Antoine,
I agree with much of your comment. There is a way to have halyards run back to
the cockpit but also operate them at the mast. Simply install a camcleat and
horn cleat on the mast a bit offset from the path of the halyard from its exit
to the turning block at the base of the mast.
When in "mast" mode, you can hoist or lower the sail, temporarily stop
it with the camcleat or more permanently stop it with the horn cleat.
When in "cockpit" mode the halyard will exit the mast, run to the turning block
and back to the cockpit. Or, one can hoist the sail, stop it with the
camcleat, return to the cockpit
and pull the slack out and stop the halyard with a cabintop rope
clutch. With a little configuration tweaking, If done correctly, the camcleat
can be position such that the line pops out of it when the slack is taken out.
The line is then free to allow the sail to be dropped from the cockpit.
I've sailed on boats with this arrangement for spinnaker halyards and it seems
to work well.
Dennis C.
Touche' 35-1 #83
Mandeville, LA
On Friday, October 11, 2013 10:52 PM, Antoine Rose <antoine.r...@videotron.ca>
wrote:
It seems that many recommend bringing back the lines to the cockpit for single
handling.
>Well, allow me to trow a little rock in the pound and challenge a bit that
>idea.
>I too have single handed a lot and personally, I prefer to have my lines at
>the mast. I know, it goes against common wisdom and what many (most) think.
>
>
>Well, I think it is simpler and easier this way.
>- Hoisting: when was the last time it was easy for you to hoist the main,
>without a winch? When the halyard is on the mast, you have a straight pull.
>One block at the top of the mast and that's it. Pulling the rope down is
>efficient, it goes with your weight. Bringing the line back to the cockpit
>mean adding a block at the base of the mast, another deviation block somewhere
>on the roof, then the line goes through a rope clutch and then around a winch.
>Did you ever figured out how much friction all that is? The result is
>mainsails that required to be hoisted with the help of the winch almost half
>of the way. I raise mine to the top by hand and the winch is used only for
>what it was meant for, adding proper tension.
>- My lines are neatly tidied up at the mast and I have minimal ropes in the
>cockpit, only the two genoa sheets and the main, that's it.
>- Reefing, unless you have a single line systems that works very well (go back
>to my comment on multiple friction induce by too many turns in the line), you
>have to go the mast to pull down the main and insert the eye in the hook and
>lay down properly the main on the boom before pulling and tensioning the reef
>line.
>- The fundamental idea is to make it the easiest it can possibly be, so that,
>if your brain says "it maybe a good idea to reef", you go without any
>hesitation. The easiest it is, the more frequent you'll adjust your sail to
>match the weather. On my boat, everything is done at the mast. When I want to
>reef, I ease the main sheet and then go to the base of the mast where I do
>everything without moving: the halyard loosening, pulling down the main to the
>hook, tensioning again the halyard, adjusting the downhaul, pulling and
>tensioning the reef line, replace a bit the sail and go back to the cockpit to
>readjust the sheet. Usually, when I'm in hurry in a race, I don't loose more
>than a minute for the reefing. When I drop the main (I've installed home made
>lazy jacks), I again go to the mast to let go the halyard and I'm right there
>where the action is, to lay down properly the main.
>- I've seen many boats where the halyards goes back to the cockpit. Yes, but
>when singlehanded, you have to go to the mast to pull down the main down to
>the hook, go back to the cockpit to tension again the halyard, go back to the
>mast to pull the reef line and then back to the cockpit again. We often say
>it's safer to get the lines back to the cockpit, well, it is not safe if you
>have to do two back and forth to the mast for a simple reefing.
>
>
>In the end, before choosing your religion ( to the mast or to the cockpit),
>take some time to really think it through, do some simulation, picture
>yourself in bad weather and make your choice.
>But, no matter what you decide, make it as easy as possible, with the least
>possibilities of something going wrong.
>
>
>Antoine (Cousin, C&C 30)
>
>
>
>
>Le 2013-10-11 à 12:23, Patrick H. Wesley a écrit :
>
>On a smaller boat that doesn't have autohelm the other things I would add to
>Chuck's list are a breastline for quick tie-up in docking, and learning how to
>heave-to. I often singlehand and the latter has allowed me do many things I
>forgot to do before setting out, or to use the head, or reef the main.
>>
>>
>>Incidentally, many thanks for those who replied to my earlier post about
>>crossing the Georgia Strait, I successfully did that, solo, few weeks ago and
>>the comments helped. Strong wind warnings, gale force warnings and even a
>>waterspout advisory! I told my family that I was back, safe and sound but
>>there had been a few clenched sphincter moments. One of my sons-in-law does
>>not have English as his first language and he told me that he had to check
>>with Google as which part of the boat that was!
>>
>>
>>Patrick Wesley, The Boat, C & C 24
>>—
>>Sent from Mailbox for iPad
>>
>>
>>On Fri, Oct 11, 2013 at 6:50 AM, Chuck S <cscheaf...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>FWIW, I enjoy singlehanding my boat but pick my days. The sails are not the
>>biggest challenge. For me, it's always been docking. Docking can
be challenging in a crosswind or in strong current, and I
learn something everytime I go out. The bow of a sailboat wants to spin
downwind as soon as she loses forward way. This year I started "backing in"
when the wind is up, and that proved a better alternative. The bow follows the
keel that way. Before docking, I rig my fenders and have lines bow, stern, and
spring, coiled at the
gate, ready to take myself onto the float, or hand to someone else. The tricky
part is stopping the boat alongside the float and getting from behind the wheel
thru the gate onto the float with docklines in hand, and secure them before the
boat reacts to wind and current and the bow spins. I think I've learned a lot
docking the boat for ten years, and the only scrapes occurred from dockside
helpers who tend to pull the bow line in too tight. I feel docking is still
the most challenging aspect of singlehanding. The more you know your boat and
the more practice you get, the better you
get at timing your turns and controlling your approach speed, and the easier it
gets.
>>>
>>>Having the jib on a furler is a must and some days you
can sail with just the jib and not have to deal with the mainsail cover
or flaking the sail. I use an autohelm to steer the boat and raise the
mainsail by hand, using the winch only for the last few inches. When I
bought my boat there were two frozen sheaves for the main halyard that
forced us to use the winch. I didn't find the problem until the
following summer and then I freed the sheave at the mast deck collar and
the sheave in the deck organizer and lubed the track and now anyone can
raise the sail without the winch.
>>>
>>>I plan to install lazy
jacks, but meanwhile I have to wrestle the big sail onto the boom and
reflake it at the dock, before putting on the cover. Occassionally I
have my son along and one lowers the halyard in a controlled way so the
other can flake and tie the sail on, but lazy jacks would make the job a
little easier.
>>>
>>>Summary: you'll get used to the bigger
boat so buy the biggest you can afford, don't forget the annual costs of
slip fees, winter storage, insurance. Research and know the value of things.
One new sail costs more than a whole instrument package, or a good feathering
prop. Setups for singlehanding should
include good roller furling, lines led to cockpit, a reliable engine and
good engine controls (remember docking), lazy jacks. If you're handy, things
can also be added
to an otherwise good boat. I added the Harken furler and
autohelm and many cruising amenities to my barebones racer, but your boat
should include those things. A professional survey will run around $600, so
presurvey a few boats yourself before going to that step so you only have to
pay that fee on one boat. Happy hunting.
>>>
>>>
>>>Chuck
>>>Resolute
>>>1990 C&C 34R
>>>Atlantic City, NJ
>>>
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>
>
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