Sorry for not answering sooner. Didn't see this post way up at the top.


Also when it's choppy and the boat is pitching appreciably, you want
more twist so the traveller should be set higher, and vang looser, than
in smooth water.


Donal wrote:
Why? (I'd assume that you need maximum power to get through the chop).

In chop, when the mast is weaving around through the air, more twist
does give more power.



It's become very clear that I have been using the mainsheet, when I should
have been using the travellor.

Or setting the vang up a lot harder.

... It also seems that I have been sailing with
the travellor set too high. I might need to add more pulleys to the
travellor - or maybe it will be easier to adjust when it is being used a bit
lower.

With end-boom sheeting on a 33 footer I'd think that 3:1 should be OK if
it has good bearings. It shouldn't be difficult or expensive to up it to
4:1 but I don't see much reason to go beyond that. When not loaded, you
should be able to push the traveller from side to side easily with one
finger. Also it should not have much play... maybe the bearings are shot?

Fresh Breezes- Doug King