Mainsheet Length

[rhr1956]

My Pearson 26 when running downwind with boom as far out as possible...still has a pile of mainsheet in the cockpit floor. It is the prescribed 65' according to Dan Pheiffer's website. Question is-why so much extra length? I'm thinking of cutting some off so that when boom is max out, I only have a few feet left in the cockpit floor. Am I missing something here?

[daddle]

Maybe you have fewer blocks or something? I'd trim the mainsheet off so there is only just enough to grab when the boom is at the shrouds. That should leave enough the freshen the ends a few times. Freshen the boom end before the clutch or winch does too much damage to any one spot. It moves the spot. Or end-for-end it.

[Unicorn Dreams]

If you do cut it off, I'd swap ends to get the newest line on it.

The mainsheet on my boat is 75' with about 10' left over, but my boom is only 13' long as I' ketch rigged. I measured mine by swinging the boom out until touch the stay. That way I had plenty of sheet as the boom would never go that far out

[E.L.Green]

Mine is rediculously long but when I go to the foredeck, if it is any sort of heavier weather I tie it off to my riggers belt. In theory, I like to think if I went for an un planned swim, the line would pop out of the cam and douse the main. If not, then i still have a line to get me back to the stern.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by E.L.Green

Mine is rediculously long but when I go to the foredeck, if it is any sort of heavier weather I tie it off to my riggers belt. In theory, I like to think if I went for an un planned swim, the line would pop out of the cam and douse the main. If not, then i still have a line to get me back to the stern.

Huh? That would sheet in the main. Or if it was the halyard, that would hoist it.

[Cheechako]

I'd leave about 8 ft.

[E.L.Green]

Not the way it is set up Daddle.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by E.L.Green

Not the way it is set up Daddle.

Never seen a boat that one pulls on the sheet or halyard to effect a depowering. Pulling is what your dragging body is going to do.

[Blue Stocking]

A short lanyard on a snap shackle, rollinghitched onto the running end part of the sheet would do it.

[James S]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I'd leave about 8 ft.

Plus 1

[E.L.Green]

I attach an arborist climbing pulley from my climbing days to the boom and run my line through it. If there is any hard pressure applied it pops the line out of the cam. I know the physics on how a sailboat works daddle, but thanks for the lesson.