Fine Tune Mainsheet for Old Boom

For 88 we were able to mount a fine tune internally, as our boom has a redesigned vang attachment and mainsheet headknocker. For older booms, a different solution is required due to the stainless attachment for the vang, and to work with the existing headknocker/trigger cleat that many teams favor.

Gary from 196 wanted to add a system to his boat, so we figured out a pretty simple way to do it all. It adds a small ratchet block to the back of the existing headknocker, and routes the finetune externally. The plusses of this are that it's easy (especially relative to 88's system) to add to current booms, and is lower friction. The downside is you get less travel (but still more than enough) and have some extra line hanging from the boom. I was worried about the extra line, but seeing it in person it doesn't seem like it will be any kind of problem, since the line is kept taught, and by using a tiny carbo block it can even run through existing mainsheet keeper rings on the boom.

Installation is relatively easy: drill and tap a padeye for a block into the back of the boom, and drill out an attachment for the little headknocker on the big one. Then it's just a matter of creatively reeving the lines through the fiddle blocks.
The parts total for this is less than $200 if you keep your old mainsheet, and the install shouldn't take a handy person more than 3 hours. The only tricky bit is drilling out the headknocker, as it's SS plate. Next one I make I'll try using a padeye mounted to the back of the trigger cleat to hold the little ratchet, which will be cleaner, but we'll see if it puts the headknocker too low in the cockpit.