Time to spare--all lines leading back to cockpit

woodster · Mar 22, 2016

any time you can run control lines to the cockpit it's a big plus especially when single handing ...mine is on the port side to a cabin top winch with a cleat for staying it off the main halyard that is along with my boom vang control line

Stu Jackson · Mar 22, 2016

Good ideas. When you do, consider that running your jib halyard aft IF you have roller furling, is really not necessary. Think about it...

kito · Mar 23, 2016

I agree, no sense running your reef lines back if you don't run your main halyard too. I am running my lines back to the cockpit now on my H30. I am keeping it simple, I am just running my main halyard, reef and vang back. My mainsheet is already there. Like Stu said, no need to run the jib halyard back if you have a furler. I also have a boomkicker so my topping lift will be eliminated.

Jackdaw · Mar 23, 2016

Stu Jackson said:
Good ideas. When you do, consider that running your jib halyard aft IF you have roller furling, is really not necessary. Think about it...

OK maybe a performance tweeker thing, but adjusting jib halyard tension to effect draft location still works on a furled sail.....

Jackdaw · Mar 23, 2016

Windtherapy said:
So it's a few months before I can think of launching and was planning on changing all my running rigging's. Obviously my jib sheets and furler line will run back to the cockpit and my main sheet is a cockpit mounted traveler but wouldn't one want at least the main halyard to the cockpit as well? How about the reefing lines (remember it's a new boat and I haven't even looked at the reef lines yet) and when I get a vang, wouldn't I want that line run back there also? I would think one would want most lines back to the cockpit for single handle sailing. I can't imagine going up on deck to loosen the main halyard to reef----am I not thinking correctly here or what?

I will be taking sailing classes in June but they are just small Sunfish or Lasers so I am assuming they rarely reef if at all and obviously one doesn't have to worry about lines to the cockpit in these small boats.

Just stuff crossing my mind so I thought I would ask.

New to the boat and also new to sailing?

I'd spend the first year getting to know the boat 'as is'. Figure out what you like and don't like. Learn. Figure out where you would want lines if they came back. Honestly I don't know how you could do this any other way without a lot of guessing.

Brian S · Mar 24, 2016

On my boat, I have pretty standard slab reefing, or jiffy reefing, and the luff reef point is a reefing horn on the gooseneck. So I have to slack off the main halyard to hook the luff, then I can pull the leech reef line. For this reason, the leech reef line runs about 2/3rds forward along the boom. So I can do what I do at the mast, then turn and the leech reef line is right there on the boom.

I've seen other boats such as the West Wight Potter 19, that has the leech reef cleats (and 2 reef points) all the way out towards the end of the boom. That's a really bad idea, because it supposes you need to have the bow pretty much head to wind, otherwise the end of the boom is out over the side of the cockpit. When I reef, I hove to, and need to let the main out some, so the end of the boom is too close to the side of the cockpit - not where I want to be is lumpy seas. I'd extend those lines forward where they belong.

So, anyway, in my setup, running halyards aft does nothing for me. But it certainly took me a season or two living with the boat as stock to learn that it works as it is. I suppose if I had mobility or balance issues, I'd not want to scamper up the side deck to the mast, or if I was in really crappy seas with water coming over the bow or something. Yeah, I get tame conditions where I am, not enough fetch to get super ugly when the wind gets up.

I much prefer 2 line reefing, or in my case a luff horn and leech line, because now my leech line is independent of the luff, and I can loosen the leech to add some camber for drive when reefed. Can't do that with a single line reefing system, though you can lead a single line reefing system aft to the cockpit. If you can get it to work right.

Indysailor · Mar 24, 2016

It makes sense for the boom vang line to run to the cockpit, as those adjustments are made underway, just as you would with the sheets. There are opposing schools of thought about the main halyard (I agree there really isn't any reason to run the jib halyard back with roller furling). Some people maintain that it's not a huge deal to go up to the mast to raise the main and some people would never do that. I don't believe either group is wrong, but it's a preference based on experience, comfort, sailing conditions, etc. For instance, I sail on an inland lake with practically no wave action whatsoever. Therefore, I feel no less comfortable at the mast than I do in the cockpit, no matter the conditions. If I were trying to reef or raise the main in a breeze and five foot seas, I might feel a lot different and be thankful if I could do it all from a more secure location. (Plus, if I'm out in those conditions in my 23, I'm nuts..)

