Hi Steve: You do make life complicated.
On my M15, the jib halyard leads to the cockpit. The main halyard is on the mast. So is my topping lift. I lie at a marina where my bow is pointed at the prevailing wind. The drill is: raise the jib, standing in the cockpit; and let the sheets fly free. Raise the main; standing on deck at the mast - main sheet is free. Release the topping lift. Push out of my marina slot,and turn LEPPO 90 degrees - heading north: which now puts me on a broad reach. Jump aboard; drop the center board; tighten the jib and main sheets and off I go on a broad reach......... Pretty as you please. After sailing for a few hours I have the luxury of having a marina berth that points into the prevailing wind. I can approach my berth on a broad reach; then turn 90 degrees; let everything fly, and arrive at my dock space without a bang - if I time it correctly. At that point I casually step on the finger pier; grab the shroud of the M15 and stop the boat. Then I fasten spring lines: bow and stern lines: and start tidying up the boat. Getting "bonked" by the boom doesn't happen. When the boat is in it's slip, it is head to wind - i.e., the boom isn't going anywhere. The main is flaked down with a bungee cord on the boom: the topping lift is tightened so that the boom is raised: the sail cover is put on the main; the main sheet is tied off so that the boom can't swing back and forth; I gather up my cooling container/ radio/ and clothing and depart. Raising the main while standing on the foredeck shouldn't be a problem, unless you are trying to do it in 30 knot winds. If that is the case, then it's better to head for a bar and tell sailor's stories, than to be out sailing. Connie ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
