Tidy Ropes

[asteven221]

I could do with some tips from those experienced in such matters, on keeping a nice tidy cockpit when preparing to go sailing.

Please note: I mean preparing - not under sail. I am the first to admit that despite many years with motor and sail boats sailing/cruising around the Clyde and Ireland, I ain't no expert, nor am I someone who feels I must to sail rather than motor. I just do whatever I feel like, which I am a bit sad to say is invariably motoring.

I really would like to sail more often as I really enjoy sailing, but one of the things that I find less than fun, is the chaos in the cockpit when preparing the boat for sailing. I mean from making the decision, up to the point when eventually everything is tidied up - and we are actually sailing. Now I have to say for the most part I am doing this all on my own whilst everyone watches me, which 99% of the time is Mrs S who tends to offer a stern look as I curse at the amount of string that's exploded everywhere.

Our boat is a Bav 44 and from memory I count something like 17 lines in the cockpit, at the point where they are all released up to the point of tidying them all up. There might be more!

2 x mainsheet traveller
1 x mainsheet
1 x main halyard
4 x reefing lines
1 x a rope that pulls down the man - don't know it's name
1 x topping lift
1 x boom vang
1 x genoa furler
2 x genoa sheets
2 x genoa cars
1 x genoa halyard

I would really appreciate any tips on how to manage this minor issue. Thanks.

Note: "Go and buy a motorboat" isn't really quite the advice I am after!

 

[johnalison]

You have rather more than we do on our HR34, so I don't know your cockpit enough to be sure. For myself, I start by making tight coils of surplus lines not in regular use, such as the jib halyard, and one or two of these sit alongside the companionway. Similarly the car adjustment for the jib is a light line that is mostly coiled. My main sheet lives on the cockpit sole ready for use, but is coiled and usually hung on the boom in harbour. I have a track across the cockpit and it sits happily there when sailing. Jib sheets are probably shorter than yours. The one in use, I do a loose left-handed coil to counter the winch winding and leave as a loose coil on the seat. The lazy sheet I take two turns round the winch, ready for the next tack, and leave the relatively short tail on the seat. The jib reefing line is overlong in case a larger jib is ever used, and again, the surplus is tight-coiled and lives in a coaming locker. There are some odds and ends that are just shoved aside, but many boats will install rope tidys, which could take about six of your lines.

 

[Seashoreman]

Lots of halyard bags attached here and there? I have four, two hanging from cockpit lifelines/dodgers.
Don't have any lines longer than needed. Get rid of excess.
Tidy as you go and stuff into storage.

 

[Poignard]

Take them all to the mast! All I have in my cockpit are two headsail sheets, mainsheet, headsail furling line and two light lines for holding the tiller.

 

[cobolt]

The ones (presuming there are some) either side of the companionway, chuck the tails down the companionway...keeps them out of the way, and for the most part stops tangles too

 

[RupertW]

We coil and tie odd all ropes that won’t be used in the next half hour and just have them forward of the clutches on the cabin roof.

 

[DJE]

We have lots of these hooks to hang the coils up.
https://www.piratescave.co.uk/barto...J5ZpKKBPGKTWa5vXwikGRIQFdaTEC5EQaAmjmEALw_wcB

 

[RupertW]

Ah, the two kinds of boats - those where nothing but people is ever allowed inside and those who don’t. If it’s ever seen daylight (and therefore rain or salt) then it stays outside.

 

[thinwater]

A tidy cockpit is a sign of a sick mind.

 

[pvb]

Ah, the two kinds of boats - those where nothing but people is ever allowed inside and those who don’t. If it’s ever seen daylight (and therefore rain or salt) then it stays outside.

Surely people are exposed to rain and salt as well? Like cobolt, I toss the mainsheet tails down the companionway, but mostly everything else gets coiled and stored by the sprayhood.

 

[rogerthebodger]

We have lots of these hooks to hang the coils up.
https://www.piratescave.co.uk/barto...J5ZpKKBPGKTWa5vXwikGRIQFdaTEC5EQaAmjmEALw_wcB

I made something similar mounted several on the inside of my pushpit that I use to hand all spare lines and any tales of halyards

I also have similar on my mast and mast pulpit.

 

[rogerthebodger]

A tidy cockpit is a sign of a sick mind.

Like a tidy desk.

 

[johnalison]

Like a tidy desk.

My desk is tidy, but in a horizontal rather than vertical sort of way. Everything can be seen at once.

 

[rogerthebodger]

My desk is tidy, but in a horizontal rather than vertical sort of way. Everything can be seen at once.

And don't let any tidy it up, then I cannot find a thing and there will be hell to pay.

