Running lines aft

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Oct 25, 2005
735
Catalina 30 Banderas Bay, Mexico
Running lines aft seems to be a common and reoccurring thread ... :)

My opinion is that until someone comes up with a way to stow the sail cover and attach the halyard, I'm taking a 3 step walk anyway. I'll just raise the main while I'm at the mast anyway.

Reefing from the cockpit on a tiny boat like a C30 seems like overkill too. Single line reefing is fussy to get right not to mention the coils of line in the cockpit when the reefs are in.

Simple and reliable always win on my boat. Main halyard (wire/rope) to the winch on stb side of mast, hooks on the gooseneck for the reef tacks, and the two reef lines lead to the mast base and back up to the port mast winch. I'm not a kid, I'll be 60 next year. I can put in a reef in about 45-60 seconds. The halyard and reef lines stay at the mast and don't add to cockpit clutter.

I do lead sail trim controls aft.

On Cabin Side Port:
Spin Tweeker
Genoa Car Adjuster
Spin Tack Line

On Cabin Top Port:
Stb Spin Halyard
Out Haul
Jib Halyard

On Cabin Top Stb:
Cunningham
Boom Vang
Spin Pole Lift
Port Spin Halyard

On Cabin Side Stb:
Spin Tack Line
Genoa Car Adjuster
Spin Tweeker

Thats 12 controls lead aft!

Add to that Genoa Sheets, Spin Sheets, Spin Guys for 6 more lines in the cockpit.

The Main? End boom sheeting and windward sheeting traveler and backstay adjuster. 4 more controls.

22 sail trim controls in the cockpit of a 30 footer is enough for me, I'm not adding reef lines to the tangle!

Mast has Jib Halyard (also wire/rope) on Stb Sheeve, Two Spin Halyards, Main Halyard on Stb Sheeve. Port Sheeves have tag line for spare halyard in place to save weight.

Offshore config includes roller furling on the Genoa, inner stay and staysail halyard (external) to port side mast winch. Storm trysail track to spreader on port side can use either main halyard or spare halyard, tacks to boom for moderate heavy weather and below boom when it gets nasty and the boom is lashed down.

Why make it more complicated than it has to be? :)

Randy

PS, yes my boat has all that crap ... I never counted it all until now ... no wonder new crew get confused! :|
 
Mar 5, 2006
37
- - Bay City, MI
Can you post a picture with the cam cleats installed? I have a H30 1980 with the same traveler set-up and would like to add the clam cleats as you have described.
Thanks
Mike
 
Jan 22, 2008
402
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Hey Randy;

Thanks for the detailed response about lines aft. After much thought and a need to triage money, I came to the same solution about lines aft at this point. For the time being, I'll leave the lines at the mast.

If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd be interested in your reefing setup and pictures if you have them. I would also be curious how your boom attaches to the mast. I posted awhile ago about gooseneck setup and I just can't believe that the way mine is set up is corret.

Thanks
Chris

Mike, I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them for you about the clamcleats....
 
Oct 25, 2005
735
Catalina 30 Banderas Bay, Mexico
Hey Randy;

Thanks for the detailed response about lines aft. After much thought and a need to triage money, I came to the same solution about lines aft at this point. For the time being, I'll leave the lines at the mast.

If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd be interested in your reefing setup and pictures if you have them. I would also be curious how your boom attaches to the mast. I posted awhile ago about gooseneck setup and I just can't believe that the way mine is set up is corret.
Befana is #10 (9175) ... one of the very early boats with an external riveted on sail track. The OEM gooseneck was the normal for the time set up where the goosneck fitting was on a reinforced bit of sail track, the whole thing moves. When I refit the boat I stripped the mast, filled all the holes I would not reuse (276 rivets in the sail track IIRC) rebuilt the mast crane to extend the back stay 3 inches aft for better clearance on the roach of the sail. Ran halyards internal, built custom alloy spreaders and on and on. I built a new boom while I was being silly ... The US Spars booms have 4 sheeves for reef lines in the end cap. The idea is Outhaul, two reefs and a topping lift or three reefs, the gooseneck casting exits the control lines below the boom so the lead to mast base blocks. Each line has a jammer in the boom casting so once a reef is in you can lock it at the gooseneck. The tack hooks are part of the gooseneck universal. Each tack reef has a webbing strap with rings. The mast fitting is custom and welded at what used to be the minimum class legal height above the cabin. Doing all this with a goosneck fitting that is not locked to the mast would be a challenge. :eek:

Reef Drill:
Ease vang
Ease mainsheet
scurry to mast stb side
Ease halyard to mark
Slip reef tack on hook
Raise halyard to tension luff
mast port side
Pull reef clew line, use port mast winch to pull foot tight
Set jammer, unload winch, take slack out of second reef line and load on winch
scurry back to cockpit and trim main
reset vang

If there is crew on the boat it is VERY fast. Mast and foredeck crew at mast start easing halyard when sheet is eased and reef line starts coming in as halyard is going up. The whole thing is set up so reefing is usually done on starboard tack and the foot of sail gets blown off the boom to port so the reef clew line can get the reef clew close to the boom trapping as little sail as possible.

I used a Schaeffer sail track system with sliders and when it comes time to shake a reef out, the sail goes back up while off the wind. I haven't seen many boats that can do that with the extra friction of running the halyard aft unless they also have ball bearing cars.

R
 

Bob S

.
Sep 27, 2007
1,771
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Randy,

Glad to see you still have her! Thought you might have traded her for the trawler:cry:

Great advise.
 
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