Mainsheet systems and leech tension

   That makes a lot sense and simply put JC.
As a possible point of of interest, another mono sail boat the Contender typically uses a lot of kicker / leech tension hardy ever sheets inside the quarter and points well. I hear the term "driving off the leech" a lot in this respect.

Although I've been slow to embrace fully my two man class advocates kicker until your fingers hurt then a bit more until they bleed. When the breeze is in with crew on wire it certainly feels like it works, lower sheet loads, boom out to keep boat flat and still going and pointing at speed.  

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Do Different Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312	Post Options Post Reply Quote Do Different Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Mainsheet systems and leech tension Posted: 01 Jul 17 at 8:19am
	That makes a lot sense and simply put JC. As a possible point of of interest, another mono sail boat the Contender typically uses a lot of kicker / leech tension hardy ever sheets inside the quarter and points well. I hear the term "driving off the leech" a lot in this respect. Although I've been slow to embrace fully my two man class advocates kicker until your fingers hurt then a bit more until they bleed. When the breeze is in with crew on wire it certainly feels like it works, lower sheet loads, boom out to keep boat flat and still going and pointing at speed.

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3401	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Jul 17 at 9:00am
	My take is that on a una-rigged boat, centring the boom is a no-no, the best sheeting angle is to have the boom over the quarter or thereabouts when the wind is up and a bit closer to the CL in the lighter stuff. That is why I think a twin tail system won't work on the Supernova or Blaze (having a jib makes being able to centre the boom useful). As JC says some kind of traveller becomes essential unless you separate boom angle from leech tension and I have both the 'nova and the Blaze with a fixed laser style rope traveller across the transom. This works well on the Blaze (open transom) but less well on the 'nova with it's rear deck and low boom. However, if you don't use the mainsheet for leech tension upwind surely you need to be able to play the kicker in the gusts (requiring a system that is easily accessibly when hiking/trapezing at full stretch)? I've also heard of classes where you cleat the mainsheet and play the traveller in the gusts (at this point, in a singlehander I'm rapidly running out of hands)? Times change, when I bought the Spice the received wisdom was the mainsheet was set up to tighten the leech with it's last couple of feet of travel allowing you to dump power by allowing the leech to twist. Is that not considered fast anymore? On the Spice and Blaze the kicker controls twist/leech tension on all points except a beat where it affects twist only when I release the sheet to dump power in a gust. The Spice has a big fully battened main on a shortish, overweight hull and generates enough power to get me trapezing (sailing it solo) in 6 knots or so. It also has a hog stepped mast with a mast gate/swatcher rather than lowers. Edited by Sam.Spoons - 01 Jul 17 at 9:03am
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3420	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Jul 17 at 10:26am
	I have all controls fed to both sides, all work well, but still use mainsheet for final leech tension, works well on sprint. http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o587/aquabatdinghy/Minisprint%20rebuild/WP_20160130_13_47_49_Pro.jpg

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3401	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Jul 17 at 1:58pm
	I have all the controls led to the sides on the 'nova and Blaze apart from the forestay tension on the 'nova (not allowed on the Blaze). Your system on the MiniSprint looks like a 4:1 centre mainsheet (probably roughly equivalent to a 2:1 transom sheeted system) but with no traveller? How do you avoid over sheeting when you apply leech tension? Or is that not problem on the Sprint?
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3420	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Jul 17 at 5:27pm
	Not noticed any issues with over sheeting, other than stated, that it will pull leech down, which is in itself over sheeting.

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3401	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 07 Jul 17 at 7:44pm
	I've just reverted back to centre mainsheet on the 'nova, will race it on Wednesday and see what I think. Terrible race Wednesday gone, no boat speed so I'm removing as many variables as possible by setting the boat up by the numbers.
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"