what lines to leed back

[paul-essex]

29 foot Westerly Konsort
7 winches one on mast
then beside cockpit the two middle ones for front sail and the back two for spinnaker

then two on coach roof with cleats behind one each side of hatch coming to port winch I have 1 turning block from mast base and on starboard I have 2 turning blocks from mast to winch vir 2 jammers

front sail hank on hope to fit roller reefing latter
main sail is reef 3 off

mast has 4 wheels at the top
opening for spinnaker at top
in mast pulley half way up for spinnaker pole up haul

as it is I have 3 lines back what ones where I have not sorted yet but plan to add more block on roof before head lining refit
what do the wise one's think I need leading back and what ones what side and if jammers are needed or not

I know this is a bit like how long is a piece of string but some peps will have good points to note

 

[prv]

I believe it's important to have all the lines used for reefing in one place - that includes the halyard as well as the reef pendants, and ideally the topping lift as well. If you have either single-line reefing or tack pendants then that place can be the cockpit, if you have hooks for the tack then it pretty much has to be at the mast. I've sailed boats with both, and while my preference these days is for lines led aft to reef from the cockpit, I'd rather have them all at the mast than scattered between the two.

Pete

 

[Marley's_Slave]

29 foot Westerly Konsort
7 winches one on mast
then beside cockpit the two middle ones for front sail and the back two for spinnaker

then two on coach roof with cleats behind one each side of hatch coming to port winch I have 1 turning block from mast base and on starboard I have 2 turning blocks from mast to winch vir 2 jammers

front sail hank on hope to fit roller reefing latter
main sail is reef 3 off

mast has 4 wheels at the top
opening for spinnaker at top
in mast pulley half way up for spinnaker pole up haul

as it is I have 3 lines back what ones where I have not sorted yet but plan to add more block on roof before head lining refit
what do the wise one's think I need leading back and what ones what side and if jammers are needed or not

I know this is a bit like how long is a piece of string but some peps will have good points to note

In my lines leading aft setup the port coach roof winch is for my foresail halyard, the starboard one's for my main's halyard with jammers and cleats, the middle-located port/starboard winches are for my genoa sheets each with a cleat and the last two winches are for my spinnaker sheets with no cleat.

 

[prv]

In my lines leading aft setup the port coach roof winch is for my foresail halyard

Because I have a roller genoa, I use a mast winch for that halyard. As a cruiser it doesn't get adjusted much; if it does at all then I'm obviously in a tweaking mood and going on deck to adjust things is no problem. I have another mast winch for the cruising-chute halyard on a similar basis, and because that sail is generally handled from the foredeck (apart from the sheets) - although since we have a snuffer, it turns out that the winch is largely unnecessary anyway.

Pete

 

[alan_d]

As others have said, a lot will depend on your reefing arrangements. On my Konsort I do not use a spinnaker and have only two reefing points in the mainsail, but I do have twin-line reefing. Thus the seven lines led back to the coachroof-mounted winches are: main and genoa halyards, kicking strap, first reef tack and clew lines and second reef tack and clew lines. Apart from the spinnaker-pole uphaul (available for the anchor-ball and motoring cone) that leaves only the topping lift, lazy-jacks and main clew outhaul at the mast, and I use the mast-mounted winch for the last-mentioned. I was surprised to find that I don't need to adjust the topping lift once it is set up, but it would be nice to be able to tweak the clew outhaul from the cockpit.

