Lines Leading aft £

[dansaskip]

As others have said, it is not a problem even singlehanded, raising the main and reefing at the mast. Indeed that is the set up I much prefer an I'm single handed almost all the time. It keeps the cockpit freer of a clutter of ropes and should a problem arise, like sticky or jammed sail slider, halyard caught around stay, spreader, lazy jack etc you read already at the mast to sort it out. I changed the setup on both my boats to hoist and reef at the mast. Of course it might depend on the boat to some extent maybe for a nervous tender type it might be more stressful, but then again for single handing that is not the sort of boat you want anyway is its? Almost as a side issue I don't know why sailors seem reluctant to go the foot of the mast whilst sailing. Approached in the right manner with good jackstays etc it is OK

 

[ylop]

Clutches are expensive, but you can minimise the number you need if you think about it carefully- e.g. you don't need one for the halyard because it's always the last line you pull, so it can just stay on the winch. I think the topping lift just went to a cleat.

Your main halyard is ALWAYS the last line you pull? For the sake of one more clutch losing the flexibility of a winch seems a mistake. Adding an extra clutch later is usually a bigger PITA than during the original install.

 

[dgadee]

Age is an important factor. I used to love going up the bow/mast when I was young. Not so much these days. There are times when you have to go forward, but if the system is well designed that is a rare occurrence.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Just doing it and would echo the comment in post#2 - far more than you would imagine.. Off course depends on how many lines you are taking back, but the basic hardware for each line, turning block and clutch £90, mounting for turning blocks £90 each side, organiser £40 each side, rope based on 30m each £50 based on buying in bulk, 16ST winches £600 each. Fastenings £50, days labour £400.

So 6 lines, 3 each side around £2700, with of course the winches being almost half that.

And if your boom isn't suitable for single line reefing, a new boom!

 

[johnalison]

Adapting one's reefing technique may help too. I always hove-to to reef my boat so no matter the weather it was always a calm, controlled environment. I don't see the need for the complication, expense and unnecessary extra risk of the inevitable jams that are added with lines led aft on a boat that will heave-to nicely, and there are few that can't.

What jams? It hasn't happened to me with cockpit lines since 1988, though I had to go to the mast to attach the tack to the ram's horn in the Sadler 29. My attention span is too short to want to stop the boat just to put in a reef when it is just as easy to keep moving on with the jib.

 

[Refueler]

As I said - one of my boats has lines led aft ... and I find it interesting that previous owner disconnected reffing lines .... I did ask him and he reckoned it was not the advantage imagined and had reverted to rams horn at mast and line at boom end to tension.

 

[Refueler]

What jams? It hasn't happened to me with cockpit lines since 1988, though I had to go to the mast to attach the tack to the ram's horn in the Sadler 29. My attention span is too short to want to stop the boat just to put in a reef when it is just as easy to keep moving on with the jib.

I have sliders and full chord batten cars ... the mix does catch in the mast groove 2 or 3 times during hoist - needing a hand at mast to pull down to straighten ..

 

[dgadee]

And if your boom isn't suitable for single line reefing, a new boom!

I don't have single liine reefing. I have two lines for each reef. That would rarely require a new boom.

 

[srm]

Try sailing the boat for a season before making any serious alterations. Your ideas will probably change with the experience and any alteration you do make will be better thought through.
My preference has always been to handle halyards and reef at the mast on all my boats: 29ft/42ft/35ft monohulls. 26ft and 31ft catamarans. All of which I sailed singlehanded.
I have sailed on other boats as a charter skipper with lines to the cockpit. Even on bigger boats there was always a clutter of lines while sailing and the extra friction often required someone at the mast to sort out or help pull.
If you do choose to take lines back then you need good quality blocks and leads to reduce friction to a minimum, including the mast head sheaves as they are loaded with 2x the tension in the halyard.

 

[Sea Change]

Try sailing the boat for a season before making any serious alterations. Your ideas will probably change with the experience and any alteration you do make will be better thought through.
My preference has always been to handle halyards and reef at the mast on all my boats: 29ft/42ft/35ft monohulls. 26ft and 31ft catamarans.
I have sailed on other boats as a charter skipper with lines to the cockpit. Even on bigger boats there was always a clutter of lines while sailing and the extra friction often required someone at the mast to sort out or help pull. If you do choose to take lines back then you need good quality blocks and leads to reduce friction to a minimum, including the mast head sheaves as they are loaded with 2x the tension in the halyard.

That is similar to my experience.
On our first boat, some of the lines had been led aft (but there were no tack downhauls, nor was the kicker led aft). We finished the job, adding the necessary clutches and turning blocks.
On our next two boats, everything was done at the mast. I found it was actually much quicker and lower effort, even accounting for the extra time to clip in and go forward.

 

[Birdseye]

Hello all.

I’m looking for some advice. I am interested in a 34ft yacht that appears to be in good shape but doesn’t have lines leading to the cockpit. I am planning on quite a bit of solo sailing but have never solo sailed needing to move to the mast to reef lower or raise.

If I go ahead with this I need to think about a budget for the work. I won’t be doing myself.

Has anyone had this done in the last few years that can give me an idea of cost?

Thank you

Others have commented on the kit cost so I will reply to " I am planning on quite a bit of solo sailing but have never solo sailed needing to move to the mast to reef lower or raise.".

The answer is that it depends on the boats directional stability and on your balance. If the new boat is a long keeler or a well designed fin like my old Starlight then that is a major part of the game. Decent pilot to hold course and you are away. Obviously you do it before you have a howling gale to deal with and you set off sensibly reefed for the conditions.

Your balance also matters a lot. If like me its beginning to deteriorate then cough up the money and dont leave the cockpit.

I have a lovely boat at the moment but it has the directional stability of a drunken snake. Thank god for single line reefing!

 

[johnalison]

I have sliders and full chord batten cars ... the mix does catch in the mast groove 2 or 3 times during hoist - needing a hand at mast to pull down to straighten ..

I have a fully battened main with a mixture of sliders and cars and they never catch. It sounds as if yours need sorting out or replacing.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I’ll check, the photos show 2 winches in the cockpit but they are both covered. What constitutes a suitable winch?

Just position and size really. Considerably more friction than at the mast.

 

[thinwater]

Hello all.

I’m looking for some advice. I am interested in a 34ft yacht that appears to be in good shape but doesn’t have lines leading to the cockpit. I am planning on quite a bit of solo sailing but have never solo sailed needing to move to the mast to reef lower or raise.

If I go ahead with this I need to think about a budget for the work. I won’t be doing myself.

Has anyone had this done in the last few years that can give me an idea of cost?

Thank you

You don't actually need to move the lines. Many prefer them forward, since there is less friction. Hoisting is easier when you can use body weight.

I've had both.

 

[jwilson]

If you do move lines aft you either have to use a lot more effort - more winching to overcome friction - or have to work hard at (expensive) blocks/lines etc to reduce friction.

On my typical 35 ft AWB with 10mm halliards it is easy to hoist the main to all but the last few inches standing at the mast. Do it from the cockpit as it was clearly designed to be done and it's quite hard work. I am not convinced that lines led to the cockpit are the advantage people think they are.

 

[38mess]

All my yachts had lines leading to the cockpit except my last one. I don't mind going up to the mast and I like a clear of rope cockpit.

 

[Never Grumble]

On my typical 35 ft AWB with 10mm halliards it is easy to hoist the main to all but the last few inches standing at the mast. Do it from the cockpit as it was clearly designed to be done and it's quite hard work. I am not convinced that lines led to the cockpit are the advantage people think they are.

Marginally shorter yacht with halyards led back to the cockpit and with roller cars both on the battens and intermediate I pull my main almost fully ups before having to resort to a winch.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

A situation to avoid when single handed is where nearly all lines lead to the cockpit, but not all! Until I changed to single line reefing, the reefing lines and ramshorn were at the mast; the halliard at the cockpit. That made reefing single handed very difficult, as ideally you needed to be in two places at once!

A consideration is the amount of space in the cockpit or on the cabin roof for lines. With reefing lines, halliards and spinnaker guys mine is getting crowded.

 

[dgadee]

I fling line ends down into the cabin when sailing. Doesn't everybody?

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I think the biggest advantage of cockpit lines is reefing. Coupled with a Stak Pak .Boon for single handing. You don't have to go the whole way if you don't want to.
Main halyard, topping lift, reefing lines might be a good compromise as things get lively.