Mainsheet issues

L

laser2_9804

New Member
Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice for me?

I'm wondering where abouts in the boat you put the mainsheet, and whether anyone else spends practically the entire time that they are in the boat getting tangled in it?

It is either tangled around my legs, my crew is standing on it (I sail a Laser 2 and other 2-handers) or it is tangled around the tiller. It is really beginning to annoy me and I know it is affecting our performance.

For example, yesterday we were shy- reaching to the mark with the kite up. We were coming third and were up with the top boats. Suddenly we got hit by what was probably the biggest gust of the day. The boat healed right over, my crew dumped the kite and I tried to dump the main. It went out about half a metre and then stopped! When I looked back the tail of it was completely wrapped around the tiller, therefore stopping it going out any further (and attempting to rip the tiller out of my hands). I really have absolutely no idea how we didn't capsize! Anyway, we ended up loosing one place and a lot of ground.

This is not the first time something like this has happened - the mainsheet is forever getting tangled, especially around the tiller. I am concentrating on sailing the boat so I don't have time to look back every second to check that the mainsheet is free.

Any ideas, pointers etc??
 
Get some of this Polilite line for your mainsheet. Supposedly, in other ropes, the outer jacket rotates around the inner core causing tangles as the core tightens under load and the less loaded cover shifts around it. Polilite is supposed to virtually eliminate this problem: a tightly woven polyester cover takes all the load and the lower tech polypropylene core is held fast, preventing twists.

Then tie the free end of your mainsheet to the hiking strap so it can't get tied in knots.
 
I have a polilite mainsheet but even it can get tangled. you just have to learn to keep it organized but not have it take your attention away from racing.
 
I know how you feel :mad:

When sailing a doublehander such as a 420 that has a relatively big mainsheet, i keep it all the way back in the transom and held so it won't wrap around me. when I get a chance, i untangle it.

In my laser, I use a thin rooster mainsheet. I try to keep it in front of my feet so that when I roll-tack and stick my feet back in the strap on the other side, it's in a pile forward of my feet. I have to re-pile it after every mark though. The best thing is just keeping it organized and NEVER let it wrap around your feet. Also, keep all other lines out of the cockpit so that they can't tangle/get caught in the mainsheet block.
 
computeroman2 said:
Also, keep all other lines out of the cockpit so that they can't tangle/get caught in the mainsheet block.
Click to expand...

I keep my cunningham purchase down for that very reason. I can't stand a bunch of extra line that either causes a mess in the cockpit or drags in the water.
 
Hey! I was about to post a question on how to keep tidy our mainsheet on a laser. I realise my mainsheet can always be found entangled on my legs... I think this is extremely dangerous because if a strong gust hits you (your immediate reaction is to release mainsheet) and you are not able to release it fast, you will capsized!!!!

Last Saturday, I met ultra strong gust... usually i can release my mainsheet in time, but that day, I just couldn't and I capsized with my boat turtled twice around same spot... I really had a hard time trying to upright it... I am 110 lbs... in a radial... there were white caps that day... It happened so fast, so I wasn't sure my mainsheet couldn't be released in time due to it being caught at my legs or I was trying hard to fight something beyond my capability till the boat went down.... It was quite a scary experience.... I felt helpless... If something like that happened to me during a race, I can request for early retirement... RTD... :(
 
Mee168
If you turtle twice you are right side up again.:D
You are pretty light for those kinds of winds. Think about the radial rig!
On the other hand, we all have been there. Capsizing, righting the boat, the boat falling over you again and so forth. Especially when it is cold you can be quickly exhausted and mother nature is all of a sudden so powerful! Any good sailor will acknowledge their own limitations when it comes to the forces of nature.
Anyway, think about the radial. I sailed the full rig myself since I was very young, but in retrospect I think a radial would have been worth the extra investment!

Back to the mainsheet: setting up a routine seems to help (such as kicking it forward).

GWF
 
it's good to have days that remind you how completely and utterly powerless we are when it comes to mother nature.

If you're only 110, I would consider a 4.7 rig on those heavy days. The lower limit for a radial is supposed to be around 130lbs or so.

