Does anyone know why control lines for the toping lift, jiffy reefing and outhaul are located at the mast end of the boom? I cannot understand why skipper should have to leave the helm to run forward to adjust the toping lift of reef the main sail. Anybody have any creative ideas on how to re-run these lines to make them usable from the cockpit?
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Physics and cents...
All of those lines act on forces at the aft-end of the boom. That is the physics. The cents part is that it those lines are rigged in the most economically efficient way, while still maintaining mechanical efficiency. Hunter (hey, I have one, too, and love it) nearly always cuts two dollar corners - that, after all, is what gets most of us into boats in the first place. You'd have to be very creative with jam cleats and cut holes mid-boom or replace the thing altogether. Probably not worth it.
All of those lines act on forces at the aft-end of the boom. That is the physics. The cents part is that it those lines are rigged in the most economically efficient way, while still maintaining mechanical efficiency. Hunter (hey, I have one, too, and love it) nearly always cuts two dollar corners - that, after all, is what gets most of us into boats in the first place. You'd have to be very creative with jam cleats and cut holes mid-boom or replace the thing altogether. Probably not worth it.
On Deck
Outhaul: I set it once when the mainsail is bent on. Topping lift: I ease this when I raise the main, and snug it when I drop the main. Got to climb up there for the stoppers anyway. Jiffy Reef: Got to get up there to put the loop on the horn and tie the reef points. The only one I work while sailing and would be worth trailing to the cockpit is the boomvang, which isn't one of the three on the gooseneck.
Outhaul: I set it once when the mainsail is bent on. Topping lift: I ease this when I raise the main, and snug it when I drop the main. Got to climb up there for the stoppers anyway. Jiffy Reef: Got to get up there to put the loop on the horn and tie the reef points. The only one I work while sailing and would be worth trailing to the cockpit is the boomvang, which isn't one of the three on the gooseneck.
Topping Lift
Robert, I understand your frustration. For the topping lift, I actually rigged a combined block and cleat that I attached to the end of the boom. The works great and an extra line going thru the boom for other fun things. For jiffy reefing, I have a 2 line rig (1 for luff, 1 for leech) which seems to work well. The leech jiffy reef line runs to the back of the boom, thru the boom, exits at the mast, down to a swivel block, to a deck organizer on the port side and back to rope clutches. I send photos next week if you want as I going for a long weekend sail. Mark
Robert, I understand your frustration. For the topping lift, I actually rigged a combined block and cleat that I attached to the end of the boom. The works great and an extra line going thru the boom for other fun things. For jiffy reefing, I have a 2 line rig (1 for luff, 1 for leech) which seems to work well. The leech jiffy reef line runs to the back of the boom, thru the boom, exits at the mast, down to a swivel block, to a deck organizer on the port side and back to rope clutches. I send photos next week if you want as I going for a long weekend sail. Mark
2 bad options
Robert, If you want to get creative, you could fairly straightforwardly route one or more of the lines to the base of mast, through a block (or double or triple block, as needed), thence to a deck organizer, continuing aft, terminating in a cleat of some sort. Basically, the way the halyards/uphaul are rigged, but take the new lines to the other side of the coachroof. However, there would be several disincentives, IMHO: 1) You'd have to purchase longer replacement lines to make the runs. 2) You'd have to reeve the longer lines through the boom, over the sheeves & out the grab cleat. Not impossibly difficult, but a major PIA. The PO of our 23.5 never realized the 3rd routing through the boom was for the topping lift (for that matter, others don't either or use it for a 2nd reef anyway). All he had was a messenger line. When I went to reeve the topping lift, I lost the cursed messenger line. I got it reeved eventually, but the mast end internal sheeve was a b_tch to deal with. 3) Somehow you'd have to remove or neutralize the existing grab cleats in the boom or they would quite likely engage whenever you wanted to ease the lines. 4) You'd add a bunch of potential toe crunching trip hazards to a fairly important traffic area. 5) You'd have several pieces of hardware (block, organizer, cleat) to purchase. 6) You'd have to install the hardware, including backing plates possibly. This obstacle could be the biggest. All in all, I'm not sure what you'd gain would be worth the effort and other drawbacks. I guess you could try to rig something on the underside of the boom, at least far enough aft that you could reach the end of the line(s) more easily (you probably wouldn't come further aft than where the main sheet attaches). Perhaps just lead it straight back to a fairlead v-cleat. It wouldn't be the best solution. You'd have the end of the line hanging down. You'd still probably need to run longer lines & have to deal with catching on the old grab cleats. And you'd have a cleat(s) hanging off the bottom of the boom on which to hit your noggin! The link is to a Ronstan fairlead v-cleat.
