiddle is a little bigger (and a lot heavier) than the harken.

https://hardware.schaefermarine.com...ucts_id=3469&zenid=ibvrkarjb3rtuhbvlubmfrkg37

In context, I wouldn't put a person up the mast on the harken, but have no qualms about using it for the mainsheet, and the harken runs like butter on ball-bearings.

I haven't gotten any Garhauer blocks, so can't provide any experience on their equivalents...

Bruce
 
Last edited:

oldfauser

Member III
The sea trial went well. We closed on the boat on Friday and brought it up from Waukegan, IL to Milwaukee, WI on Saturday. Had to motor most of the way up, but set sail north of Racine and had a nice beam reach the rest of the way up to MKE.

But, the mainsheet cuts across the boom vang on a staboard tack and it seems like that isn't good. A lot of friction and potential for chafe. How can I rig the mainsheet better?

View attachment 27587

The yard obviously didn't take a lot of time in commissioning the boat just to sell it, so I'm not trusting them 100% that this is right.
I found one really scary thing - The nut on the gooseneck was not tight. It was threaded on over the hole for the cotter pin or ring, which must be the weakest point on the bolt. Scary!

I would be more than happy to help you out, if you would like another set of eyes! I live just west of Waukesha... just pm me for contact information
 
Last edited:
Top