raising the main single handed

[peterchech]

I have yet to need to single hand my hunter 25, but some day I would like to. I have no autopilot, not even a rope to hold the tiller straight. I have a roller furler, but the main must be raised from the mast. For now I have my crew motor us into the wind while setting the main.

If I single hand, are there any low budget tricks to raising the main single handed?

[chris_gee]

Tie a line from the tiller to the boom.

[Ulladh]

Line or bungee to hold the tiller, point to the wind, go to mast use the topping lift to lift the boom a bit above horizontal, haul the main halyard tight and cleat secure, release the topping lift and go have fun.

Lifting the boom with the topping lift makes the last foot or two of the mainsail easier to haul.

[nolatom]

trim your jib in to close-hauled, and head up to as close to close hauled as she'll go (may only get to a close reach, but that's good enough

Tie your tiller hard to leeward. Let the mainsheet way out so the main will luff as you raise it.

Then, haul away. Should work. All this assumes a moderate breeze.

[deniseO30]

Peter it's pretty cheap to route the Main Halyard to the cockpit. Remove the main winch from the mast mount it on the coach roof. get a turning block, a rope cleat or clutch, Longer halyard...

[blt2ski]

if you have a hiking stick, I sometimes can extend it such that it will hold the boat going straight while I do something else int eh cockpit.

But as Denise pointed out, routing the main halyard back to the cabin top is pretty easy and cheap all things considering. As is a couple of small jam cleats and a line to tie off the tiller. There is also a tiller minder kit from WM or equal for about $25 that works reasonably well too.

Marty

[Barquito]

If you have a main that raises without binding, it only takes a few seconds. You can just head up into the wind, step up to the mast and pull the sail up, and step back into the cockpit. Maybe try with someone in the cockpit who just lets the tiller go. If you don't get is all the way up. Just head up and try again. For Dropping the sail, it will help to have lazy jacks, so you can just let it drop.

All you need for a tiller tamer, is a length of shock cord (or rope and a little shock cord). Wrap around the winch cleat or something, around the tiller a few times, and over to the other side. You can even make small adjustments while it is tied. Just remember, you now have a boat that is on auto-pilot. If you fall off, it will keep going without you.

[Barquito]

Peter it's pretty cheap to route the Main Halyard to the cockpit.

Compared to a lot of things on boats this is true. However, it can add up: New halyard (new sheeves in my case), stand-up block, turning block (or deck organizer), and a rope clutch. I don't want to actually add this up, because I am going to do it this winter.

[captflood]

GREETINGS EARTHLING Are you having difficulty in putting up the main or just getin g the boat sitting pritty to do the job ? rub a candle (parafin wax ) along the the running slot and learn to tie a wogoners hitch this can be used as a handy billy on and of the haliyards and it comes undun neatly GO SAFE.

[BigZ]

On a boat with a mainsail of your size you should have no issues raising/lowering the main very quickly. I have a 26 ft boat and single hand most of the time. I use this style tiller lock to hold the boat into the wind .
Tillerman Rudder Lock

Just point the boat into the wind, lock the tiller in place, then make sure all lines, mainsheet, outhaul, vang, and cunningham are loose then step up and hoist the main. Should go easy and quick unless you have some binding. I always hoist the main first, then the genoa. Just habit.

On a boat of your size I never saw the need for routing the lines back to the cockpit. At some point you still have to go forward to the mast to secure the dropped mainsail to the boom.