Robert, If you want to get creative, you could fairly straightforwardly route one or more of the lines to the base of mast, through a block (or double or triple block, as needed), thence to a deck organizer, continuing aft, terminating in a cleat of some sort. Basically, the way the halyards/uphaul are rigged, but take the new lines to the other side of the coachroof. However, there would be several disincentives, IMHO: 1) You'd have to purchase longer replacement lines to make the runs. 2) You'd have to reeve the longer lines through the boom, over the sheeves & out the grab cleat. Not impossibly difficult, but a major PIA. The PO of our 23.5 never realized the 3rd routing through the boom was for the topping lift (for that matter, others don't either or use it for a 2nd reef anyway). All he had was a messenger line. When I went to reeve the topping lift, I lost the cursed messenger line. I got it reeved eventually, but the mast end internal sheeve was a b_tch to deal with. 3) Somehow you'd have to remove or neutralize the existing grab cleats in the boom or they would quite likely engage whenever you wanted to ease the lines. 4) You'd add a bunch of potential toe crunching trip hazards to a fairly important traffic area. 5) You'd have several pieces of hardware (block, organizer, cleat) to purchase. 6) You'd have to install the hardware, including backing plates possibly. This obstacle could be the biggest. All in all, I'm not sure what you'd gain would be worth the effort and other drawbacks. I guess you could try to rig something on the underside of the boom, at least far enough aft that you could reach the end of the line(s) more easily (you probably wouldn't come further aft than where the main sheet attaches). Perhaps just lead it straight back to a fairlead v-cleat. It wouldn't be the best solution. You'd have the end of the line hanging down. You'd still probably need to run longer lines & have to deal with catching on the old grab cleats. And you'd have a cleat(s) hanging off the bottom of the boom on which to hit your noggin! The link is to a Ronstan fairlead v-cleat.
2 bad options
Robert, If you want to get creative, you could fairly straightforwardly route one or more of the lines to the base of mast, through a block (or double or triple block, as needed), thence to a deck organizer, continuing aft, terminating in a cleat of some sort. Basically, the way the halyards/uphaul are rigged, but take the new lines to the other side of the coachroof. However, there would be several disincentives, IMHO: 1) You'd have to purchase longer replacement lines to make the runs. 2) You'd have to reeve the longer lines through the boom, over the sheeves & out the grab cleat. Not impossibly difficult, but a major PIA. The PO of our 23.5 never realized the 3rd routing through the boom was for the topping lift (for that matter, others don't either or use it for a 2nd reef anyway). All he had was a messenger line. When I went to reeve the topping lift, I lost the cursed messenger line. I got it reeved eventually, but the mast end internal sheeve was a b_tch to deal with. 3) Somehow you'd have to remove or neutralize the existing grab cleats in the boom or they would quite likely engage whenever you wanted to ease the lines. 4) You'd add a bunch of potential toe crunching trip hazards to a fairly important traffic area. 5) You'd have several pieces of hardware (block, organizer, cleat) to purchase. 6) You'd have to install the hardware, including backing plates possibly. This obstacle could be the biggest. All in all, I'm not sure what you'd gain would be worth the effort and other drawbacks. I guess you could try to rig something on the underside of the boom, at least far enough aft that you could reach the end of the line(s) more easily (you probably wouldn't come further aft than where the main sheet attaches). Perhaps just lead it straight back to a fairlead v-cleat. It wouldn't be the best solution. You'd have the end of the line hanging down. You'd still probably need to run longer lines & have to deal with catching on the old grab cleats. And you'd have a cleat(s) hanging off the bottom of the boom on which to hit your noggin! The link is to a Ronstan fairlead v-cleat.
