From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains'l w/out starting the engine

Shearwater

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From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

So there you are, lying ahull - sails down - fishing or twiddling or whatever. You want to get under way, you are single handed; you don't want to disturb the moment by starting the motor..... so how do you get the bows into wind to raise the main? Ah, you say... raise the gennie, get up speed, spin the bow through the wind, hoist the main. Yup, could be. But while you're going through the eye and hauling on the halyard the bow goes right through, the main - such as it is - starts working, the battens foul the lazy jacks. You're goofed. I tried everything today but could not get the main up. Why? There must be a way, surely?
 

Searush

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Easy peasy. I put the Mizzen up first, then the main. Get yoursel' a proper boat with more than just a single mast!

Could you have run off under bare poles to get enough speed to turn into wind?

Get a mate to hold the tiller so she sails backwards under bare poles?
 

Shearwater

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

The 'Bright Spark' has already admitted not knowing the answer and thus the answer from those more experienced and knowledgeable would be appreciated. Why assumed I am a ketch or yawl with a mizzen? I have already said I'm single handed. If I wasn't either then I wouldn't have a problem and wouldn't raise the question. I DO expect a sensible answer to a sensible question or no response at all. OK?
 

jonathankent

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

So why come back with such a rude answer from a couple of comments made in jest??

I think we've already assumed your not a ketch by the replies.

Lighten up a bit and see the funny side....
 

alec

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the en

[ QUOTE ]
So there you are, lying ahull - sails down - fishing or twiddling or whatever. You want to get under way, you are single handed; you don't want to disturb the moment by starting the motor..... so how do you get the bows into wind to raise the main? Ah, you say... raise the gennie, get up speed, spin the bow through the wind, hoist the main. Yup, could be. But while you're going through the eye and hauling on the halyard the bow goes right through, the main - such as it is - starts working, the battens foul the lazy jacks. You're goofed. I tried everything today but could not get the main up. Why? There must be a way, surely?

[/ QUOTE ]

Calm down a bit. This is not a government body.

I have singlehanded for many years and consider some form of self steering essential. Particularly if you have to go to the mast to hoist the main.

As you have mentioned, getting some speed up with the jib is the normal way then rig up some self steering method that might last for a few minutes to get the main up.

You could also heave to under the jib but lazy jacks and fully battened mains can be a problem.

I would probably not go to sea for more than a day without my Autohelm.
 

Poignard

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Set the foresail and run off before the wind, when you have steerage turn into the wind and heave to with the foresail aback and the tiller lashed to leeward. Then set the mainsail, release the tiller and sheet the foresail on whichever side you wish.

If your boat won't heave to under foresail alone - buy a Twister!
 

duncanmack

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

I've used a canvas bucket on a line........
Drop the hook with a few metres of anchor chain....
Streamed some rope....

Work it out. It aint rocket science.

BTW 30 ft boat and her head falls off in the wind.
 

yoty

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Two methods:

Slowly hoist the main and as it starts to fill the boat should start to 'round-up to the wind. If it doesn't, or if it won't give you enough time before it wanders off somewhere else...

Set the boat up 'hove-to' by hoist/setting the headsail aback (either by sailing off to gain movement or just hoisting and hauling aback) and then lock/lash the tiller to leeward. The boat should fore-reach and give you ample time to set the mainsail and make a cup of tea.
 

morgandlm

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

I have a roller reefed genoa and deploy that with several wraps still left on. I then point up as far as she will go, set the autohelm and pull up the main. I apply the old adage of hoisting the sail up after slacking off everything that's holding it down ie mainsheet, kicker and reefs. It works OK on my Sadler 26. It's also how I reef the main when underway.
Morgan
 

Danny

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Dunno if this would work because I've never tried it - but how about a drogue payed out from the bow to hold her into the wind while you hoist the main? Could be a bit tricky if she starts to sail around while the drogue's still in the water, I guess. Maybe something to try on a calm day!

Something that might help is to slacken the lazy jacks and pull them forward with a line round the mast so that the batten ends are less likely to foul them.

Won't the boat sail close enough on genoa alone (and steered by a/p) to hoist the main? So long as the mainsheet is free and the boom doesn't swing out far enough to hit the shrouds then it should be possible to hoist without it filling, shouldn't it?
 

kengill

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Use the autopilot to maintain a course under jib then raise the main.

I think you will find that most people's single-handed insurance requires them to have an operating autopilot fitted whilst single-handed.

Mine does.

Ken
 

Lizzie_B

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Depends how long your boom is and if your tiller steered.

On the old Lizzie B (an elizabethan 31) I used to tie a line from the boom end to the tiller and have the mainsheet with only a little slack in it.

When I started to hoist and the main began to fill and drive the boat I would pause until this set up brought the boat back into wind and then hoist some more.

I could usually get the main up with only two brief pauses. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

oldsaltoz

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

Have you considered setting up your lazy jacks through a pulley so you can drop them, we used an in mast halyard but you can adapt a second foresail or spinnaker halyard.


Avagoodweekend......
 

Allan

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

I have always loosened the main sheet and pulled up a little main. This makes my boat weathercock round into the wind. Once she's gone round a little I pull the main up and then the jib and sail off.
Allan
 

Oldhand

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

If the boat is not too large and the wind is ahead of the beam, completely slack off the mainsheet and push the boom out so its parallel to the wind. As the main goes up and the boat starts to weather-cock, the boom will automatically tend to reposition parallel to the wind. It might just need a little pateince to haul at the right moment to get the batten ends inside the lazyjacks as the boom swings about. Be careful of the boom movements when you are on deck before sheeting in again.

By the way, where are the top of your lazyjacks attached? If not separated like being outboard on spreaders, it will always be very difficult becuase your "slot" is so narrow.
 

cliffordpope

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the engine

I have the topping lift and both main halyards lead back to the cockpit. Raise the topping lift - the boom swings out. Raise the sail a bit, pull in the sheet, the boat starts to turn into the wind. Then I just carry on hoisting.
I don't see the problem.
 

michael_w

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Re: From lying ahull, how do u raise the mains\'l w/out starting the en

I think you'd find it a lot easier if you pulled the lazy jacks out of the way. ie: tied 'em off by the mast.
 
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