I need to increase the purchase on my main sheet, so I don't have to go to a
winch when trimming.

I designed my mainsheet around a diagram and picture in Sail Power, however
I have never been able to locate triple fiddle as there is illustrated in
Sail Power.. (I think it is a Meriman). The book is on the boat right now.

I have tried using a traditional (side-by-side) triple but in light air the
block tumbles and the lines cross and jam in the other sheaves/lines.

I have been working with Garhauer, looking for a solution but it looks like
I may have to go with a custom block ( made from their double fiddle
w/becket).

BTW. What I need must take a 1/2" sheet.

I know they have existed at sometime since I have a picture in Sail Power
(or maybe it is in one of Henderson's books)..

Anyone have one laying around??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 09:55:29 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

Anyone have one laying around??
=================================

No but you can basically make the fuctional equivilant by using a
double sheave fiddle with becket such as the Harken 030. You use the
becket to hang another block which becomes the 3rd sheave in a 6 part
tackle.

I'd really encourage you to rethink your mainsheet system however. I
forget how big your boat is so I have no idea how many sqft in the
mainsail. My old Cal-34 had a 300 sqft main and it was quite a
handful even with a 7 to 1 purchase, and it was also a heck of a lot
of line to handle quickly in a jibe. I have seen some multi-speed set
ups that worked reasonably well giving you a choice of either 2:1 or
8:1 purchase. See the Harken catalog for details. It is also easy to
rig a fine tune system which gives you 4:1 of coarse trim using
conventional fiddles but as much as 24:1 of fine trim control.

That said I've found simplest is really best with a port and starboard
mainsheet winches (self tailing), going to a single block on the end
of the boom via the traveler car. I'm aware that winches are
expensive but this system really works and is almost mandatory for
boats approaching 50 feet or longer.

On a final note, I'd encourage you to use line smaller than 1/2 inch
if you go to a multi-part tackle. You don't need that much line
strength on a multi-part system, and the larger line is more difficult
to work with. I used a soft 3/8 line on my Cal and it was fine.

I don't. But, E-bay has a new area, to post for Items Wanted. Might hit
a larger potential pool of possibilities.

Jonathan



Steve wrote:
I need to increase the purchase on my main sheet, so I don't have to go to a
winch when trimming.

I designed my mainsheet around a diagram and picture in Sail Power, however
I have never been able to locate triple fiddle as there is illustrated in
Sail Power.. (I think it is a Meriman). The book is on the boat right now.

I have tried using a traditional (side-by-side) triple but in light air the
block tumbles and the lines cross and jam in the other sheaves/lines.

I have been working with Garhauer, looking for a solution but it looks like
I may have to go with a custom block ( made from their double fiddle
w/becket).

BTW. What I need must take a 1/2" sheet.

I know they have existed at sometime since I have a picture in Sail Power
(or maybe it is in one of Henderson's books)..

Anyone have one laying around??

Steve

--
I am building a Dudley Dix, Argie 10 for my daughter. Check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr

I rigged 6:1 purchase on my main by using a triple (not fiddle) block on the
traveller, and three blocks on the boom. Aft block is a single w/ becket
(sheave cross ways to the boom), middle block is a single also cross ways to
boom, and forward block is a single, sheave in line w/ boom. The sheet then
goes forward to the gooseneck, and down. The triple on the traveller has
the sheaves in line w/ boom. Works very well, and spreads the load on the
boom some.

I don't know how you rigged your blocks, but I have seen traditional multi
sheave blocks rigged with the sheave shafts parallel to each other.
However, it is much better for the two shafts to be perpendicular. You can
better balance the forces between the blocks so they don't get cocked over.
I rigged the outboard motor lift on our old cat that way 6:1 (actually 12:1
final) so my wife could manage it.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I need to increase the purchase on my main sheet, so I don't have to go to
a
winch when trimming.

I designed my mainsheet around a diagram and picture in Sail Power,
however
I have never been able to locate triple fiddle as there is illustrated in
Sail Power.. (I think it is a Meriman). The book is on the boat right
now.

I have tried using a traditional (side-by-side) triple but in light air
the
block tumbles and the lines cross and jam in the other sheaves/lines.

I have been working with Garhauer, looking for a solution but it looks
like
I may have to go with a custom block ( made from their double fiddle
w/becket).

BTW. What I need must take a 1/2" sheet.

I know they have existed at sometime since I have a picture in Sail Power
(or maybe it is in one of Henderson's books)..

Anyone have one laying around??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I have one in my mainsheet system. It is a standard off-the-shelf
Harkin block with 3 sheaves and a becket.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I need to increase the purchase on my main sheet, so I don't have to go to
a winch when trimming.

I designed my mainsheet around a diagram and picture in Sail Power,
however I have never been able to locate triple fiddle as there is
illustrated in Sail Power.. (I think it is a Meriman). The book is on the
boat right now.

I have tried using a traditional (side-by-side) triple but in light air
the block tumbles and the lines cross and jam in the other sheaves/lines.

I have been working with Garhauer, looking for a solution but it looks
like I may have to go with a custom block ( made from their double fiddle
w/becket).

BTW. What I need must take a 1/2" sheet.

I know they have existed at sometime since I have a picture in Sail Power
(or maybe it is in one of Henderson's books)..

Anyone have one laying around??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions