Sigle Handed proving dificult

[Searush]

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The pic has appeared now!

I think Westerly fitted those cleats the other way round. I cant be sure but the one in your pic just did not look right.

In fact I am sure they did. Positive!

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I think it needs to be that way round for that position, it would be reversed if it was in front of the winch. I wrap the sheet around the "blunt" end to pull the slack off the winch & then jam it across the front when tight. When single handing I try to manage without the winches, getting the slack in as she goes thro' stays. Thus the ability to use the rounded end of the cleat for leverage is important. I have been known to put both feet on the gunwhale & heave back, lying horizontal, to get the sheet tight if a bit too fast turning.

 

[Lakesailor]

Quite right. Westerly got it wrong.

I tried it both ways and this worked far better. You can use the winch or not depending on the strength of the wind and if you are sheeting across the cockpit it works very well.
The extra little bit of friction from the wrap around the blunt end makes jamming a secure operation.

(my winches were handed, so you always got the advantage from that positioning and could always throw the sheet off easily.

 

[john_morris_uk]

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I agree with the comments so far. What I have found very helpful on two boats is to move the sheet winches further aft so that you can flick your headsail sheets off one and drop a loop the other on without having to move my lazy arse. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also a jamming cleat like this

helps enormously for easy headsail handling.

(the sheet is a bit short in that pic as the headsail is furled.)
Also, run the headsail sheet from it's winch across the cockpit to the windward side so that everything is to hand.

[/ QUOTE ]Does your winch really wind backwards? Are they a 'handed pair' of winches - unusual, but occasionally seen?