My old cockpit is in need of replacement so what better place to drill some holes and experiment? After a first sail this week, and hooking the dodger on a tack, I went to the hardware store, grabbed a drill, and moved my mainsheet.

The original set up, from the track and 2-2 part blocks, runs: under the boom to mast-down through1turning- out at the base to 2nd turning block- takes a 45 around a hatch to a 3rd turning block, back through the dodger curb and to a cabin top winch and cleat. Works but it is difficult or impossible to adjust the mainsheet while sitting.

This is a simple mock up: 5/16" I bolt just forward of the track. A snatch block clipped on.

It seems to work at the mooring-car passes just by snatch block. Now the sheet can be led to either secondary 2 speed winch. Not ideal-the winches should go aft a bit for easy grinding of genoa and main from one position(and I need to put a chafe protector on the coaming-sheet rubs a bit).

Or, if having 2 winches isn't as handy as I think that would be, one winch in/on the new cockpit or coaming. But 1 winch looks like a downgrade to me(although at times like windward tacks, it can stay on the same winch)

If this arrangement works, I can loose about 30' of mainsheet. From the leeward bench(where I like to sail from), where the sheet winch is right in front of me, the mainsheet winch can be right behind me-on either tack(no more scrambling between winches). Track could be mounted aft a bit in the new cockpit for more room for the turning block(one with a spring that swivels).

This has the same crash jibe danger with the same amount of sheet running between boom end and traveler blocks. But no more hooking the dodger! And the fireplace flue,...

The eureka moment to make this work is the dock cleat (4 dollars) I mounted next to the turning block. It's only there for when the boat is at anchor or mooring(as it is here)-to capture the boom and of course, will not be used while sailing. That clears up the cockpit of lines at anchor for moving around, seats. I'll give this a try.