We see many yachts where all lines are led aft to rope clutches at the cockpit. You can hoist (i.e., winch) the mainsail from the cockpit, but it is slow; at least on the Bavaria. When me first mate is aboard I jump the halyard at the mast as she tails it from the helm through a rope clutch on the coach top. When the sail is nearly full hoist I go to the cockpit and winch it up the rest of the way. There are no winches on the mast. Last weekend me mate was not aboard, so I had to single-hand the boat, including hoisting the mainsail. While still at anchor in a light air, but nearly short on the rode, I jumped the halyard at the mast through a loosened rolling hitch around the halyard made fast to a cleat on the mast. After piling up a few feet of halyard at the foot of the mast, I tightened the hitch, went to the cockpit to take in the halyard slack, then returned for another few moments of jumping. With the main fully hoisted, I concluded it went faster and easier than with me cranking (winching) the whole thing up from the cockpit. Prior to that point, with the mainsail nearly hoisted, and being half-way to the anchor locker, I could quickly get up the rest of the chain (windlass), then return to the cockpit to finish hoisting as the boat began to fall off. Trim the main sheet, and the boat starts sailing. Does anyone have a better way of doing something similar?
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