Sheet Load Engineering

[lavery]

Brion,
Yes this is fun, and for me, vital and necessary.

Your comments here do advance the cause:

Appropriate application: Mainsheet shock loads and elasticity just became non-issues. My sails are battenless Dacron cruiser. The text I am using prefers three-strand or single-braid for mainsail sheets (though no reason is given for the preference). I infer from your comments that the preference is about stretch, as appropriate for this application.

Other variables: Cost and durability are important. I’m intrigued by Roblon and its low cost, for example, but at my stage I am more willing to pay the cost of a conventional solution like New England Regatta on the belief that it will spare me from dealing with other variables. I’ll experiment later.

Apparent wind: Yes I chose 25 knots on the theory that I ought to be reducing sail by the time the apparent wind gets that high. Your comments encourage me to go higher (because surprises happen) and this is good. I’ll look at it.

My greatest difficulty in running the numbers was in understanding mainsheet shock loads and appropriate stretch. Also, I needed feedback regarding my selection of apparent wind. I now feel that I have the background information that I need, even outside the veil of mystery, to arrive at rope selection, and then move on to blocks.

Thank you for your help.

Fair Leads to you too.

Jim Lavery
s/v Hoku Ke’a
Southern Cross 31