29er questions

Just a few questions about the 29er:
What length should the tiller extension be? Mine's a bit too long, particularly awkward on gybes with the kite up. 

Should I have a continuous main/jib sheet? I've got one on at the moment, but it's too short so I need to change it at least partially anyway. We keep getting feet caught in it, which is always a pain.

Should the tack line tie off to to the block under the mast bridge that the spin halyard runs through as it exits the mast, or through the hole at the back of the starboard side of the bridge?

Are there any tricks to avoiding getting the tiller extension caught through the elastic at the back?

Finally, should the crew take the main sheet during tacks?

Thanks  

Edited by Jaws - 26 Apr 11 at 12:30pm

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Jaws Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 27 Nov 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 92	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jaws Report Post Quote Reply Topic: 29er questions Posted: 26 Apr 11 at 12:29pm
	Just a few questions about the 29er: What length should the tiller extension be? Mine's a bit too long, particularly awkward on gybes with the kite up. Should I have a continuous main/jib sheet? I've got one on at the moment, but it's too short so I need to change it at least partially anyway. We keep getting feet caught in it, which is always a pain. Should the tack line tie off to to the block under the mast bridge that the spin halyard runs through as it exits the mast, or through the hole at the back of the starboard side of the bridge? Are there any tricks to avoiding getting the tiller extension caught through the elastic at the back? Finally, should the crew take the main sheet during tacks? Thanks Edited by Jaws - 26 Apr 11 at 12:30pm
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tomoore1 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 03 Jun 08 Location: Wales Online Status: Offline Posts: 99	Post Options Post Reply Quote tomoore1 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 26 Apr 11 at 10:39pm
	Crew taking the mainsheet is a bit of a preference thing really. We found it easier for me (helm) to take it through the tack so he could hit the wire quicker. Helm also has a better feel for the boat during changes of course. I am not sure how you are catching the tiller in the elastic. It sounds like it might actually be too short. When its light you want to be sat right forwards (near to the shrouds) so it does need to be long. When going downwind just use a dagger grip with the rest of it going over your shoulder. I also found it best to flick the extension over to the new side and just use the tiller itself for more control. A longer extension was helpful here to make sure the tiller was over the gunnel and not wedged against the kick bars/ foot loops etc. If I understand you correctly, only the spinni halyard should go through the eye in the bridge. The pole outhaul will dead end at the inboard end of the spinni pole, run through a block mounted in the bow under the spinni chute (starboard side if memory serves). It will then be dead ended on a floating block. The halyard will run out of the mast, through the eye on the bridge and around the block under the bridge, through the floating block attached to the pole outhaul and back to the spinni halyard cleat etc.
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Jaws Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 27 Nov 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 92	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jaws Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 11 at 6:57pm
	My boat has another eye at the back on the starboard side of the bridge, about halfway between the mast and the gunwale. I don't have any other uses for it, but some people have said the tack line needs to anchor at the base of the spin halyard block that is directly below the mast (the first the rope runs through after leaving the mast). There's a little becket or similar thing on the underside of that block. The problem with a long extension is that getting it under the boom, particularly on gybes, is practically impossible to do in a decent breeze without a fair bit of notice. I can't really gybe the extension until I gybe the whole boat, which commits a lot to perfect timing getting it under the boom and forces me to be really exaggerated in my tiller movements during the maneuver. I'm tempted to buy another extension to go with my long (130cm) one and go twin tillers.
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tomoore1 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 03 Jun 08 Location: Wales Online Status: Offline Posts: 99	Post Options Post Reply Quote tomoore1 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 11 at 10:12pm
	From the sounds of it you are trying the gybe the extension by flipping it vertically. If you flip it over in a more horizontal manner (pointing towards the mast) you will be able to use a much longer extension. I used to swing the extension over and use the tiller bar itself to steer through the gybe as I felt I had a greater feel for the boat. As you say, twin tillers are another option, a bit of personal preference - some like them, others don't. As for that second eye, you should have a matching one on the port side. They are used to dead end the elastic used to hold the haking straps off the deck. Sorry about my earlier description of the tack line routing. It should in fact go from the inboard end of the pole, around a fixed block in the bow, round a floating block (which is back to back with a second block through which the halyard runs) and tie off at the bow again. It does not tie at the block under the bridge from memory
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Jaws Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 27 Nov 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 92	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jaws Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 11 at 10:22pm
	Isn't that the pole launching line? The tack line needs to run straight back from the pole because it needs to maintain a constant length. How do you tack a long pole then? Do you swing it round before the crew comes in or after they swing out?
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tomoore1 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 03 Jun 08 Location: Wales Online Status: Offline Posts: 99	Post Options Post Reply Quote tomoore1 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 27 Apr 11 at 10:43pm
	Yea, sorry I thought you mean the pole outhaul. The tack line does indeed need to dead end around the mast somewhere. One of my boats had it dead ended on that block under the bridge, the other had it dead ended on a the downhaul block at the back of the spinni sock, choice is yours. I used to flick the extension over before my crew came in off the wire. Just noticed your question about the continous sheets. My crew and I loved them, it meant either of us could adjust either sail when nescessary. Rather than buy a whole new sheet, splice a thinner rope on to either end so they run better through the main and jib blocks. It is especially helpful when easing the jib in light winds.
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FireballNeil Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 03 Oct 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 654	Post Options Post Reply Quote FireballNeil Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 28 Apr 11 at 5:44pm
	The extra hole is for elastic to hold up the front end of the toe straps, however most remove it as it tends to trip the crew up. Tomoore is right that you should be swinging the tiller extension more horizontally through the gybe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmlzKgrFWh8 this video highlights it perfectly at 2:35. It does require "pre-gybing" the extension, so basically making sure your mainsheet hand is above the tiller hand giving it free space to 'rotate' inwards to the boat.
	Neil

Jaws Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 27 Nov 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 92	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jaws Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Apr 11 at 5:39pm
	One more question, what diameter of rope is best for the mainsheet? The one the boat came with is a metre too short, and I have some 8mm stuff I bought as a replacement. However, the rope barely fits through the block at the end of the boom and the floating block, so I either need to get new blocks or a 6-7mm rope. I'm not worried about weight, really it's about getting a free-running sheet thick enough to get a good grip on. They end up costing about the same, so what's the best course? 8mm rope with new blocks, or 6mm rope with the current ones? Also, I know tapering would work for most of the time, but then I need the rope to be free-running on a windy 2-sail reach, and that would require tapering so far up the rope that I'd end up holding the the tapered section upwind, which would be difficult in wet conditions. Edited by Jaws - 30 Apr 11 at 5:46pm
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Skiffman Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Far too distracted from work Joined: 27 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 291	Post Options Post Reply Quote Skiffman Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Apr 11 at 6:35pm
	We used 6mm on the 29er and still do on the 49er. Marlow do some good stuff called excel fusion, would last years on a 29er. Its all personal preference, we had a continuous main/jib sheet, with 6mm main and 4mm excel elite jib sheet. The mainsheet and jib sheet were both tapered, the main tapered up to about 20cm away from the ratchet block and the jibsheet was tapered up to about 10/15 cm away from the jib cleat. They were attached with a knot, the knot stopping the jib sheet going out to far. Also an alloy jib cleat makes cleating and uncleating easier but increases rope wear.
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Jaws Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 27 Nov 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 92	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jaws Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Apr 11 at 7:07pm
	What sort of length was the main sheet?
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