Can I move these halyards?

[atroon]

Last summer we bought our O'Day 28 and are making preparations for splash day...looking like late April and coming up fast.

The PO had hung the halyards (jib and main) on the aft panel of the cabin/forward panel of the cockpit with bungee-hooks. (See enclosed photo) Jib halyard stays in the cockpit full time, because of roller furling, but main is used each sail.

I'm planning to replace them because they look pretty tired, and when I do that, I want to know if I could move those hooks to the side of the cabin, also as noted in the photo by the arrows. In their current spot they always seem to be in the way, and uncomfortable for someone sitting there.

_I_ don't think they would be in the way in my proposed location. But where do other people coil halyards when under way? Is that purely preference or is there a 'right' way? (Our sailing instructor definitely had one right way!)

 

[SailingCal21]

IMHO, that's a personal preference as emergency access the them is not required. Have you considered using a halyard bag instead? If properly configured a bag full of lines would make a nice cushion, thereby making lemonade out of lemons.

 

[Tom J]

IMHO, that's a personal preference as emergency access the them is not required. Have you considered using a halyard bag instead? If properly configured a bag full of lines would make a nice cushion, thereby making lemonade out of lemons.

Good point. We have halyard bags on both sides of the companionway, and lean back against them all the time. Sometimes we leave a winch handle in a bag, though, and that gets to be uncomfortable.

 

[Tom Potter]

I just coil my lines up and lay them over the winch head on the cabin top, they lay over the side of the cabin and don't interfere with that prime sitting spot.

 

[Pat]

Since I only have a main halyard because of the furler, I just tell everyone to coil it after hoisting and then put it over the cabin-top winch which is basically unused as I have my
mainsheet led to the traveler that has enough line to be easily accessed by whom ever is steering the boat. I have I think either 6 to 1 or 8 to 1 purchase on the mainsheet above the traveler so the winch is never (seldom) required to sheet in the main...there is enough line on the mainsheet that I can singlehand from behind the wheel, controlling the main and just cleat it off myself at the traveler w/o leaving the helm....this required really good blocks and cleats...I learned quickly, cheap ones would not allow me to do the sheeting & cleating by myself when singlehandling in good winds.