OK, I have a problem. Every time I'm out sailing my main sheet pays out into the drink. All this reeling it back in is messing with my ability to sail. I've tried putting a foot on the loose end to prevent it from getting into the water, but as soon as I sheet in the main I have more slack again. This is frustrating. I was wondering if there is a tool or trick to solving this problem.....wrapping the sheet around my neck won't be a valid answer...that's dangerous, one could choke on his beer!

i assume it's falling through the lace point on your tramp? if so they make a small piece that fits in the gap. you may need to make a custom one if its falling out the back gap (if you have one)

My guess (as this happens to me constantly) is that when on the wire you sheet in and the slack now between your hand and the boat gets slapped by water, and then everything drags out beneath you.

I wrap the mainsheet around the jib sheet one time before tying to the traveler sheet so to try to help. It seems to cause the mainsheet to wad up into a ball around the jibsheet, but it does help keep the mainsheet from pulling all the way out into the water.

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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if on the wire... simply rest a bit of line on a knee/leg and flick the rest inboard

occasionally you will still wrassle with it (after falling in the drink) but this method works pretty well.

If you are sailing a P-16 and using a solid tramp with a grommet center forward. Tie a figure 8 knot in the mainsheet as you would for a stopper knot so the traveler car can not go all the way to the last bolt on the rear crossbar. Then take a piece of shockcord and tie it about 1 foot or so above the figure 8 knot and then lead it up to the grommet down through and tie it to the rear lacing under the tramp. Do not stretch the shockcord when doing this, use a length that is long enough. This method worked very well for me when I was racing P-16s, especially when on the trapeze.

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if on the wire... simply rest a bit of line on a knee/leg and flick the rest inboard

This is what I do.

If you are sitting on the hull you can try to block it with you feet to keep it from sliding off the tramp. A rope catcher in the tramp lacing also makes a big difference.


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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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Thanks guys, I've tried putting line on my leg...that works ok in smooth sailing, but in rougher weather when the hull is up it slides off my lap then down and sliding all over the tramp. I'll try Hullflyer's idea and see how that pans out. I was hoping there was a product to hold line; something you could clip on your side that would hold the line, but yet could easily detach from yourself. hmmm sounds like a invention someone could work on.

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something you could clip on your side that would hold the line, but yet could easily detach from yourself.

fuzzy dyneema blend sheets like robline, salsa, etc will "stick" to the velcro on my gloves (when i wear them which isn't often).

if you had one of those as your main, you could put a strip of velcro on your harness or other and it would hold your line.

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but this may be useful to any of you that have trouble with your main sheet paying out into the water.

Simple solution: Before hooking up to your trap ring, pull about 3-4 feet of line (loop) fore ward of the trap shock cord and pulling it aft throwing it back onto the trampoline. This really works great. If you sheet in heavy and still have too much line in front of you, just simply bend your knees and pull the loop that's aft of the shock cord. Waves and hull flying keeps it on the trampoline.

I don't think I follow.

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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Rob,

My main sheet also controls the traveler (the opposite end). The extra line is a big loop. Find the center of all the extra line. Take 3-4 ft of it and go in front of the shock cord and then back onto the trampoline. When I'm trapping out, I'm aft of the shock cord. If you still have too much line after sheeting in, toss it in front of the shock cord into the water. The waves will pretty much put it on the trampoline. A little kick from your foot will throw slack aft of the shock cord on board. With this arrangement, when you fly a hull the extra line won't slide off the tramp leeward. It can't be be pulled of the tramp weather side either.

Hope this helps.

Gotcha, doesn't sound bad.

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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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