I have been experimenting lately with 2 techniques you probably know about or use - to hopefully keep the vang and mainsheet a bit more manageable.
For the vang, this means tying the end of the vang tail just under the front end of the toe strap so that it is always easily reachable even when entirely off and the rope handle is up by the mast or when it is on and sometimes flops over the side during a tack.
For the mainsheet, it is, instead of making a stopper knot, tying the end to the back of the toe strap, the theory being that it will never tie itself into an overhand knot or worse.
Overall I like the vang being much more easily reachable and plan to stick to that. But I am not yet entirely convinced about tying the mainsheet. I thought it would be good since it thought it would guarantee no possible knots - but that only applies to knots where the end goes through a loop and makes an overhand or worse knot. There could still be loops (I think the term is bights?) that can get entangled. And that if my major gripe - there seem to be a lot more loops forming - and reaching to go around my foot.
Do you tie your mainsheet or just knot it? Which works best?
Good moves. I actually tie the end of my vang to the front of the centerboard, but whatever rocks your boat.
ReplyDeleteI understand the theory of why tying the mainsheet should reduce the chance of knots. But as you say it can still tie itself in some knots but theoretically they are easier to undo than knots where a free end has been involved.
There are two schools of thought as to where to tie the mainsheet. Front of toestrap or back of toestrap. Related to whether you like to keep all the sheet at the front or the back of the cockpit. i have tried both and prefer the front. I actually tie mine in a loop around the base of the mainsheet block and the toestrap so it can't slip back.
I tie the vang to the centerboard, but never tie the mainsheet... what works for me is to put the extra mainsheet at the back of the cockpit in the beat... and in the front at the run.
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