Aft sheeting conversion

Centre Main Sheeting  to Aft Sheeting 

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You will need: 

·         New Mainsheet – Max 12meters of 8-10mm. 

·         New Traveller – 2 meters 3mm Dyneema.  

·         1x Ratchet Block  

·         1x 40mm Single /Becket  

·         1x Lacing Eye

·         2x Rope Stoppers  

·         2x Plastic or S/S rings to keep the mainsheet running along the boom. (New boats come with a length of sailcloth to form a tunnel) 

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Process 

  

1.       Remove your old centre mainsheet system, including pulleys & strops from the boom, also your traveller and the associated shackles.

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2.       Fix your lacing eye for Single/Becket on the end of the boom – Put your sail up for this especially if you have the new North Sail as this is longer in the foot than any other! Suggest you try and get it as near to the end of the boom as you dare, but you should put something inside the boom to help spread the load of the fitting, hardwood, surplus s/s plate, etc. Also check what orientation your single/Becket is (if not swivel) as this will effect what type of D-ring you need to buy and whether it is fixed inline or at right angle to boom. 

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3.       Once the Single/Becket is attached, drop a line from this so that it just touches the deck. From this point on the deck is where you need your ‘New traveler’ to run across. It is very important that the traveler is directly below the boom otherwise you will be pushing or pulling the boom to the mast – not quick! 

For Reference my traveler is approx 15” from the stern (measuring along the gunwale) 

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4.       I utilised a pre-drilled hole for my tramps as I did this way before the 2009 AGM, so you can either make an existing hole bigger if it’s close enough to where you need your traveler, or simply drill a new hole as necessary now that it is legal to do so. Obviously drill a hole to suit the diameter of rope you are using. 

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5.       Get your 2m length of New Traveler rope and mark it’s centre with permanent marker or sew some whipping twine through it. Tie a knot approx 32” from this centre line 

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6.       Feed the long end of the traveler rope through the hole in either side of the gunwale, then pull through until the knot stops under the gunwale. 

Now tie another knot 18-18.5” from the traveler ropes centre and put on the plastic stopper if you choose to use one. 

Now put the carbo traveler from your original traveler (or equivalent – this may be a block with ring for greater resistance) onto the traveler rope. 

Now put on the 2nd plastic Stopper if you choose to use one, then tie another knot 18-18.5” from the traveler ropes centre again. 

Feed the other end of the rope through the opposite gunwale, with a stopper knot approx 32” from this centre line again to stop it from pulling out. 

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7.       Now balance up the traveler so it is central and depending on how tight or loose you want it. Slide it backward towards the rudder support to keep it central. Mine measures approx 16” from the deck. 

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8.       Now fix your Ractchet to the shackle or ring that is fixed to the top pulley of your kicker where it meets the boom strop. 

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9.       Attach new mainsheet to Single/becket go down through the traveler combo(bow to stern direction), back up through single/becket.

 Now put your two plastic or s/s rings onto the mainsheet. These rings can then be fixed to the boom using rope or simply Cable ties. Place them at equal intervals along length of boom. 

 

10.   Now go through the ratchet block tie your desired stopper knot and your away! 

·         A good tip is tie a 1m length of 2-4mm rope to somewhere convenient in the centre of the boat to stop the mainsheet trailing out the back of the boat in heavy conditions. 

·         A gybing line -Tie an 8mm length of rope (12-16”) to the same point as the rachet block. Then tie/fix another 20-25mm plastic ring on the other end. Your mainsheet then comes out of the ratchet and through this ring before tying the stopper knot. Ideal bit of kit for light airs and also handy for heavier air gybing! 

Hope this helps - Some pics added below to help... 

 

Christian Smart