 

[Poignard]

My wife has a grimy fridge magnet bearing the legend: "Dull women have immaculate kitchens".

 

[lw395]

I could do with some tips from those experienced in such matters, on keeping a nice tidy cockpit when preparing to go sailing.

Please note: I mean preparing - not under sail. I am the first to admit that despite many years with motor and sail boats sailing/cruising around the Clyde and Ireland, I ain't no expert, nor am I someone who feels I must to sail rather than motor. I just do whatever I feel like, which I am a bit sad to say is invariably motoring.

I really would like to sail more often as I really enjoy sailing, but one of the things that I find less than fun, is the chaos in the cockpit when preparing the boat for sailing. I mean from making the decision, up to the point when eventually everything is tidied up - and we are actually sailing. Now I have to say for the most part I am doing this all on my own whilst everyone watches me, which 99% of the time is Mrs S who tends to offer a stern look as I curse at the amount of string that's exploded everywhere.

Our boat is a Bav 44 and from memory I count something like 17 lines in the cockpit, at the point where they are all released up to the point of tidying them all up. There might be more!

2 x mainsheet traveller
1 x mainsheet
1 x main halyard
4 x reefing lines
1 x a rope that pulls down the man - don't know it's name
1 x topping lift
1 x boom vang
1 x genoa furler
2 x genoa sheets
2 x genoa cars
1 x genoa halyard

I would really appreciate any tips on how to manage this minor issue. Thanks.

Note: "Go and buy a motorboat" isn't really quite the advice I am after!

1) Bite the bullet and cut the excess length off of everything.
2) Tail bags to keep everything under control and separate.
3) Consider contimuous lines where possible, which is probably just the traveller?
4) Controls like the genoa cars, the excess tail might be taken up by shock cord, and/or taking it back to the car, so as you pull the car forwards, it takes some of the slack away from you.
5) controls you don't use very often, like at least 2 of the reefing lines, can be coiled up and taped somewhere well out of the way.

6) Then you can get a spinnaker and have even more string...

 

[RupertW]

Surely people are exposed to rain and salt as well? Like cobolt, I toss the mainsheet tails down the companionway, but mostly everything else gets coiled and stored by the sprayhood.

I know - I’ve tried but people insist on coming in to cook and sleep and stuff

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

How are you with coiling and uncoiling lines quickly? Do you find it difficult, maybe just sit down with no distractions and practice so it's second nature. I can't see why you don't just coil them up.

 

[Triassic]

The OP said his issue was the mess when preparing to go sailing, rather than when actually underway.

My only observation is why are you making such a mess at that stage? Why not leave things where they are stowed until just before you actually need to use them?

The main traveller is likely to be central for the hoist and the initial part of sailing, you don't need the tails out yet.
The mainsheet only needs uncoiling immediately before you hoist the sail, again leave it coiled until then, likewise the main halyard.
Reefing lines? Unless you need to put a reef in before hoisting why do these need to be uncoiled? Even if you are going to put a reef in you're going to hoist to the relevant point first then take in the slack on the reef lines so you won't need the tails, and I say this assuming you don't pull all the slack in when you drop the sail and leave it lying in the folds like 99% of other sailors I know.....
Topping lift. Do you actually adjust this before hoisting the main, or just release it after doing so? Again, it can be left stowed until that point.
Boom vang. Some people like this slack as they hoist the main in which case release it immediately before doing so. In practice it usually only needs pulling in after hoisting and you've released the topping lift, in which case you don't need the tail, leave it stowed.
Headsail furler. This again only needs to be uncoiled immediately before you need it, mine is stored lightly coiled over one of the jib winches so it's just a case of picking it up and chucking it overboard (OK, onto the net, it's a trimaran).
Genoa sheets, again only needed when you are about to open the sail, so they only need to come off where they are hung (on the winches, port one under the furling line) as you open the sail. The working sheet is going to get pulled immediately to open the sail, the lay sheet will soon be out of the cockpit!
Genoa cars. Again, you don't need these until up and sailing, leave them stowed.
Genoa halyard. Your genoa is on a furler (I'm assuming as you said you have a furler line), why do you need the halyard? Leave it stowed.

Unless you have a huge crew (you suggested you hadn't) you're only going to be doing one thing at a time, just have the ropes to hand that you're going to be directly using.

 

[geem]

Take them all to the mast! All I have in my cockpit are two headsail sheets, mainsheet, headsail furling line and two light lines for holding the tiller.

Haha, my thoughts as well. We have just the genoa sheets and mainsheet plus furling line. No lines are forward of the wheel