Cleating the halyard on a furling main

[Mike]

Has anyone changed the routing of the main and jib halyards from the original run through the clutches either side of the companionway? It seems to me that the halyard wouldn't ever be used from the cockpit for a furled main and this would be a dandy place to run the jib sheet instead (better sheet control. And couldn't the halyards be cleated off on the mast instead? My boat's a 306 but I think many others have this arrangement.

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Clever idea

...except that the jib sheets are usually a thicker line than the halyards, so you'd have to scale down a bit. Also, it seems to me the sheets would be constricted if you ever needed them released in an emergency. But still, clever.