Tying inboard mainsheet

N

Nick Napper

New Member
Am going to try tying the mainsheet off at the front of the toe strap instead of the rear to reduce tangles - any of you guys do that? Is there a reason why many tie off at the back? (Have already got a knot to prevent boom going more than 90').

What's the best knot to go around the strap?

cheers
nick
 
It's personal pref.

I tie off in the front - not on the hiking strap though - I use mainsheet block base...
 
Like 49208 said, it's what ever works for you.

I personally don't tie off.
 
I tie a bowline around the front of the toe strap. I read somewhere that reduces the possibility of twists and tangles. I dont like tieing off at the back cos it tends to get under my feet more.
 
Check this one. I run it through the sewn in hole (starboard to port) in the back of the strap for the line that adjusts the strap length. Then tie a stopper not in it. When I round the leward mark I pull on the knot and get some of the slack out of the pile. This was recommended to me three weeks ago. I kick all the pile to the back of the cockpit. When I round the windward mark, the line slides nicely out of the sewn in hole right to the stopper so I can sail by the lee. Not my idea, can't take credit, but it has helped me keep the tangles out.
 
if your saying that you adjust your hiking strap with your mainsheet, thats illegal

as far as I'm aware of
 
I learned the hard way why it is a good idea to tie a stopper knot in the main sheet (trying to rig the boat from scratch while in the water capsized and bobbing around in a squall!) but I have never tied the main off or felt any need to. Is it standard procedure?
 
No, Ross, the strap length is set by the small guage line that runs through the eyes on the back of the cockpit. The sheet is just run through the same spot in the strap that line runs through.
 
Looper said:
I learned the hard way why it is a good idea to tie a stopper knot in the main sheet (trying to rig the boat from scratch while in the water capsized and bobbing around in a squall!) but I have never tied the main off or felt any need to. Is it standard procedure?
Click to expand...

The reason that it is recommended to tie off the end of the mainsheet is that it prevents the loose end of the sheet from tying itself in knots and tangles. At least that's the theory.

Of course the 35 feet or so of line swishing around in the washing machine that's the bottom of your cockpit can still tie itself in knots even if the end is tied off somewhere. But they can only be knots that can be undone without needing to find the end of the line to undo them. And so they are easier to undo. At least that's the theory.

I'd never heard before the suggestion to pull the loose end with the stopper knot through the hiking strap loop to prevent tangles before. If you do that you're effectively going to have two lengths of line in the washing machine, one with a loose end. That might produce some fascinating knots to undo as you round the windward mark I would imagine.

But what do I know? I am not a knot expert. I am knot a Laser expert. My opinion does knot have any weight.
 
Hoffy said:
No, Ross, the strap length is set by the small guage line that runs through the eyes on the back of the cockpit. The sheet is just run through the same spot in the strap that line runs through.
Click to expand...



Ahhh, I had trouble understanding what exactly you were saying, thanks for clearing it up
 
Nick,
I have tried tying the main off to the back, the front, sticking a knot under the grab rail - everything to be able to ensure a nice smooth bear off around the WW mark - alas, none of them really work IMO. Best thing is to make sure that you take 10 secs and ensure it is free before you head around the mark.


Also - Sort of off topic - but -

You may want to rethink your strategy of tying a knot to prevent the sail from going past 90 degrees. This will effectively eliminate one of the fastest ways to sail a laser downwind - that is by the lee. You may want to move that knot back a bit so that you can let the boom out past 90 degrees. Keep moving it back and back as sailing by the lee takes some getting used to.

Matt
 
Anything beyond 90% out on the boom is wasted effort and slower DW. You still want to sail by the lee, but do not let the boom out past 90%. The only time you may want to consider going out past 90% is in very, very light wind conditions when it may be needed to help keep the boom out, but then only slightly.

OK. I think this thread is now officially "off topic".
 
Geez,

You'd think there'd be tangles, but to date (three weeks) it hasn't happened. When I forget to pull the length out on the upwind, it effectively works as if I had just tied it off in the back of the cockpit.
 
Hoffy said:
Geez,

You'd think there'd be tangles, but to date (three weeks) it hasn't happened. When I forget to pull the length out on the upwind, it effectively works as if I had just tied it off in the back of the cockpit.
Click to expand...

Well, thanks for the suggestion Hoffy. Maybe I'll try it. Though I am a confirmed life-long front-end-tier.
 
Old Geezer said:
The reason that it is recommended to tie off the end of the mainsheet is that it prevents the loose end of the sheet from tying itself in knots and tangles. At least that's the theory.

Of course the 35 feet or so of line swishing around in the washing machine that's the bottom of your cockpit can still tie itself in knots even if the end is tied off somewhere. But they can only be knots that can be undone without needing to find the end of the line to undo them. And so they are easier to undo. At least that's the theory.

I'd never heard before the suggestion to pull the loose end with the stopper knot through the hiking strap loop to prevent tangles before. If you do that you're effectively going to have two lengths of line in the washing machine, one with a loose end. That might produce some fascinating knots to undo as you round the windward mark I would imagine.

But what do I know? I am not a knot expert. I am knot a Laser expert. My opinion does knot have any weight.
Click to expand...


I just printed out your post and weighed it.

When using large print it takes two stamps to mail it.
powerbars.jpg
 
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