Robert, If you want to get creative, you could fairly straightforwardly route one or more of the lines to the base of mast, through a block (or double or triple block, as needed), thence to a deck organizer, continuing aft, terminating in a cleat of some sort. Basically, the way the halyards/uphaul are rigged, but take the new lines to the other side of the coachroof. However, there would be several disincentives, IMHO: 1) You'd have to purchase longer replacement lines to make the runs. 2) You'd have to reeve the longer lines through the boom, over the sheeves & out the grab cleat. Not impossibly difficult, but a major PIA. The PO of our 23.5 never realized the 3rd routing through the boom was for the topping lift (for that matter, others don't either or use it for a 2nd reef anyway). All he had was a messenger line. When I went to reeve the topping lift, I lost the cursed messenger line. I got it reeved eventually, but the mast end internal sheeve was a b_tch to deal with. 3) Somehow you'd have to remove or neutralize the existing grab cleats in the boom or they would quite likely engage whenever you wanted to ease the lines. 4) You'd add a bunch of potential toe crunching trip hazards to a fairly important traffic area. 5) You'd have several pieces of hardware (block, organizer, cleat) to purchase. 6) You'd have to install the hardware, including backing plates possibly. This obstacle could be the biggest. All in all, I'm not sure what you'd gain would be worth the effort and other drawbacks. I guess you could try to rig something on the underside of the boom, at least far enough aft that you could reach the end of the line(s) more easily (you probably wouldn't come further aft than where the main sheet attaches). Perhaps just lead it straight back to a fairlead v-cleat. It wouldn't be the best solution. You'd have the end of the line hanging down. You'd still probably need to run longer lines & have to deal with catching on the old grab cleats. And you'd have a cleat(s) hanging off the bottom of the boom on which to hit your noggin! The link is to a Ronstan fairlead v-cleat.
2 not bad options
Topping lift I bought my 1995 H23.5 in 2002. The topping lift was not run through the boom. Instead, it comes from the top of the mast to a couple of feet above the aft end of the boom, and terminates with a little V-cleat with a sheeve. A second short line goes from this cleat, down to the sheeve at the end of the boom, and back up to the sheeve in the cleat (and around and down into the V itself, if you can picture that). It can only be adjusted when the boom is over the cockpit, but that's not a problem since that's where the boom is when the main is raised and lowered anyway. Sometimes I forget to ease the topping lift and start sailing. I have to head up to be able to reach and ease the topping lift. Works for me. I have home-made lazy jacks, so I don't go forward to raise or lower the main. Outhaul I added a micro block to the clew of the main and another to the end of the boom to give me 4:1 purchase. I replaced the line with a longer one that drops straight down from the gooseneck to the mast base where I bolt a fiddle block with cam cleat. It just attaches to a hole in the mast plate. The cam cleat is there, but the line is long enough that it continues aft and just hangs down into the companionway or into the cockpit. The old jam cleat is still in the mast end of the boom but does not interfere when easing. This all very easy: no holes drilled for another organizer and cleat. It works very well for me. I adjust the outhaul constantly now that it's easy to do. Reefline I just suffer with the jam cleat in the mast end of the boom. It slips, so I'd like to do something but haven't yet. Boom vang (Robert didn't ask but...) Since I have a roller furler and never seem to need to adjust the jib halyard, I tie it off to the mast cleat and hang it there. This freed up a path through the organizer to one of my clutches. I put a longer line into the boom vang, that goes through a little block on a spring that I riveted to the mast just above the boom vang tang, through the organizer to the clutch. I hated the original V-cleat on the boom vang. It was hard to release under load, and the angle required to operate it was awkward. Much easier now. Rick
Topping lift I bought my 1995 H23.5 in 2002. The topping lift was not run through the boom. Instead, it comes from the top of the mast to a couple of feet above the aft end of the boom, and terminates with a little V-cleat with a sheeve. A second short line goes from this cleat, down to the sheeve at the end of the boom, and back up to the sheeve in the cleat (and around and down into the V itself, if you can picture that). It can only be adjusted when the boom is over the cockpit, but that's not a problem since that's where the boom is when the main is raised and lowered anyway. Sometimes I forget to ease the topping lift and start sailing. I have to head up to be able to reach and ease the topping lift. Works for me. I have home-made lazy jacks, so I don't go forward to raise or lower the main. Outhaul I added a micro block to the clew of the main and another to the end of the boom to give me 4:1 purchase. I replaced the line with a longer one that drops straight down from the gooseneck to the mast base where I bolt a fiddle block with cam cleat. It just attaches to a hole in the mast plate. The cam cleat is there, but the line is long enough that it continues aft and just hangs down into the companionway or into the cockpit. The old jam cleat is still in the mast end of the boom but does not interfere when easing. This all very easy: no holes drilled for another organizer and cleat. It works very well for me. I adjust the outhaul constantly now that it's easy to do. Reefline I just suffer with the jam cleat in the mast end of the boom. It slips, so I'd like to do something but haven't yet. Boom vang (Robert didn't ask but...) Since I have a roller furler and never seem to need to adjust the jib halyard, I tie it off to the mast cleat and hang it there. This freed up a path through the organizer to one of my clutches. I put a longer line into the boom vang, that goes through a little block on a spring that I riveted to the mast just above the boom vang tang, through the organizer to the clutch. I hated the original V-cleat on the boom vang. It was hard to release under load, and the angle required to operate it was awkward. Much easier now. Rick
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