Bethwaite sheeting?

Now if you have a transom-mounted mainsheet track or horse (as per Solo Class rule D.9.1.c.3) you have three different ways to control the mainsail:

(NB I realise I am probably the only Solo with a transom-mounted mainsheet track or horse 🤔)

1. Traditional rear sheeting (like an Enterprise)
2. Kirby sheeting (like a Laser)
3. Bethwaite sheeting (like a 29er, 49er or K1)

Ok, I think I made up the term "Bethwaite sheeting" and possibly "Kirby sheeting" too, but it is useful to have a way to describe how the sail is controlled, so bear with me.

I did try rear sheeting but although it works quite well in light winds, remembering to face backwards when you tack is a challenge for me and the system doesn't work well in stronger winds as you are constantly pulled backwards in the boat by the mainsheet.

I have used Kirby sheeting for a while (see Kirby sheeting blog post) and it is fine in stronger winds. But it still needs a pulley block on or just behind the thwart and that gets in the way in lighter winds or when you are sailing downwind. The block is exactly where I want to sit and as the Solo is not a big boat there is nowhere else to go. I have watched some really good Solo sailors at Frensham standing in light winds for just this reason. Of course, if you are very light weight it is less of an issue, but then you are not going to enjoy the stronger stuff as much.

There have been some frustrating light wind races at Frensham recently. I found myself sitting on or close to the mainsheet pulley block and then I couldn't adjust it. It also stopped me sitting exactly where I wanted to - I kept compromising my positioning because of the block. Sometimes I had to grab the mainsheet from the block on the boom after I sat on the mainsheet block and couldn't adjust the sail. This in turn meant I lost concentration as I kept trying to free up the mainsheet or shift where I was sitting. Not ideal.

Since then I have been thinking. If I am using the block on the boom because the one on the thwart is inaccessible, why not use the boom block all the time? It is not a unique idea at all - we have a fleet of K1s at Frensham and that is how they are rigged. And the very popular 29er and Olympic 49er (and 49er FX) are rigged this way. So it does work.

The 29er and 49er were designed by Julian Bethwaite, which is why I decided on "Bethwaite sheeting". The K1 is a Paul Handley design (him of RS Tera and Feva fame) so it could also be "Handley sheeting" although I suspect the K1 came after the 29er.

This is a 29er so you can see the mainsheet arrangement

and a K1

and they seem to go ok in different wind strengths, so I am going to give Bethwaite sheeting a go. I need to feel comfortable in the boat and maybe even concentrate on what I am doing, rather than losing the lead by going round the mark the wrong way (as I did this week 😠).

It is just a matter of moving the mainsheet ratchet block up to the boom. I think I will tie the end of the mainsheet to the eye on the thwart (where the ratchet block was before) just so I can always grab the mainsheet if I need to. We will see how it goes 🤞⛵