Hi Mike,
If the boomlets' hinges can be made strong and stiff enough then there needen't be a problem. On a broad reach, the angles are close to 90 any way. The angle is restricted at the moment internally with a strap of wood. If the restriction was external, then it would be easier to take the loads. Possible a strap on the lw side and an inerference on the ww side.
The traveller doesn't have to be much more than a snatch block on a pulley on a rope with a couple of strings to keep it in place. I was envisaging something like this for a schooner rig anyway to allow conversion to tacking. I don't know if I would like to take the sheet to a snatch block on the rounded decks of the lw hull,
regards,
Robert
--- In harryproa@yahoogroups.com.au, Mike Crawford <jmichael@...> wrote:
>
>
> That's funny. And I mean that in a complimentary way.
>
> Normally I'm the guy arguing for safety, dismissing most traditional
> suggestions because I want to be as safe as possible. But here I am
> choosing blocks on the leeward hull instead of the safer
> impossible-to-backwind setup. Go figure.
>
> I guess it's because that boat is so much safer than what I'm
> accustomed to that I don't mind the option/risk of having the wind push
> on the side where only 40% of the weight is working for the righting moment.
>
> However, I'd readily buy the argument that, if you're cruising, the
> ability to not get backwinded is a very good feature. I've been
> thinking of the boat from a daysailing perspective, but an extra margin
> of safety while sailing in bad weather, or at night, or when someone
> less-experienced is on the helm, would be a good thing.
>
> I like your suggestion of a traveler. Personally, though, I'd
> probably go with a snatch block on the leeward hull, way "aft", with the
> sheet leading to a cleat/winch at the cockpit. Changing the sheeting
> angle would be less graceful than with a traveler, but would also be
> less complex and provide a better sheeting angle for tacking.
>
> - Mike
>
> / /
>
> On 5/31/2010 12:11 AM, robert wrote:
> >
> >
> > I don't like to let go of not being able to be backwinded.
> > I was thinking of a rope traveller between the ends of the hulls. This
> > way you could do the tacking bit by taking the puley to the lw hull in
> > light tight conditions and bring it back to near centre whn things are
> > more relaxed. Making the hinge and boomlets strong enough would allow
> > a more acute sheeting angle. Being able to have a schooner rig with
> > this configuration would probably demand this. I don't see why the
> > boomlets couldn't be made as strong as a top gaff without too much
> > weight if skinned with carbon
> >
>