mainsail handling

[hamsan]

I have never sailed this boat, am interested in getting one, but,

Mainsail handling, ie, raising, lowering, furling, would seem to be done from standing on the cabin top, which looks very precarious if in rough weather.

How do you do it without putting yourself at risk of going swimming?

Thanks, Hammond Eve, New Orleans.

 

[MrMikey64]

Search the forums for single-handed sailing. There are plenty of tips in here of how to run your lines to the cockpit so that you don't have to venture out onto the cabin top. You'll need a few more pieces of hardware, but IMO it's worth the investment.

 

[timebandit]

Scoot on yur butt and wrap your legs around the mast.

First rule of sailing-----

One hand for the boat and one hand for you

Or more simply stated

One hand for you and one hand for the boat:dance:

 

[Justin_NSA]

If you are single-handing I would recommend wearing some sort of PFD. Always maintain max contact with the boat when moving around. After that, it will take some investment and planning on running your controls aft. I manage my halyards, furler, lazyjacks and reefing lines through a system of mastplate, deck organizers, and clutches from the cockpit. About the only time I have to get on the deck is to toss out the anchor.

 

[oreana123]

I go forward all of the time. I wear a PFD, but I never need it. It is an acquired skill, just practice a lot. How else does one set a spinnaker? Pole out a whisker pole? Throw out an anchor? Change a headsail? Stab a sleeping sailfish with a harpoon?

 

[hamsan]

well, all answers are helpful. Those other actions you mentioned are within the lifelines and lower on the boat. Running the lines to the cockpit deals with dropping the sails, which leaves them in a pile blocking your view. Calm weather is not the issue. If winds are howling and the boat is pitching and the sail has been lowered and needs furling, that becomes the problem. I understand the lifeline process, the PFD provision, etc,, the routine things. Since this boat is a bit peculiar in not having a side deck, from which the sail might be furled in hazardous weather, and since lazy jacks dont compress the sails and keep them entirely secure, what are folks doing. I apologize for not being more specific about this earlier, for the question is more narrow than i first indicated. I used to be spry, and am now 70 years old and am limited in the number of one armed pullups i can do. So, falling over is not as much fun as it used to be. Thanks for any comments.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

queue for Sumner and his sailpac....

get a tillerpilot, and life is again easy for the single hander....

fwiw, I've run a bungy from the base of the mast, under the boom to the end (2 lines actually, with clips, and clip them around the mainsail to the other bungy under the mast.... very fast, simple, and cheap...

you are looking at a new 26M correct?

 

[Sumner]

I see your points and I'm still lucky enough to be able to go to the mast without difficulty in weather, but since I'm almost 67 can see this at some point coming to an end.

With that in mind I think the best you might be able to do is have the lazy jacks and a downhaul line. At least then the sail might be flopping around some, but with the downhaul and lazy jacks it will be contained to some degree above your line of sight.

We made our...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-canvas/canvas-9.html

...sail pack as small as possible, so it isn't very tall. I've seen some that are a lot taller and with them and a line to raise them they would contain a lot more of the sail when it was down in the sail pack and lazy jacks.

If our sailpack is open, as in sailing, it doesn't rise very far, but if you were to take the topping lift line (arrow in the picture above) to the cockpit then just droping it lets the boom go down on the jacklines and raises the sides of the sailpack up to capture more of the sail.

I also put in single line reefing and right now have it run just to the mast. At some point I'll probably take it back to the cockpit. It does a good job along with the sailpack of containing the reefed part of the sail, so I don't have to put the ties on the reefed sail any longer. Reefing is much faster now as a result.

Good luck and if you come up with something that works well for you please post,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links

 

[hamsan]

thanks, that is more in line with what i was asking. I have been using a boom crutch for so many years that i forgot that without that, and lowering the topping lift, the treacherous end of the boom can be lowered right into the cockpit it would seem.

Yes, soon as i sell my westsail 32, which has a miserably small cockpit, i will be looking at recent, including new, 26M.

 

[Sumner]

..fwiw, I've run a bungy from the base of the mast, under the boom to the end (2 lines actually, with clips, and clip them around the mainsail to the other bungy under the mast.... very fast, simple, and cheap.....

Bill do you have any pictures? For some reason I can't envision this .

Do you have the one bungee running the length of the boom under it and then wrap others around the sail/boom every couple feet and attach them to the one under the boom?

Hopefully you will be able to explain it over a meal in about 48 days or so ,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links

 

[hamsan]

That is exactly what i was looking for. Thanks a lot for all the trouble you went to with the photos, as i can see exactly how to do it, and i think that solves it. If you get to New Orleans i owe you. Hammond Eve 504-254-1347.

 

[Sumner]

Sailrite has a kit for making a sailpack and as you can see by the picture it is a lot higher than ours. Probably better if you are trying to capture the sail in the conditions you are talking about. Here is a link....

http://www.sailrite.com/Sail-Pack-Stack-Pack-Kit-for-10-Boom

We considered it, but wanted ours a little more custom to our situation and wanted it to be/look more compact. We used ours in Florida and love it. It is so much quicker and easier to take care of the main and now it is protected from the sun on the days we aren't going anywhere.

The combination of it and the lazy-jacks is great. So far I haven't found a down side.

On the road we did wrap the boom/sailpack/main with a cheap tarp to protect it on the long trip down. It is tied to the stanchions in the picture,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac-Venture Links

 

[MrBill_FLL]

my blue bungy line currently is a little short.

I need to replace it with one running the full length. I have some clips on one side running thru the bungy and pull it over the flaked main sail. then use a red bungy on the head / halyard to the deck to secure it.

Hey Sum, I didn't realize you had to go to the mast... my PO ran them back... you'd like that... better put it on the list

but Im not sure how you run them back with the rotating mast of the new M model.

 

[Sumner]

Thanks, I think I get it. I like that ramp, the one at All American gave us trouble. I need to do a small trailer mod before we put in when we get back.

c ya,

Sum

 

[MrBill_FLL]

thats homstead bayfront park... much better than black point marina (10mi north).

*I'm always VERY interested in ramps and marinas on the trip reports...

I also use sail ties, when needed... but the bungy is fast and controls the sail enough to get back on the tiller.

 

[walt]

Mr. Bill, a while ago, there was a similar thread and I made the boom bungee setup a few of you guys were talking about. I bought three bungee clips at West Marine and then sewed them to a clip on cord/bungee which goes maybe 80% the length of the boom. I think it will work nicely and I always prefer the simpler setups since I use this boat as a trailerable.

 

[timebandit]

Don't forget to reef early and deep.

I tie a small line to the tack and head of each sail to keep it down and then apply tension on the halyard to keep things tidy.

For the jib, I streach it out and and tie it to the life lines to keep it off the deck and out of the way. That way I can stack the jenny on the other side.

I use the tuck and roll method on the main with sail ties.

One thing I do is to attach a line from the rear cleats to the end of the boom (that is attached to the back stay) to keep the boom verry still so that I can hold on to it without it swinging.

 

[MLBJ]

Go online and check out Blue Water Yach'ts E-Z Main.
I ordered one for my new Mac 26M... it's basically a modified, simplier Dutvhman system. No leaving the cockpit. Your main will need to be modified, however with grommets for the guide lines.