Clutch Congestion

Yealm

Yealm

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Having decided to get my boat rigged for a spinnaker, I now a serious shortage of clutches !

I love having ropes led back to the cockpit, but I have only 8 coachroof clutches but 13 ropes, so 5 will have to go back to the mast (it's going to be impossible I think to install further clutches).

Which ropes do you think I should move back to the mast out of the following ? (contessa 32)

Main halyard
Jib halyard
Spinnaker halyard
Spare halyard
Main outhaul
Main reef 1
Main reef 2
Main reef 3
Kicker
Cunningham
Topping Lift
Pole up
Pole down
 
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I think I would keep all the mainsail controls in the cockpit and the rest at the mast. If I have counted correctly, that is what your clutches can handle. They are also the lines you will need to adjust most often.
 
Yealm said:
Having decided to get my boat rigged for a spinnaker, I now a serious shortage of clutches !

I love having ropes led back to the cockpit, but I have only 8 coachroof clutches but 13 ropes, so 5 will have to go back to the mast (it's going to be impossible I think to install further clutches).

Which ropes do you think I should move back to the mast out of the following ? (contessa 32)

Main halyard
Jib halyard
Spinnaker halyard
Spare halyard
Main outhaul
Main reef 1
Main reef 2
Main reef 3
Kicker
Cunningham
Topping Lift
Pole up
Pole down
Click to expand...

My best offer:

Assuming you have a roller-furling jib then the Jib Halyard can be at the mast.

The spare halyard could be over length and coiled at the mast as you'll probably need to go forward to use it anyway (to attach to the head of sail or whatever).

The main outhaul could be at the end of the boom at a pinch (I know it can't be reached when the boom's out but you mainly need when the boom's in).

Cunningham could possibly be led along the side of the boom too as this normally doesn't have a huge load on it.

Without knowing your reefing set up isn't main reef 1, 2 and 3 really only one clutch as you'll only use one at a time?
 
grumpy_o_g said:
Without knowing your reefing set up isn't main reef 1, 2 and 3 really only one clutch as you'll only use one at a time?
Click to expand...

Yes, but he’s not going to want to unreeve the last line and re-reeve the new one through the clutch while in the middle of reefing.

Pete
 
Main halyard, reefing lines, main outhaul, topping lift - all at mast makes main hoisting and reefing an out-of-cockpit experience but keeps friction and stretch down. The other 7 lines are needed in the cockpit and you can use the 8th clutch for a both-sides pole downhaul. This must be the perfect set-up :ambivalence:, cos that's what I have!
 
im facing the same issue at the minute - cam cleats are the way forward. Im adding purchase to the vang, outhaul and cunningham and terminating them at cam cleats to make it quicker and easier to tweak, and then running the pole downhaul double ended to cam cleats either side of the coachroof so its located near the winch that'll be used for the guy so its easy to ease the downhaul as the pole comes back from the same spot
 
Are you screwing the clan cleats down or bolting them ?

It’s a bit tricky on my boat adding extra fittings as has a moulded headliner. But I don’t think simple screw fixations will be strong enough for my loads.

searj said:
im facing the same issue at the minute - cam cleats are the way forward. Im adding purchase to the vang, outhaul and cunningham and terminating them at cam cleats to make it quicker and easier to tweak, and then running the pole downhaul double ended to cam cleats either side of the coachroof so its located near the winch that'll be used for the guy so its easy to ease the downhaul as the pole comes back from the same spot
Click to expand...
 
always through bolted, shame about the headliner, are there any nifty locations on the sides of the coach roof or cockpit coamings you could stick some ergonomic control cleats?
 
Not sure - i need to explore !

searj said:
always through bolted, shame about the headliner, are there any nifty locations on the sides of the coach roof or cockpit coamings you could stick some ergonomic control cleats?
Click to expand...
 
From your list the Kicker, Cunningham and pole down could be cam cleats with suitable cascade systems to provide the power in the Kicker and Cunningham.