The best advice given in this thread is to let it all lay for a while; sail the boat for a season or longer and see what bothers you about the way it's rigged.

Ward H · Mar 26, 2016

Jackdaw said:
I'd spend the first year getting to know the boat 'as is'. Figure out what you like and don't like. Learn.

This would have saved me lots of money on doing things I thought were needed that turned out weren't as important as I thought or I bought the wrong things needed. IE: Nice big pretty blue fenders that matched the color of the boat. Quickly found out you don't need or want them hanging off the side when coming in bow on into a slip. Two are for sale now. The other two get used twice a year when I side dock.
One item several people told me to buy was a tiller auto pilot. I didn't see the need then. I needed to buy things like those pretty blue fenders and matching blue double braid dock lines. Those dock lines were replaced very quickly with 3 strand nylon dock lines when I saw how important it was to have dock lines that stretch a bit.

The second season I ran my main halyard and two reef lines back to the cockpit. The jib furling line was already ran back. That increased my enjoyment of sailing alone and made me feel much safer to go out alone in stronger winds. As Indy said, there are different schools of thought on lines at the mast or in the cockpit but on the O'day 25 the side decks aren't that large and I am not a spider man. I can and do go forward at times and have had to do so to fix things but having the lines back in the cockpit are my preference.
As to what lines and where to run them well, there is just not much room or many choices to choose from on the O'day 25/26. Main halyard and reef line/lines are about it. Maybe the cunningham line, which I plan to do this year. My vang I can reach from standing in the companionway. I don't fine tune the jib halyard now but after I get a new jib I may find I want that ran back. That would be another spring project.
Having the lines ran back also lessens the need for an auto pilot as you are never far from the tiller. Use a tiller clutch instead but I do recommend a tiller auto pilot for solo sailing. Several posters told me it was considered a safety item and I agree when sailing in some conditions a tiller clutch just won't hold a straight line.

There is a thread I posted about how ran the lines back. If you can't find it I can repost how I did it.

jimg · Mar 26, 2016

I have led all my lines to the cockpit, including the jib halyard, and I do have a furler. The simple reason is that the 2 winches that used to be on either side of the mast are now on the cabin top ( with clutches in front of them ).
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ironchemist · Mar 27, 2016

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...cockpit-controls-for-a-25.122974/#post-754318

If that link works I just did this to my 25 and it works like a charm. I repositioned the mast winch and ran my main and jib halyards, so more leaving the cockpit to get under sail. Highly recommended!

Ward H · Apr 9, 2016

Windtherapy said:
Ward, looking through some of your threads and wondering how you liked the Andersen #12 ST Full Stainless winches you purchased?

Oh and I cannot find your thread on lines back to the cockpit.

Wind, Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you.
I really like the Anderson STs. Having STs really made a difference to me and it was either that or installing cam cleats for the sheets. I did not like cleating off the sheet lines. Mind you I can only compare them to the stock winches but the spindles on the stock ones cracked causing the drums to freeze up.
I chose the Anderson's because I liked the all SS idea and the size fit well in the location. The cost was just a few dollars more than comparable models. I made a 3/4" winch pad out of starboard.

Here are the photos of how I ran my lines back. I have a double line reef system so I ran back the two reef lines and main halyard. I used all Garhaurer Marine hardware. For the through bolts I drilled pilot holes from the outside, then used a 3/4" hole saw on the inside to drill through the headliner only. I then drilled the deck holes to oversize, put tape on the inside, filled with epoxy and re drilled to bolt size. Having the 3/4" holes inside gave me room to use 3/4 washers for backing up the mounting. The turning block is a bit tight but works well with the stacked double block setup. If you want to mount a halyard winch you will need to mount the line clutches further forward than I did.

Hope this helps.