Lines to Cockpit/Shareing the Load

[Squidd]

Question....the way my running gear is set up now, (winch/pulley/cleat) I can only run one halyard to the cockpit...I believe it was set up for the Main.

I have a hank on jib, it has its own sheel lines/pullies/winchs (to cockpit)...I want to put a down haul to the forestay and run that to the cockpit as well as the jib halyard...

My thinking is when sailing with my bride, I would want her to hold a bearing into the wind with the tiller while I go up and hoist the main, adjust the slides and tighten the halyard to mast cleat *all up on deck/standing at the mast...

Then I would go forward, un bag, hank on, and layout sheets for jib and then she could "winch" the halyard from the cockpit while I adjust the hanks clear the lines set the foot on jib/genoa...

Does that make sense workload wise...? and safety on fore deck wise..?

Or would she/inexperienced crew have too much to do pulling sheets, winching halyard "and" holding tiller and would it be better if I did that and sent them forward...?

[bobperry]

Squid:
If there is only you then run the lines aft. If there will be two of you you might be better off just leaving the lines on the mast. You have much less friction that way. But even with a crew you often have to do things alone and it's nice to have the jib sheets withnin reach while you are raising and lowering the sail.

[Merit25lovers]

We have all our lines running to the cockpit. My Fiancé prefers to raise the main and jib via halyards at the front of the cockpit. She uses the winches, but I usually pull the lines behind her, from the tiller, to take off the tension. Reason being is that I tend to “criticize” her skippering when I give the tiller to her while raising the sails. It seems she always allows the bow of the boat to get pushed away from the wind!
I think your arrangement will work, so long as your bride keeps the boat in irons!

[Squidd]

Originally Posted by bobperry

Squidd:
But even with a crew you often have to do things alone and it's nice to have the jib sheets withnin reach while you are raising and lowering the sail.

Within reach in the cockpit or within reach up foreward..?

[IslanderGuy]

If you have the option of which halyard to run to the cockpit, I would take the jib back. The main (in my opinion) is easier to raise at the mast, with less work required of the helmsman as there is only one sheet, and it can be pretty much just set. If you fall off to a different side then intended, you don't have to scramble for the other sheet. (This can happen when setting only a jib with no main)

I would setup the jib to be raised before raising the main, before leaving the dock/mooring/anchor if you plan to sail right away. Un-bag it hank it on, run the sheets and if the wind is light, just leave it on deck. If the wind is a bit stronger, I'll wrap the jib bag around the middle and only fasten on snap around it, or lightly tie it down with a little line or bungie across it from one base of the bow pulpit to the other.

Once you are ready to raise the jib, untie/unsnap anything holding it down, move to the cockpit and manage the halyard and sheets from there while the crew just handles the tiller (helps with sheets if possible, at least pulling in the slack so its not flogging). I don't really find a need to be on the foredeck when raising the jib. Of course, my halyards are all at the mast, so perhaps I don't know best.

[Squidd]

I liike that plan better yet...

[bljones]

If it fits the budget, mount two banks of garhauer clutches on the cabin top, one on each side of the companionway. The side with the winch is where you run your halyards- main, jib and topping lift. The other bank of clutches is for your light loads- jib downhaul, cunningham, vang, reefing lines. Run your halyards/lift down to blocks at the mast base, back through a deck organizer and through the clutches to the winch. Run your light loads through fairleads/organizer as needed and back to the clutches.




Before setting out, hank on your jib, pull it out of the bag, take up the slack in the downhaul and lock down the clutch to keep the head from rising, and tighten up the jib sheets and cleat them off to keep the jib onboard the boat. When you raise sail, declutch the downhaul, declutch the jib halyard and raise the jib, then clear the halyard from the winch, load the main halyard , declutch your vang and cunningham/main downhaul lines, raise the main then snug up your cunningham/main downhaul and vang and close the clutches. Boom, you're sailing and nobody had to leave the cockpit.

[Squidd]

Cool, that's an option too, right now I'm only set up for one halyard (one block, one winch, one cleat) no clutch(s) yet... And then one halyard is longer than the other, one to mast one to cockpit....

I was concidering adding a clutch... wouldn't be too hard on budget to get a double clutch, an extra block and longer halyard and at least get those two run to cockpit..

[oysterman23]

BlJones; I like the way you've got your lines set up...Im still hunting for two pair of presentable used clutches and then will be doing something similar. Think it would also be nice to have a stash bag on the companionway bulkhead to each side to catch slack line, although I hang most of mine (loose loop) Think the biggest part of all this is routing the lines properly from the base of the mast...each boat has a whole different routing challenge..

[bljones]

Originally Posted by oysterman23

Think it would also be nice to have a stash bag on the companionway bulkhead to each side to catch slack line, .

The hardest part is training guests not to use the stash bag as a catch all for empty beer bottles and sunblock.