Has anyone replaced the 16 ST with a larger one on the 29.5? Does it make the main easier and quicker to hoist?
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Winches Not
I also have a 29.5 and thought about a bigger winch but never got serious about it. I can get the sail up most of the way by hand and then use the winch for the last foot. The most important thing you can do to make hoisting the main easier is to make sure the main sheet is very loose. If there is some wave action you have to be careful though because the boom tends to move around. The cost of that bigger winch is not worth it in my mind. Good luck anyway.
I also have a 29.5 and thought about a bigger winch but never got serious about it. I can get the sail up most of the way by hand and then use the winch for the last foot. The most important thing you can do to make hoisting the main easier is to make sure the main sheet is very loose. If there is some wave action you have to be careful though because the boom tends to move around. The cost of that bigger winch is not worth it in my mind. Good luck anyway.
29.5 hoist
I also thought about changing to an ST-30 (more mech advantage and two speeds, but it's not only a lot of $$ but it's a pain - the hole pattern is different, larger, and you may not be able to thread the backing plate for the larger pattern. What I did, for about $15, is get a track cleaning/lubing kit at WM and run it up and down the main slot several times (you use the halyard and a retreival line). The main goes up and down much easier now.
I also thought about changing to an ST-30 (more mech advantage and two speeds, but it's not only a lot of $$ but it's a pain - the hole pattern is different, larger, and you may not be able to thread the backing plate for the larger pattern. What I did, for about $15, is get a track cleaning/lubing kit at WM and run it up and down the main slot several times (you use the halyard and a retreival line). The main goes up and down much easier now.
clam cleat too
Sorry the phot doesn't show this better but I didn't take it to illustrate this. If you look at the photo you can see that I mounted a clam cleat on the mast below the halyard exit hole and just of to one side of the path that the halyard follows. I hoist the main from teh mast by hauling the halyard (very easy especially if mast lubed). Then clip the halyard in the clam cleat. Go aft and pull in all the halyard, put it on the winch to tension properly. When you start to winch, the halyard will jump out of the clam cleat and be attached only to the winch. It is great strategy when single handing. You won't believ how easy it is to put this main up from the mast rather than trying to do it from the cockpit.
Sorry the phot doesn't show this better but I didn't take it to illustrate this. If you look at the photo you can see that I mounted a clam cleat on the mast below the halyard exit hole and just of to one side of the path that the halyard follows. I hoist the main from teh mast by hauling the halyard (very easy especially if mast lubed). Then clip the halyard in the clam cleat. Go aft and pull in all the halyard, put it on the winch to tension properly. When you start to winch, the halyard will jump out of the clam cleat and be attached only to the winch. It is great strategy when single handing. You won't believ how easy it is to put this main up from the mast rather than trying to do it from the cockpit.
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get dutchman batt cars
If you get relatively inexpensive dutchman batt cars with wheels, it greatly facilitates the main sail hoisting. If you use a dry lubricant you cannot believe it is the same sail. It goes up with ease this is a better investment than a larger winch.
If you get relatively inexpensive dutchman batt cars with wheels, it greatly facilitates the main sail hoisting. If you use a dry lubricant you cannot believe it is the same sail. It goes up with ease this is a better investment than a larger winch.
