Question about winches

[John Hilliard]

Here is a real neophyte question. The 28mkII has 4 winches (seperate winches for the two jib sheets). The 270 has but two on the cabin top. This looks like it would create a single-handed problem. Is this true? Why only 2 winches? Has anyone added two winches and tracks to a 270? Why?JohnPS I hope to take a 270 for a test drive later this month, so perhaps this is just academic, but would be interesting to hear.

 

[Jon W]

C270 Winches

Maybe someone who owns one knows more than I, but I have some ideas.The C270 is designed with a proportionally smaller foretriangle than most of the Catalina’s. The foretriangle of the C270 is 49% of total sail area VS 54% for the C28. It uses a smaller headsail, which allows sheeting to a track on the cabin top. So a stock boat should have no need for winches on the cockpit coaming. The cabin top winches also do double duty for the halyards. Of course with a spinnaker or lower clewed genoa, you would probably want to add winches and blocks farther aft.