Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Why do you think you need 4:1? You will need enough line to sheet out the boom so it touches the aft lower shrouds. The parts manual list 75' of 3/8" line and the drawing shows a 4:1 set-up. I recommend the following: If you have a fiddle block on the end of the boom and a fiddle block with becket and cam cleat on the traveler bar, try tying the end of the mainsheet around the smaller block at the boom and try it as a 3:1 for a while. Unless you are sailing in heavy air a lot, you might like the 3:1 set-up and could use a shorter length of line and you could change down to a single block with becket on the boom. The nice thing about tying off on the smaller block is that you can always go back the the becket on the fiddle block on the traveler bar if you want more purchase. The downside to the 4:1 set-up is that it makes for a lot of line to sheet back in after sailing downwind or on a deep reach. On our boat, I've taken it a step farther and placed a 5/16" line between the single block on the boom and the boom itself, so that at their closest point the 2 blocks almost touch each other (almost 3' of line). With a 3:1 purchase this eliminates almost 9' of line from the main sheet that I have to bring in after sailing downwind. In the pic below you can just barely see the single line from the boom end to the single block right below the stern rail, and how close it is to the fiddle block on the traveler bar:
My original 3:1 mainsheet blocks now function as a 6:1 vang. I upgraded the mainsheet to a 4:1 for a tad more mechanical advantage and a slightly larger diameter line for the better hand.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dmpilc</i> <br />Why do you think you need 4:1? ... On our boat, I've taken it a step farther and placed a 5/16" line between the single block on the boom and the boom itself, so that at their closest point the 2 blocks almost touch each other (almost 3' of line). <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Very clever idea to put the pendant from the tackle up to the boom!
Question: Does the upper fiddle block hit the stern pulpit railing as you ease or harden up the main? My mainsheet rides up and over the railing as the main is eased out to a broad reach, so I can't see how the upper block would not do the same? At the cost of those things I don't want to beat it up more than I already do!!! <grin>
I use 4:1 to make it easier on me to steer and tend the main at the same time, and I went up to 7/16" line to make it easier on my hands. 4:1 does result in quite a pile of line in the aft end of the cockpit! However, when I lower the mast (it hinges forward) I use the boom as a gin pole with the main halyard clipped to the tang on the end of the boom where the mainsheet also attaches so the strain from the mainsheet directly goes to the halyard). Then I unreeve two of the purchases and use 2:1 and have enough line to raise and lower the mast easily with someone standing my the mast to steady it from side to side motion.
I use a 3:1 set-up with a 57mm Harken Single Carbo Airblock with becket on the line coming down from the boom. I haven't had any problems with the stern railing. The block rides over it easily.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dmpilc</i> <br />I haven't had any problems with the stern railing. The block rides over it easily.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
With the possibility of the upper block being positioned head high, it would appear one may be at risk of a fiddle block face slap. As it is, I get the occasional clothelining, which is just a rope that may knock off my hat and glasses, but I would think the TWACK of a fiddle block up side my head might leave a mark.
I am very rarely sitting far enough back that I might get hit by the block, and I'd rather deal with 1 line in the face than 3. To each his/her own. I like my set-up.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.