Cockpit confusion or Mast mayhem

[ribbony]

The new photos were pasted into my images folder tonight, hope thay tell the story as to our progress to date.

[Sandero]

I have two winches on the coach roof under the dodger, two primaries and two secondaries on the coaming and a single on the mast port side. There are 4 line stoppers on each side of the coach roof. All winches are 2 speed

Single handing most of the time I have set up as follows:

Stbd
main halyard - red w/ white trace
topping lift (with dutchman added to the end) - red
tack for 1st reef - blue
clew for 2nd reef- green

port
out haul - white w/ yellow trace
tack for 2nd reef - green
clew for 1st reef - blue
vang - black

mast
jib halyard (exits at port at winch) - blue
spinnaker topping lift (exits port at winch) - black
spinnaker halyard (stbd for cruising chute) - green
down haul (led to port at winch) - white w/ black trace
control line to raise and lower whisker pole - red

primary winches
jib sheets - red
finishing main halyard hoist(stbd led using coach rooh winch as a fail lead)
spinnaker sheets - green

seconday winches
profurl reefing line - white w/ blue trace
spinnaker sheets -green
second sheet for jib (occasional use with poled out genny)
back stay tension (mast bend) - black

The coach roof winches do not allow me to get "over them" and maximmize my mechanical advantage, so I use the primary to finish the main sail hoist and this allows greater mechanical advantage plus I can more easily see what's happening.

Mark all you lines at the propoer "place/tension" so that the mark just comes through the stopper. Electrical tape works and and can be re positioned if you get line stretch. I prefer 7/16" line for the grip and it works well with self tailers. My lines are color coded, as well, so I can identify their function.

[Morgan Paul]

defjef Are all of the lines you described 7/16" ?

[Sandero]

The halyards are 1/2, the spinnaker sheets and furling line are 3/8 IIRC

[ribbony]

Thanks defjef, great info. That is a thought provoking layout, especially using the primaries to crank up the main, etc. We only have two winches in the cockpit, but I had noticed several vessels with 4 and was wondering how they used them.

What is a dutchman ?

I was wondering what size ropes to use and your comments clarify those thought.

[Cheechako]

I prefer the simplicity of the winches and halyards on the mast. Much less friction to deal with and much less mess at the companionway. I've spent a lot of money in the past running them back with real heavy duty clutches, extra winches, exit holes in the Dodger etc. What a mess. It seems there are never enough winches around the companionway, you will need one to unload the clutch under pressure as well as one for another line. The handles interfere with each other at times. Going to the mast and reefing is a beautiful thing. Spend the money on sissy bars if you are uncomfortable up there is my vote. At the mast it's easy to look up and get the luff tensioned right also, otherwise you're going to get a stiff neck trying see through the dodger.

[ribbony]

What a wonderful variety of views and ideas, that is what is great about forums. I do not mind the going forward to do the tasks, but there is a second captain/crew on this vessel and they do not like going forward if it can be avoided. When we put in lazy jacks on our little Endeavour26' she was over the moon. So I am forewarned that we have to find a balance in this deck gear equation. Otherwise I will end up solo sailing.

We had a Sissy Bar at the mast when we got the vessel, but have sold that off, Ooops ! But, it did obstruct passage forward and there was only one frame.

"Education, is what is left after the learning process has ended".

If that is true then I must be uneducated as I have not stopped learning

[Pblais]

If that is true then I must be uneducated as I have not stopped learning

You only have a problem when you stop learning. It sounds like you are learning a lot. There are few easy answers and a lot of compromises to make it work and keep the crew and captain happy. If you get something that works you will be very educated indeed.