From the time we looked at our boat, one thing I didn't like was the cabintop mainsheet setup. Can't reach it form the helm, couldn't swing a handle in the winch with a dodger mounted, not much 'grunt' when the breeze was up. I also come from a racing background and need to tweak things often to keep my sanity. I have now mostly finished my new system.

I left the traveller in place as I didn't want to do major surgery. I still don't like the curved traveller (early hull #) but my budget is pretty tight. I wanted to build a 'German Admirals Cup' system. So, leaving the primary purchase alone, I took the mainsheet tails forward along the boom. It goes through turning blocks at the gooseneck, then down to the side decks just behind the aft lowers. From there it runs aft along the deck to the secondary winches. This puts the mainsheet at my side on either tack from the helm.

Also, I wanted to be able to fly a spinnaker with sheets and guys attached. This means the guys will be on the primary winches, and the secondaries are required for the spin sheets. I added clutches to the mainsheet system so that when sailing downwind, the leeward arm of the mainsheet can be locked off and the spin sheeted on that winch. When gybing I will clutch both sides of the mainsheet and fly the kite from both secondaries.

We will try all this out on the race course very soon and I will let you all know how it works. I basically copied the setup from a Farr 40 so hoping it will work well.

In the pictures I am missing the final pair of blocks between the clutch and the winch, this will be on a car on the toe rail. Also the mainsheet line is old and the boat is filthy - too many projects on the go to keep up with the cleaning. Maybe next weekend!