I'd then put the spare halyard on the mast, but make sure it's the same side as the Jib and Spinnaker Halyards, so that if you use it because you have an issue with one of them you can swap it over onto the coachroof clutch - especially the Jib halyard as I'm assuming you don't have a winch at the mast?
 
I have got a couple of winches on the mast - one at the back, one at the side - i think I may put spare and jib halyard on the mast as you suggest, along with reefing lines. That way, I can fit everything else to the 8 coachroof clutches. Reluctant to fit further clutches/clam cleats because of the headliner problem..

flaming said:
From your list the Kicker, Cunningham and pole down could be cam cleats with suitable cascade systems to provide the power in the Kicker and Cunningham.

I'd then put the spare halyard on the mast, but make sure it's the same side as the Jib and Spinnaker Halyards, so that if you use it because you have an issue with one of them you can swap it over onto the coachroof clutch - especially the Jib halyard as I'm assuming you don't have a winch at the mast?
Click to expand...
 
I would do the following ( largely replicating my own setup)

Main halyard - clutch
Jib halyard - clutch
Spinnaker halyard - clutch
Spare halyard - cleated at mast
Main outhaul - clutch
Main reef 1 - clutch
Main reef 2 - clutch
Main reef 3 - rarely used , hank "mast end" and cleat at mast, can be run through Main reef1 clutch when needed.
Kicker - cam cleat
Cunningham - clutch
Topping Lift - cleat at mast
Pole up - clutch
Pole down - cam cleat
 
savageseadog said:
Pole down can be a bit lively for a cleat. Pole uphaul is usually OK on a cleat.
Click to expand...

Disagree. I've sailed plenty of boats that have pole down on a cam cleat, and normally double-ended and led to where the guy trimmer can reach it. Never had a problem. Pole up could probably be a cleat, but the way it runs it's normally just added to the bank of clutches as that's the natural run.
 
Yealm said:
I have got a couple of winches on the mast - one at the back, one at the side - i think I may put spare and jib halyard on the mast as you suggest, along with reefing lines. That way, I can fit everything else to the 8 coachroof clutches. Reluctant to fit further clutches/clam cleats because of the headliner problem..
Click to expand...

If you have reefing lines at the mast (aft mast winch) then having the main halyard there too (starboard winch and cleat) makes reefing a simple operation assuming you use the ram's horns. You just have to release the kicker and mainsheet before going forward.


How are your coachroof clutches attached? Mine are held by 10mm setscrews into holes tapped into the coachroof and epoxy filler injected into the liner void. I worried about them for the first few years but after 12 years of cruising and racing they have survived - it's the winches that deflect the coachroof much more.

As for pole downhaul on a cam-cleat, I am firmly against. A turn round the winch before opening the clutch is, in my experience, a wise precaution in frisky conditions especially when the pole is near the forestay.
 
Yealm said:
Are you screwing the clan cleats down or bolting them ?

It’s a bit tricky on my boat adding extra fittings as has a moulded headliner. But I don’t think simple screw fixations will be strong enough for my loads.
Click to expand...

Fit an access hatch to the moulded lining? You can get neat ones that sit flush, but still big enough to get a hand or fingers with a spanner through.
 
I changed the outer 2 clutches to these so I can quickly swop control lines to the ones I wanted. The topping lift goes on the cam cleat mounted on the aluminium plate which is held by the dynema line hooked around the base of the winch. It does not catch on the winch & has not damaged the line it is held in the forward position by very thin dynema hooked under the cleats. to stop it marking the decks I glued 2 small door stops

topping lift clet.jpg
 
awol said:
As for pole downhaul on a cam-cleat, I am firmly against. A turn round the winch before opening the clutch is, in my experience, a wise precaution in frisky conditions especially when the pole is near the forestay.
Click to expand...

That goes totally against my experience. Every race boat I can think of has the pole down double-ended (so 2:1) and led back either side to a cam cleat that the pole trimmer can reach. Never known it to be excessively loaded, and we fly kites in 30kts.
 
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