Hints and Tips

 

 

Sun Odyssey 32 Mainsheet Track Upgrade

As most SO 32 owners will know the cabin top mainsheet system with no traveller and only a multiple block adjustment system is less than ideal. The lack of a traveller makes windward sail trip marginal and it doesn't lend itself to shorthanded sailing.

The Sun Fast 32 overcomes the problem nicely with a cockpit mounted Harken traveller on special brackets engineered for Jeanneau to free mount it between the cockpit seats.

For those Sun Odyssey owners who want to shorthand, gain better mainsail shape and gain a few more degrees of height when sailing to windward Rutgerson make the perfect solution, their 32mm high beam track with vertical mounting brackets. The end brackets are a beautiful casting with four 8mm mounting bolts through to a large stainless backing plate. The high beam track is designed to be removed from the brackets easily with a quick release pin provided with the brackets.

The draft on the vertical face of the SO 32 seats is not straight and as a result I have elected to use bolts in place of the quick realise pins as the traveller is likely to catch on the GRP if removing it on a regular basis. Having the traveller permanently mounted is not a problem as it sits between the seats is mounted quite low as it needs to be below the lid overhand of the LPG locker.

Having fitted the system my 2003 SO 32 I have can easily single hand, have much better mainsail shape and have gained close to 5 degrees when sailing to windward.

Happy sailing

Stephen Stones "H2Eau"

Auckland, New Zealand