Turning main block ratchet on - a knock over quarantee?

The boat also tacks better with the ratchet off.It allows the sheet to free up more easily.

Many good ideas here .... I sail as Chris Wessels does w/ a loop of mainsheet around my hand that I can "shake out" quickly .... but I never use ratchets when racing .... why????

They are NOISY .... click click click ....

I don't need to even look over at your boat (on the starting line) to know you are sheeting in and "pulling the trigger" .....

I run a "silent boat" .... of course it is a H18 and the Harken Jib Block Ratchets are the noisiest .... but the Mainsheet stack makes the same noise also.

I listen for the frequency of the clicks to tell me what someone to windward of me is doing .... slow clicks they are just luffing .... rapid clicks 10 secs before the start means they are "pulling the trigger"....

NO RATCHETS !!!!!

Oh, I carry a "Hand Grip Strengthener" in my truck ... as I drive I do sets of 100 squeezes/hand ... it works .... do you want to shake hands ????

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

Ok, off topic. I grew up in a area of Minnesota settled by Scandanavians. (shocking I know), there were at one point quite a few dairy farmers. When I was confirmed you walk through and shake everyone's hand in the congregation. Those old dairy farmers could probably open a can with out a can opener.

Karl,

I would suspect that Dairy Farmers (or any farmer) works alot w/ their hands ..... but what would a "DAIRY" farmer be doing ??? ....milking cows??? .... strong hands ..... do you think there is a connection?

My maternal grandfather was a bricklayer .... he had hands (and forearms) like "Popeye" ....

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HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

Out of curiosity I have tried once to milk a cow. This was many years ago, but I remember it was a very tough job. After I have filled a bucket I thought my hands and arms were not going to move ever again. So yes, there is a connection.

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

As you may have figured out, localizer, there is not one thing you are doing to capsize, but many different little things. I've found that throwing more weight to windward, depending on the strength of the gust, is as effective as trimming the sail.

One example of poor technique I see with folks I'm teaching to sail is that when they let the sail out they also shift their weight leeward, meaning they follow the sheet keeping the arm holding the sheet straight, and nearly canceling out the effect of letting out the sail. This drives me nuts when I've got a crewman on the wire controlling the jib and he lets out the jib he bends his knees and waist at the same time. I've learned to hold the sheet with my arm bent at the elbow about 90° which allows for fine tuning in or out.

A high school classmate who was also a US National Youth Champion on a Laser advised that (on a Laser at least) for every inch your body is away from the mast translates to putting 12 lbs. of weight at the top pulling it with you. The accuracy of this isn't as important as the point it is trying to make - LEAN OUT!!!

I leave the ratchet on all the time (didn't actually realise you could switch it off, hehe). I've only been sailing for a year, but I find only the strongest of gusts will blow me over.

I tend to pay out the main sheet slightly but I mainly just point upwind a bit more when the gust hits - is this a bad way to sail? I guess using the rudders instead of the sheet will wash off more speed.

Since I cleat the main sheet, the ratchet isn't that important. It does help take some strain off trying to hold the sheet when uncleated in gusty conditions. I don't have trouble paying out line when I am on the tramp but when I get on the wire, it is easier to pay out the sheet with the ratchet off. More important to me is the angle of the block so that a straight pull will uncleat the sheet. This is especially important out on the wire since being further from the block affects the amount of angle of pull. The block can be adjusted to change that angle by removing 2 screws repositioning the block.

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Howard

This was my first season. Early on I went over 3 times even with sheeting out and heading up. Of course it didn't help that the person who set the boat up had run the main sheet from the lower block backwards throught the travelor cleat, so you had two cleats to release instead of one. Before I started using a trap, I can remember 2 or 3 times of being on the edge of tipping and throwing my head/torso back and that being just enough to prevent the tip. I too like to keep my arm at 90 degrees with a wrap or two to allow for fine tuning or a quick release.

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Alfred
'87 H16 Sail 89907
If you aren't sailing on the edge, you're taking up too much room.

To me the click, click, click is one of the sounds of sailing my hobie. I love it!

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I wish winter was not so long in Sask. Canada. It's hard to sail on ice! 1984 16' hobie cat Sail# 84848