Taking the strain off the gooseneck

Now this is not a big project, but it is one that should pay some big dividends.

Some years back, the gooseneck on Eolian's mizzen boom broke while we were under sail in a blow (things never break in light conditions, only when they are heavily loaded).  Although the root cause of the failure was corrosion, the corrosion was in a crevice which probably was the result of fatigue or overloading.

Take a look at the sheeting arrangement on that boom.  See how the downward pull of the sheet is carried by the gooseneck? 

Simply relocating the turning block to hang from the shackle (holding the coiled line in the photo) takes the strain off of the swivel.

Pretty simple, eh?