Here is a thought: I rigged a downhaul on a P15 some time ago and thoughtlessly put the line inside the hanks and through a small bottom swivel block near the forward shroud connection and on back to the cockpit. I'm so smart I was thinking.
I'm on SF Bay with a good wind blowing with heavy gusts, threatening to lay the Potter over, I had a reefed main so I pulled on the downhaul... I had a quick release pin on the bottom shroud connection (makes rigging quicker I was told) and I guess you can imagine how exciting it got when the mast fell back into the cockpit. I think the lesson is, take care where you run the downhaul. Maybe even, be careful where you put those push button quick release pins. Wish I had a video of that one. I believe I could have re-hoisted the mast if it was a Monty 15, but one does not wander about the forward deck of a Potter 15, in the middle of SF Bay! So, I motored for better than an hour, hoping no one of the hundreds of boats was watching as I dragged the mast, boom, mainsail, etc, into a Marina to re-rig. Even though my fault, that was when I decided the P15 had to go. Yea I know... dumb A%&! Bill On Jan 6, 2008 12:45 PM, Chris and Jeff Packer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Yes, downhauls are great. I've had them on my last 2 boats and you can > drop > the jib from the cockpit so fast... especially when your sailing up to a > dock or mooring buoy. They also have the advantage of being able to tie > the > jib down from the cockpit so its not trying to run itself back up in > strong > wind. > > Jeff > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 9:34 AM > Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 heavy weather capabilities > > > > I'd have to second Gary's observations about the M17 hatch. I'm a pretty > > big > > boy and honestly I never tried it. My 17 had the backwards opening front > > hatch, so even if you fit, the hatch lid would prevent you from leaning > > forward. > > In this photo you can see the hinges are on the front of the hatch and > > that > > there's no way you'd be able to work around it to deal with the luff of > > the > > jib. > > > > _http://msogphotosite.com/MSOG/b17thomps/b17thomps7.jpg_ > > (http://msogphotosite.com/MSOG/b17thomps/b17thomps7.jpg) > > > > On later versions and I believe the new M17's that Bob builds the hatch > > opens from the front... > > Hey Gary H.! Doesn't your hatch open from the front??? Could you > manage > > a > > headsail change through it??? > > (http://msogphotosite.com/MSOG/b17thomps/b17thomps7.jpg) > > Lately, I have been experimenting for the first time ever (for me) with > a > > simple downhaul attached to the jib/genoa head. Holly cow, why I never > did > > this > > before is beyond me. I don't mind going forward and pulling a sail down > > when > > someone's on the helm but when singlehanding it's a pain. When I'm alone > I > > try to make sure I don't overcanvass for the conditions, but if I do, > now > > I can > > at least get the sail down on the deck and secure before I ever leave > the > > relative safety of the cockpit. It also allows me to hank on a jib at > the > > dock > > , and attach the halyard without worry that the halyard is going to > foul > > something by swinging around slack before I'm ready to raise it. I just > > hook up > > the downhaul and tension the halyard. I know, I know, roller furling > > would > > solve that issue. Someday I may go back to a furler, but for now I'm > > happy with > > hank-ons. > > > > Sean > > > > > > > > **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. > > http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489 > > _______________________________________________ > > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > > > _______________________________________________ > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
