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| Mainsheet vs. traveler car sheeting? http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=62787 |
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| Author: | omnicron08 [ Wed May 23, 2018 9:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Mainsheet vs. traveler car sheeting? |
I'm pretty new to sailing and this one thing is really confusing me... hopefully this question makes sense lol. The Hobie 18 has two cleats for the mainsheet - the cleat that controls the traveler car, and another (the ratchet block?) that raises/lowers the boom. I've been cleating off the ratchet block cleat and ignoring it while I'm sailing, only using the traveler car for sail power control. My question is about the ratchet block cleat - should I also be controlling that in addition to the traveler car? And if so, what is its purpose and how do I optimally make use of it? |
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| Author: | srm [ Thu May 24, 2018 9:15 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mainsheet vs. traveler car sheeting? |
You should primarily be controlling the sail using the mainsheet (the one coming out of the ratchet block). The traveler is a “gross” setting. Pull it all the way in when you go upwind. Ease it off when sailing downwind. The mainsheet is your “fine tune” adjustment. It is much more powerful (7:1 purchase) than the traveler (2:1 purchase) so much easier to handle. In some cases (very experienced teams), the skipper will control the mainsheet and the crew the traveler, so both can be adjusted on the fly as needed. But for learning and general sailing, set the traveler based on your point of sail and then fine tune the power using the mainsheet. sm |
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| Author: | mmiller [ Thu May 24, 2018 9:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mainsheet vs. traveler car sheeting? |
In conditions where you have to sheet out to keep from flipping... ease the traveler out a bit until you can sail comfortably when sheeted in all the way. |
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| Author: | SabresfortheCup [ Thu May 24, 2018 10:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mainsheet vs. traveler car sheeting? |
Like Matt & srm said, you want to primarily use the mainsheet (the line that goes to the ratchet block) to sheet in and sheet out the mainsail. The line that goes to the traveller car allows the car to travel transversely towards the leeward hull or towards the swivel cam in the center of the rear crossbar. That line is used to travel in or travel out the traveller, and is basically only used to set the gross position of the mainsail. * When sailing upwind, the traveller car should be as close to centered as you can get it, and you should be using the mainsheet (through the ratchet blocks) to control the sail. Bring it in tight until the hull starts to lift out of the water, and then back it off a little as necessary to keep it from lifting too high. In the gusts, let it out some more, in the lulls, bring it in some more. It's basically your gas pedal, & tighter = more power from the sail. * When sailing downwind, the traveller car should be about 6" from the inside edge of the leeward hull, about in line with the hiking strap on the trampoline, and the mainsheet should be let out to the point that your mainsail is almost touching the leeward shroud. You should be sailing downwind at an apparent wind angle of 90 degrees (which is about 135 degrees to true wind, on a broad reach). The mainsheet is both easier to control (thanks to the 6:1 or 7:1 purchase) and more fine tuned control. Technically, the traveller controls the position of the sail, and the sheet tension controls the twist in the sail. Once the sail is in the right position for your point of sail, using the mainsheet to control the twist is how you fine tune to get the most power out of your sail. |
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| Author: | omnicron08 [ Fri May 25, 2018 4:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Mainsheet vs. traveler car sheeting? |
Thanks guys! Makes a lot more sense now. |
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