This is the sheeting arrangement i have been using this year, giving an uncluttered copit.
the strop allows the boom to be centered and the high pully give a good angle for holding the and controling the main.

Dave.

Weighs considerably less than a hoop with its associated controls!

How do you stop catching your tiller extension on it during the tack ?

You mean you have never sailed a transom mail boat, it goes infront of you whic means you change hands before the tack not during or after.

I can see a lot of the benefits, but transom mains absolutely cripple my back (Twisting).  Don't think I'll be swapping!

As important as Dave's rear main arrangement is, the most notable feature of this photo is the glimpse of sunshine seen at Holy Loch!!

Yes It was a fine Days sail, Sun Wind and shorts, Pitty the OD wasn't up to it!.

So does 2:1 on the outboard end give comparable sheet loads to a centre 4:1 mainsheet? (I was after a practical answer, not a mathmatical one.)


Question 2....does anyone sheet straight from the boom???

I would say 1.yes 2.no
Nick

point 2
I had to do it once when my centre main jammer came off, it wasn't too bad but if you let go it was a long way to go to get the sheet back.

I am sure that Barnsie will comment on the pros & cons of the straight from boom sheeting as the B14 has this arrangement. Keeps the centre of the boat VERY clean, massive potential weight saving (if you haven't all got enough correctors anyway), but you really don't want to let go of the sheet. It is also problematical if you want to do a helm hoist of the kite as you don't have a cleat - but does anyone still do this?

I helm haul the spinny in 578.  Tiller clamped between the knees and foot on the sheet. Trouble is my head is down in the boat as is the crew's who is fishing around under the fore deck unclipping the pole so at a crowded mark ramming becomes a real possibility. I could increase the string and go modern but that would take away the fun/panic/charm of old boat sailing.

I think most people do a help hoist still if possible.

My take on it is that if i have to stand to allow the crew to hoist i might as well pull it up as i will be too far back in the boat anyway and there is no point in prolonging it!

Certainly for us single pole oldies the helm hoists - the crew is too busy sorting the pole!

There is another safty feature with helm pulling up the kite on a windy day, with centre main its in the jammer, with tail main its under your foot.
So to let the main out just lift your foot! while bearing away with your knees and still getting the kite up in a few sseconds, keeping the boat flat.
With centre main jammed, gust, spinnaker stops going up, you grab for the main then uncleat, boat is already healing, helm moves to windward loosing the knee control and is grabbing for the now lost tiller ext, crew has to leave what there doing to help flattern the boat, main finaly gets uncleated, if you have been quick enough, and the half hoisted kite hasn't filled incorrectly the boat settles, you then finish the job, if not then I hope the water wasn't too cold!.

With centre main on a windy day, or on a reach, it is usually better to leave the crew to do the spinnaker hoisting whilst the helm concentrates on steering and driving the boat - and keeping it flat!

I agree Mike on a windy day, the crew does it, as you want the pole on before the kite goes up, but on puffy days, I will still pull the kite up and down for a speedier job.

I think you sail at an inland venue ;-), or do a lot of swimming in anything over a F2.

Just to put a name to the face ;-)
I do very little swimming, prob once twice a year if i'm unlucky, but beaing an X GP14 helm who always pulled the kite up, because the crew had to throw it round the forestay, you would be suprised what wind force and sea state you can do it in.
I think the crew did it 3 times during the whole of salcombe week.
Come to think of it the crew did do the pulling up at the inlands, and i did the pole, to stop the major upset in the positions in the boat, at it from dragging its transom, with the reverse in taking it down.

Also, being an ex-GP14 helm, I am used to teh helm hoist, but being a Merlin crew for my daughter for a few years, I can assure you that the crew can get the kite up quicker than the helm and not risk the helm losing control, assuming the crew works hard enough.  Liam, any comments, does Mr Warren Snr hoist?

Going back to DaveF's original post - I find it very interesting that in the photos of the Inlands at Blithfield, there are very few = none of the boats with centre main travellers with the boom on the centreline. Is this a combination of upright rig and travellers too narrow?

I thought that getting the boom on the centreline was the whole point of the exercise ..... :-))

Winner looks pretty central to me

Alan you must have the 3d pam image, as you can't tell from this angle.
What I did notice at the inlands, in the very light winds, was booms being over sheeted, which is worse, than not on the centre line or the best position just to leward of centre. and the hooked mains (over wanging the kicker), well there are a lot of mid to top third, that could rearly do with going to Rutland for rig setting training even thoe they say they don't need it??