 

[William_H]

On my little boat 21ft TS I have everything led back to the cockpit. (granted only one reef but that has 2 line reefing.) That gives me jib halyard, spin halyard, pole topping lift and reef clew line on port side. To handle this I have 2 winches (small cheap) each side. Winches are similar cost to clutches. On the starboard side I have main halyard, main outhaul, cunningham down haul, reef tack line. Beyond each winch is a horn cleat to tieing off the halyard etc. Very cheap and efficient.
Note I use a fixed topping lift which is simply unhooked and attached to the backstay for sailing.9Only used for raing ad furling mainsail) I find the tack and clew lines so efficient for reefing (big mainsail) that I do not need a topping lift.I do it in stages. It is an arrangement that has settled now for many seasons racing after years of trial and error. I can reef while on the wind in about a minute with little lost ground.
Of course I do have to change jibs with conditions. But my styl;e of sailing (short 2 hr races) means that mostly I can estimate/predict sail needs before departure so while I have 4 jibs changes don't often occur. So no way will I have an inefficient furling jib. good luck olewill

 

[vyv_cox]

All of them, in my case. I have six organisers each side and all are occupied when the spinnaker pole downhaul is rigged. Even my lazy jacks have their own clutch. I only ever go forward to rig the spinnaker and stow it again, otherwise everything is done from the cockpit.

 

[onesea]

My suggestion is to try it and see...

If I had a choice I would have 3 winches at the mast and less ropes to the cockpit. Then I don't mind going to the mast to do stuff and would rather not have cluttered companionway/ cockpit and all the extra friction of leading ropes aft... Its very much personnel choice but seems to heading more to more in the cockpit...

Certainly I agree reefing all one place, Kicker in cockpit is nice. Main and gybe Halyards now I have in the cockpit I tweak them more....

 

[simonfraser]

Whatever you change make it as multipurpose as possible, you're bound to change your mind later.
I rarely furl my genoa, mainsail reefed first to keep the shapes better.
Would not go up front, alone, to change a headsail.

 

[pagoda]

All of them, in my case. I have six organisers each side and all are occupied when the spinnaker pole downhaul is rigged. Even my lazy jacks have their own clutch. I only ever go forward to rig the spinnaker and stow it again, otherwise everything is done from the cockpit.

+1.
The only need to go on the foredeck is when rigging up the kite. We use an asymmetric with a snuffer, occasionally with a pole, usually not. We have two spinnaker halyards, so you can choose the appropriate side on the hoist, reducing chances of fouling the upper jib/forestay. (both to cockpit)
Our 1st reef is not single line reefed, since the conditions for 1 reef are rarely scary. The 2nd reef does come back to the cockpit, though the additional friction and length of line is sometimes a pest.
I wouldn't worry about getting it "right" first time, you may change your mind, but if you are buying new rope, don't chop it too soon!

 

[michael_w]

The only line lead aft on my boat is the pole downhaul/preventer. Everything else is handled at the mast. Minimal friction, no snake's paradise at the front of the cockpit. Simples. I've no time for the "It's dangerous to leave the cockpit bollox."

 

[onesea]

The only line lead aft on my boat is the pole downhaul/preventer. Everything else is handled at the mast. Minimal friction, no snake's paradise at the front of the cockpit. Simples. I've no time for the "It's dangerous to leave the cockpit bollox."

:encouragement:

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

The only line lead aft on my boat is the pole downhaul/preventer. Everything else is handled at the mast. Minimal friction, no snake's paradise at the front of the cockpit. Simples. I've no time for the "It's dangerous to leave the cockpit bollox."

I agree that it isn't dangerous to leave the cockpit... but it is nicer not to have to when the weather is foul!

As for the 'snakes nest' bit... that's a matter of getting it properly sorted IMHO.

 

[Javelin]

I bought my current boat with everything already led back.
After a couple of years use I've started to reverse the process.
Ironically its because I sail short handed most of the time and I find it much easier up by the mast.

I went through a similar process in my racing days where I was strict about what lines do I actually touch during a race.
These were the only lines that were led back and all the others were tucked out of the way.

So led aft now is,
Spinny pole up-haul.
Kicker.
Cunningham.
One of two Spinny halyards.
Reef no3 where it'll be blowing 30knts, is led aft
so as a result the main halyard comes back also.
Though I'm thinking about having an endless main halyard 2:1 with a clutch at the mast and one aft.
I've set this up on a customers boat and they love it.

Outhaul is now relocated on the outer end of the boom which is a really good adaptation from my racing days.

Otherwise everything else is at the mast.