DS2 mainsheet

Moderator: GreenLake

DS2 mainsheet

Postby oian » Mon Jul 18, 2016 4:47 pm

This last week I took out our recently acquired 1978 DS2. I found the original stock mainsheet system (3:1) to be very difficult to use (Amount of effort, difficulty cleating and uncleating). I have a 5:1, ratchet block system, attached photo, from a previously owned Hobie 16. I'm wondering if this might be used on the DS? A few questions: 1. Would a 5:1 system be considered class legal? It might be a little overkill as it can put a significant bend into a much heavier Hobie mast. It would require adding a second strap to the boom for the second block. It could be however be used as a 31 by bypassing one of the blocks. The base and lower blocks of the original system seem to be made in a way that they cannot be taken apart to replace the block stack. The one in the picture has a 1/4" rod with a hole to attach to a base. Will any of the after market bases accept this type of mounting? This one already has a mounted cam cleat and I noticed that the ones for sale come with an arm mounted cleat. Are there any that come without it. It might be easier in the long run to remove the down releasing cleat and use the up releasing cleat that comes with the base. Another question: My Wife is not an avid sailor and I thing the single block on the jib sheet might be a little difficult for her. I've seen where this has been replaced b a ratchet block. Any suggestions for a " reasonably priced" ratchet block for this purpose might be purchased? Any suggestions and comments would be appreciated along with suggestions on where the needed parts might be Purchased.

Just an unrelated question as to posting here. When I go back into the previously typed text to remove and replace a letter or add something that did not type, the following letter/space in the text disappears letter by letter as any edit is typed requiring everything after that point to be typed again??? As an example the 31 in the above text should be 3:1 but if I added the : the 1 would disappear, then the 1 was typed the space would go away. the space would take away the b in by and so forth.

Thanks for your help with the boat issues and possibly with the text issues, John
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Re: DS2 mainsheet

Postby DigitalMechanic » Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:50 am

Make sure you do not have the "Insert" key turned on on your keyboard. That sounds like the exact behavior one would expect from an enabled "Insert" key. It is located on the keyboard by the Home, End, Page UP, Page Down, and Delete keys.

We had an 11 page topic about setting up my DSII here http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5110

There are a lot of inefficiencies with the boat setup "stock", at least from my experience on a DSII. There are also a million ways to do different things. There are are lots of recommendations if you search the posts in the rigging section. (Google actually does the best job).

I personally ended up going with:

3:1 Mainsheet with auto ratchet on the boom. In my opinion, the 3:1 is not enough alone to hold the sheet un-cleated in hand. The ratchet fixes that by removing fatigue. For trimming, 3:1 was plenty for me. Pictures are on this page http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5110&start=60

I moved the cleats for the jib sheet to the centerboard trunk and fitted the jib cars with used blocks (after re-inforcing the rotted out wood behind the coaming). The pull now being away from the coaming instead of forward through the coaming meant re-inforcement was necessary. O'Day originally had the cleats on the CB trunk, but probably realized the coaming was not strong enough for that long term and did not want to modify the hull?? So, they converted to the jib car? Just a guess.... Anyway, I re-inforced the coaming with marine plywood. I simply rested the marine plywood to the coaming from inside the boat, and drilled the jib rails back through it when I put them back on. Works great ;) My plan is to add ratchet blocks to the jib cars eventually. Just need a good sale.
Pictures of Jib stuff here as well http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5110&start=60
Coaming re-inforcement here http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5110&start=30

I ended up doing a 10:1 vang. It is easily upgradable to 20:1, though I am not sure I would ever need that purchase with my mast. It bends quite easy with the 10:1. I chopped off the wire rigging attached to the ball that originally attached the vang to the boom, and turned it into a ring using a nicopress (they have the nicopress laying out on the counter to use for free at West Marine if you ever need one). Then rigged the rest of the blocks up. Once I had it all assembled I found a new problem, as the vang and the halyards wanted to cross each other up when sailing on a reach. I ended up converting the halyard cleats to pivot blocks on the mast.
Pictures of the vang are here http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?album_id=186&image_id=2184

Anyways, this is a short synopsis of those 11 pages you probably do not want to read through. Hope this helps you get a starting place for some ideas. If you interested in references to any of the parts I used, just let me know which ones you are thinking of.
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Re: DS2 mainsheet

Postby GreenLake » Tue Jul 19, 2016 12:09 pm

I used the 55mm of the Ronstan for both main and jib. For the jib, my jibsheet is a bit overdimensioned (which I like for handling) and fits better in the 55mm. I've mentioned this before on this forum, but I've come across a test report where it turned out that the holding power of the Ronstan was a cool 2:1 over the competition. Might make a difference for the jib, as you get 90 degrees wrap at best (and the holding power goes up rapidly with angle).
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: DS2 mainsheet

Postby DigitalMechanic » Tue Jul 19, 2016 12:53 pm

I ended up using the Harken on my mainsheet (got a good deal on it), and it is auto, but adjustable. I ended up having to tone down it's aggressiveness a bit. It has plenty of holding power. I remember you mentioning the Ronstan's power and was initially concerned when I was trying to decide which to go with that the Ronstan would be overpowering. Is the Ronstan adjustable as well?

I was going to pick up the Ronstan 40mm autos for my jib sheet a while back, the local WM has them on clearance for $20 some odd dollars, but missed that chance :(
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Re: DS2 mainsheet

Postby GreenLake » Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:30 pm

The Ronstan is not adjustable. (Just can be turned on/off and set to auto-engage). I keep it permanently on the latter.
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