What issues are there with one stringing an older winder to Chris Martin's conversion (Spring 2006 article)? Looks like it can work well? Wondered what experiences anyone has had and if it is worth doing.

Clearly Pat Blake doesn't think it is worth the hassle.

Maybe Pat doesn't like the fact that the modification doesn't include the kicker.

I agree. The full one string does jib and shrouds and lowers, kicker and puller. I can live without the puller, but in any wind you will be beating in to the windward mark with the kicker on pretty hard, so to pull the rig forward in preparation for the bear off would require dropping the kicker just at the point where you don't really want.

We (more Mark & Chris Gould) will be studying Chambulls this winter to see what might be possible on a Mk1.

What is the limiting factor? Is it just that there isnt a strong-enough bulkhead in the right place to take the load?

We have recently purchased Prologue 3581. So it would be interesting to know how you get on this winter in Chambulls and if you manage any significant modifications.

I think it can be done, but doing it the winder way would not be easy as you physically can't get to certain areas of the boat. David Lapes has done it their wat however.

I wondered about running the "Special" block up and down the top surface of the tank as a possibility but i never took it further than the paper i drew it on.

The article and photos i did to be honest are perfectly adequate and a massive improvement over the origional fitout as you don't *need* to adjust the kicker and puller as part of the one string. the kicker will probably need adjusting anyway, and it's the work of a moment to give the puller a quick yank. What you gain is a pretty solid, repeatable setting for your lowers which especially with the chipstow masts is absolutely essential. This is arragement which will appear on Storm Cloud over the winter. I'm not convinced going to expense and hassle of the whole system is worthwhile.

If you attach the kicker to the foot of the mast/ foot plate, then as the rig moves it doesn't need adjusting. worked fine for me over 10 years

If the kicker is attached to the mast foot plate, any 'fine' adjustments could simply be made after rounding a mark.

Chris, 3547 Moondance Assasin was converted as you describe in the summer, only took a few pulley blocks, piece of piss really! I suggest you take a closer look on Sunday!

If god had intended us to sail glassfibre boats, he would have planted glassfibre trees.

Will be very interested in having a look at Storm Cloud when you have done it Chris.  All the Driver and Turner boats probably as far back as Canterbury Tales 3413 (?) have the same internal arrangements so there are a lot that could be converted if it works well.

Silly question, just looking at Mag's excellent pictures of Tom's P&B special - how much purchase is required on the moveable parts of the one-string? It looks as though there is only a 2:1 on both the up & down sides or have I missed the extra tackle? I guess that the key to the whole conversion is to balance the purchases to that everything runs freely and one element is not let off too much or too little.

Has anyone done any sketches?

Heck, damn string everywhere, I never got a chance to draw a diagram of everything....

I wonder if the 'special' block could be used on a winder mk1? If not it would make a great medallion. Where is the info on this part?

One stringed 3851 this afternoon. Works a treat. no more worries with lowers and jib hayard tensions. We acheived 250 pounds lowers tension at zero position and managed a rake of 4 " to the transom. Early days but seems good so far.

Pictures and a full description please....

Jon, I am intrigued by the relative ratio of lowers to shrouds to jib halyard - are they all connected in a 1:1 style or is there a bit of a tweak?

What about the final purchase - is 2:1 for rake forward and back enough or have you added more power? I guess that if it is all set up right, then moving a 250kg loaded rig is within the average strength of a crew?

The 6:1 purchase on the jib halyard is easy enough to pull rig to vertical (zero point)from raked. The tension remained constant through the raking although you can still tweak this either way with the existing control lines. With the lowers now attached to the jib block we set them to there zero point (ie the mast was returned from an alarming inverted position to vertical). The shrouds being independent we set its zero point with as similar tension to the lowers as possible. We measured 21' to the transom when we released the jib halyard this changed to 21' 4". Still early days. Will be testing more on Sunday. But I can say that setting up the boat like this made this afternoon sailing more balanced and felt better all round and far easier to adjust the rig without worrying about having enough tensions at the right place. Attaching the kicker is the next step!

You will find that the lowers overtighten when you in from upright to full rake. I found about 1cm above my sweet setting took case of it. If you attach the kicker you may run into problems with it pulling the mast upright for you especially offwind. I an sure there is a way around it.

Thanks Chris for your comments. I understand from your article that you settled with two marks for the lowers for off wind and on, I am supprised that 1cm makes a significant difference. I am still very much at the experimental stage and will need a few outings to fully understand the modification. I will now spend some time thinking of a way to do something with the kicker. Like you say there must be a way around this aspect.

It depends o the mast. With a chipstow it does make a difference, 1cm may be an underestimation as i no longer own the boat.

Has anyone done a one string conversion on an EZ Roller?  I'm toying with it as a winter project.

Is it any different in this respect to any other Modern MR?

I thought the cock-pit configuration is quite a lot different to say a Winder Merlin.

Hi Geoff

Will Rainey has fitted a one string system to Djelibeybi and Zero Gravity, so no reason why it can't be done on your boat.  Also, Kevin Driver reckons it should be possible to retrofit the wood Let It Rides with a one string system - we'll be having a look at Gilt Complex over the Winter so watch this space!