I have a lot of purchase in my cunningham, and i Keep a loop tied in it and about 2 feet of extra line at the end that I tie to the front of the hiking strap or the base of the mainsheet block. That way, when I need to release it i have an automatic stop, and when there's a lot of rope pulled out I can let it drag in the water and not worry about retrieving it.

The best thing for the mainsheet is to keep it in front of your feet, whatever you do. When it's forward, you can tack back and forth without having to move it around too much, which keeps it from finding your legs very often. I also have that dead-ended at the rear hiking strap attachment so that I can ease completely around the w. mark.
 
I agree, ComputerRoman2!
I wonder though why you tie the cunninham line at the base of the mainsheet block,instead of the centerboard. Every time I move a line in the proximity of the mainsheet block it will end up in the block. when I tieit at the front of the centerboard I am mostly able to keep it clear.

GWF
 
Yes, that day... I shouted 'I GIVE UP' to my coach when I couldn't upright the boat. That was when it turtled the second time. But I know I was the only one who could help myself.... so somehow I managed to flip it to its side... then I rested a while by hanging on the centerboard... then used all my strength to climb and stand on the centerboard and lean back... waited and waited till the boat started to response and when it was about 45 degree... I jumped in!!! After that, I was totally exhausted... I could not sail anymore... I just let my sail luffed all the way back to the club... :(

Thanks.. computerroman2... I shall just try to keep the mainsheet in the front part of the cockpit....

Talking about lines near mainsheet block.. yes... sometimes when I tighten the downhaul or outhaul control lines... their ends will extend and get longer.. they could get in the way of the mainsheet block in the sense that they 'BLOCK' your mainsheet from running smoothly... That is also a problem about rope tidyness...
 
My worst tangle ever involved a tied in nalgene bottle and my line. the nalgene bottle ended up tangling itself in the line and the line and the bottle tangled around the hiking strap. Now that was a pain to get undone while trying to go downwind.
 
I made up a mesh bag, the width and depth of the cockpit, which I stick to the front of the cockpit with velcro, (make sure you dont block off the breather hole) and the back of the bag is supported with shockcord attached to the grabrails each side. Holds both tails of outhaul and cunningham, and the vang hangs free since its too short to reach. Works a treat, and stops them getting tangled with the mainsheet. This bag also holds my 2 water bottles.
The mainsheet, I just keep kicking it forward, and have knots tied in it as stoppers for maximum square run.
 
sailor327, I have the same encounter as yours. And yes, during downwind when any imbalance could cause capsizing.

But mine was caused by using long string to tie the water bottle... so during choppy conditions when your cockpit tends to hold water from splashing waves, everythings inside cockpit start to flow... everywhere...including mainsheet which flows behind... that was how my bottle met the mainsheet and started 'hugging' each other. I have since learnt to use shorter string to tie my water bottle....as close as possible to the 2 metal hooks that hold the hiking strap ends; at the back of the cockpit.

Actually I never thought of securing the outhaul and downhaul control lines... I have only recently learnt and secured my kicker line to the centerboard... cos I couldn't reach it if it goes to the other side in closed haul, full hike out condition. My hand too short... and it works fine after that...
 
i hate it when that happens... i tie the mainsheet to the back of the hiking strap, the outhaul and cunningham to the front, and the vang to the centerboard... that always works best for me....
 
Mindless running of the mainsheet through your hands is a good thing. Gather the entire mainsheet. Don't toss it back all at once. Drop the tail end first. Drop a loop at a time until you get back to the part you were using.

A well coiled line will come to the pulley as a big mess. A line that has been dropped end first will come back in the reverse order it was piled.

Sloshing water mixes up lines. If you have constant water splashing around, you need to either learn to sail without water in the boat or get a mainsheet that sinks. I got the sinking mainsheet as I have never learned to keep the cockpit empty.

Always take a moment to run the mainsheet before the weather mark. Rounding with a main that will not ease is a ot more costly than the seconds lost to checking the status.

In my case, checking the mainsheet allows me to find out BEFORE I arrive at the mark that I have somehow once again managed to tie the know from hell. I will still have to spend half the next leg with the sail over trimmed and boats flying by but...At least I am prepared.
 
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