( This is a "repackaged" version of a very old web site I did about
some projects to my old Santana 2023C sailboat)

Mainsheet Attachment  

The original equipment had the mainsheet block clipped to a stainless steel wire penant attached to the transom.

 

In light wind, the darn thing just kept banging around into (and chipping) the cockpit seats. It was also very inconvenient to clip and unclip from the cam cleat on the fiddle block.

 

I relocated the mainsheet tackle to the center of the transom.

 

 

A local shop made an "L" bracket from 1/8 inch stainless steel. 4 bolts go through the transom. I put a Ronstan swivel arm with cam cleat on the bracket and used the 2:1 purchase shown.

You can see the four transom mounting bolts in the photo picture. There is one of those springy "holder-upper" things on the end of the block going down to the swivel.

 

The original setup was 3:1, but I have had no problem with this one - the 125sf of mainsail is not that much to handle. This has the added advantage of less sheet mess piling up on the cockpit floor.

If I had set up a 3:1 purchase, the end-of-boom block would have to have had a becket and therefore be heavier (and more expensive).

 

I can now cleat and release the mainsheet easier from the windward rail because of the swiveling arm.

 

I don't race or anything so I did not put a traveller system on.

 

Besides, there really isn't any practical place to put it without cutting the cockpit area in half.