Sail change

Hi Philip, I rigged up a 6:1 because it was an easy thing to do at the time. It is sufficient but I would advise you to go to a boat chandler (or travelling Solo specialist like Chris Brown) and get them to rig up an 8:1 to keep your boat "standard".

My 6:1 uses a becket added to the sail block and a mini ball block fixed to the mast luff track underneath the gooseneck which allows a longer downhaul tail to go through the sail block, through the mast block and tie on the becket for 3:1 which is pulled by the 2:1 continuous control line. You can't rig this unless your sail block has a hollow shaft for the becket ( shackle or rope loop), when I bought a North sail I had to post them a block with becket to sew in in place of their standard solid Harken single. You also have to drill two small holes in either side of the mast luff track for a rope loop (4mm control line) that will go through the mast block and leaves the block about 30mm below the gooseneck so it doesn't catch on the gooseneck.

A chandler would make a new continuous control line with 4:1 purchase at the mast foot instead of your existing 2:1 and that converts to an 8:1 total downhaul.

Thanks for the detailed reply, really helpful. Philip