Bill...about your cam cleat
Is your cam cleat mounted fore or aft of the halyard exit (you describe it as to one side)? And about how far down from the exit hole? I'm thinking about adding the cam cleat this weekend and I just want to do it right the first time. My concern is that the halyard jumps out of the cam cleat when I start to winch it from the cockpit. Also, I 've not drilled any holes into my boat yet so I'm a little nervous, is there any special tricks I should know about drilling into the mast, any backing, caulking for the cam cleat? Thanks for the great suggestion. Jane
Is your cam cleat mounted fore or aft of the halyard exit (you describe it as to one side)? And about how far down from the exit hole? I'm thinking about adding the cam cleat this weekend and I just want to do it right the first time. My concern is that the halyard jumps out of the cam cleat when I start to winch it from the cockpit. Also, I 've not drilled any holes into my boat yet so I'm a little nervous, is there any special tricks I should know about drilling into the mast, any backing, caulking for the cam cleat? Thanks for the great suggestion. Jane
Mast holes
To mount something on your mast, you have a number of choices. Pop rivets may be the easiest -- no need to worry about the inside of the mast and they are pretty strong. If strength isn't a really big issue (eye straps along the boom, for instance), you can use a tap to put threads into the hole that you drill. (Use coarse thread taps, not fine -- the screw will hold better in the thin aluminum walls if there's more material left behind after you've tapped the hole.) If strength IS a big issue -- mast mounted winches, for example -- you must put something on the inside to keep the bolt/screw from coming out. A fender washer, lock washer and nut will be sufficient in most cases. For high load applications like a padeye used for a vang attachment, a backing plate should be used. In all cases, you must isolate the fastener material from the mast/boom material or you will get galvanic corrosion. The aluminum will eventually get eaten away at the point where it contacts the stainless steel. Coat the contact points of the fastener (and washers) with Life Caulk or Loctite before you install them. As far as having the halyard jump out of the cam cleat, I think Bill probaby keeps the halyard around the winch and/or cleated where the winch is after he finishes fulling tensioning the halyard. Then, when it's time to drop the sail, it drops without interference from the mast cam cleat. The mast cam cleat is just a temporary way to secure the halyard. It isn't taking a huge load, so you can probably get by with simply tapping holes and using the largest diameter fastener that'll fit in the cam cleat mounting holes. By the way, you can get a tap kit from places like Home Depot -- it'll come with a tap of a particular size and thread type, a little handle and a drill bit to get the hole started. Be sure to lubricate the tap as you turn it. Any thin oil like 3-1 works fine.
To mount something on your mast, you have a number of choices. Pop rivets may be the easiest -- no need to worry about the inside of the mast and they are pretty strong. If strength isn't a really big issue (eye straps along the boom, for instance), you can use a tap to put threads into the hole that you drill. (Use coarse thread taps, not fine -- the screw will hold better in the thin aluminum walls if there's more material left behind after you've tapped the hole.) If strength IS a big issue -- mast mounted winches, for example -- you must put something on the inside to keep the bolt/screw from coming out. A fender washer, lock washer and nut will be sufficient in most cases. For high load applications like a padeye used for a vang attachment, a backing plate should be used. In all cases, you must isolate the fastener material from the mast/boom material or you will get galvanic corrosion. The aluminum will eventually get eaten away at the point where it contacts the stainless steel. Coat the contact points of the fastener (and washers) with Life Caulk or Loctite before you install them. As far as having the halyard jump out of the cam cleat, I think Bill probaby keeps the halyard around the winch and/or cleated where the winch is after he finishes fulling tensioning the halyard. Then, when it's time to drop the sail, it drops without interference from the mast cam cleat. The mast cam cleat is just a temporary way to secure the halyard. It isn't taking a huge load, so you can probably get by with simply tapping holes and using the largest diameter fastener that'll fit in the cam cleat mounting holes. By the way, you can get a tap kit from places like Home Depot -- it'll come with a tap of a particular size and thread type, a little handle and a drill bit to get the hole started. Be sure to lubricate the tap as you turn it. Any thin oil like 3-1 works fine.
RIGHT ON
Ehe clam cleat is only intended to hold the halyard temporarily - until the load is taken up by the winch. In my case I hoist by hand and secure in the clam cleat, then I go aft to the winch, pull up the excass line, load the line on the winch and begin to tighten it. when it starts to tighten it jumps out of the clam cleat - as intended. when tightened properly the line is held in place by a stopper mechanism freeing the winch for other duties. The cleat is mounted below and to the side (aft) of the line the halyard mkes when taut. Just enough so that it will pull clear when the line is taut. I guessed at the location for mine - it worked great the first time. it can be seen in the photo but the photo is big so scroll over and up until you can see the mast clearly.. Good luck
Ehe clam cleat is only intended to hold the halyard temporarily - until the load is taken up by the winch. In my case I hoist by hand and secure in the clam cleat, then I go aft to the winch, pull up the excass line, load the line on the winch and begin to tighten it. when it starts to tighten it jumps out of the clam cleat - as intended. when tightened properly the line is held in place by a stopper mechanism freeing the winch for other duties. The cleat is mounted below and to the side (aft) of the line the halyard mkes when taut. Just enough so that it will pull clear when the line is taut. I guessed at the location for mine - it worked great the first time. it can be seen in the photo but the photo is big so scroll over and up until you can see the mast clearly.. Good luck
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