mainsheet tangling

K

keenbean

Member
Hi everyone,

Has anyone got some tips for preventing the main tangling when you reach the windward mark. I always stretch the sheet out - it is the sheet that comes with the GXD pack (red with white specks). I'm sure the problem originates at leeward mark and when upwind and inadvertently kicking the sheet in the cockpit

So has anyone found a trick or two to prevent thiss?

Thank you
 
Do you have the other end tied to the back of the hiking strap? That usually helps. I also between races try to organize it to check for kinks or tangles.
 
Maybe my boat is spooked, but my Rooster sheet can make some very interesting tangles.
I do exactly what Eric R recommends, and make sure there are no twists when I tie the sheet to the strap. Nevertheless, I have had problems from time to time, letting the sheet out after the windward mark rounding :eek: .
 
Two simple mainsheet habits which I have convinced myself are of help.
1) Soon after launching, sheet in to a beat and throw the spare mainsheet over the side, pull it in again snaking it back into the cockpit out to get rid of the inevitable twists formed while rigging up. This also makes it easier to grip the sheet. (I do not worry about the extra weight of the wet sheet).
2) After sailing loosely snake out the mainsheet making sure to avoid twisting the sheet on each coil. This helps to avoid the twists in the first place.
The above are more important where anti-twist sheets are not used.
 
keenbean said:
Hi everyone,

Has anyone got some tips for preventing the main tangling when you reach the windward mark. I always stretch the sheet out - it is the sheet that comes with the GXD pack (red with white specks). I'm sure the problem originates at leeward mark and when upwind and inadvertently kicking the sheet in the cockpit

So has anyone found a trick or two to prevent thiss?

Thank you
Click to expand...

1. Make sure the length of the main sheet is only as long as the maximum you'd ever sheet out plus enough to tie an 8 knot with a small ~4" tail.
2. Make sure you don't have any knots or tangles before the start, and again during the upwind leg. If so take the tiller and sheet in one hand and with the free hand and maybe one foot, undo any tangles.
3. Make sure that you aren't wrapping the sheet around the hiking strap on the upwind leg
4. keep track of your feet since they can get tangled in the sheet and also tangle the sheet.
5. when sheeting out around the mark pull the sheet through rather than feed it through the main block, undo any new tangles with both hands
6. don't coil your mainsheet around your arm, coil the sheet up so that it isn't twisted like you would do with a hose.
 
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