Hi O'day owners - I am a self admitted novice sailor, so this question shouldn't be a surprise: I put my main up yesterday for the first time this season (a month or two wasted!) - and I mean for the first time, this boat is brand new to me the Jib and main halyards seem backwards to me. The jib halyard is on the port side of the mast, the main on starboard. However, there is a winch attached to the port side of the mast - I assume used to winch up the main. How can you do that when the main halyard is on the starboard side? I tried just switching them but then lines cross... is this normal? Did the PO have it rigged wrong?
What is THAT for?
- Thread starter DPT
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Winch is for the jib
What you have observed is correct - the jib halyard is on the port side and the winch is there to pull the luff tight. Im not sure whether your 25 is rigged the same way as my smaller boat, but on mine the gooseneck slides in the mast track so first you hoist the main all the way up allowing it to "pick up" the boom. Then the luff is tensioned by pulling the sliding gooseneck back down with a 3:1 tackle. If the gooseneck is fixed in place, you would get the luff tension by pulling down on the cunningham. If so, there should be an eyelet about 8-10 inches above the tack that the tackle attaches to.
What you have observed is correct - the jib halyard is on the port side and the winch is there to pull the luff tight. Im not sure whether your 25 is rigged the same way as my smaller boat, but on mine the gooseneck slides in the mast track so first you hoist the main all the way up allowing it to "pick up" the boom. Then the luff is tensioned by pulling the sliding gooseneck back down with a 3:1 tackle. If the gooseneck is fixed in place, you would get the luff tension by pulling down on the cunningham. If so, there should be an eyelet about 8-10 inches above the tack that the tackle attaches to.
A little clarification please
I'm more than a little confused.On my Oday25 the mainsail halyard comes down the front of the mast.The halyard goes onto the portside mounted winch,then down to the cleat.I've been doing this way for the two and a half years I have had the boat.Absolutely no problems. I am only guessing here ,you have the halyards twisted around up at the masthead. Can you supply us with a photo?
I'm more than a little confused.On my Oday25 the mainsail halyard comes down the front of the mast.The halyard goes onto the portside mounted winch,then down to the cleat.I've been doing this way for the two and a half years I have had the boat.Absolutely no problems. I am only guessing here ,you have the halyards twisted around up at the masthead. Can you supply us with a photo?
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
mixed port and starboard
It is not uncommon for the halyards to be mixed, and on small boats does not make a lot of difference, except if the halyards cross at the masthead sheeves. The 'standard' however is for the jib halyard to be cleated to port and the main halyard to starboard. All supporting lines for each section of the boat, are similarly routed port and starboard, as follows, spinnaker, whisker pole topping lift, pole downhaul, genoa halyard, all routed to port, and boom vang, jiffy reefing lines, topping lift, cunningham all routed to starboard.
It is not uncommon for the halyards to be mixed, and on small boats does not make a lot of difference, except if the halyards cross at the masthead sheeves. The 'standard' however is for the jib halyard to be cleated to port and the main halyard to starboard. All supporting lines for each section of the boat, are similarly routed port and starboard, as follows, spinnaker, whisker pole topping lift, pole downhaul, genoa halyard, all routed to port, and boom vang, jiffy reefing lines, topping lift, cunningham all routed to starboard.
Timm, do you have a CDI furler?
Since the CDI furler has it's own internal halyard, many boats that have been retrofitted with a CDI end up with an unused jib halyard (and winch, if so equipped). I've sailed on some boats that have a fixed gooseneck and are not equipped with a cunningham (my boss' Catalina 320 and the Hunters used when I took sailing classes, for example) and the only way to tension the luff is to put the main halyard on a winch and grind it up. One of the sailing instructors pointed out that this is not the best way to do it since when you tension from the top you have to apply enough force to overcome the weight of the sail PLUS that you want for luff tension. When you tension from the bottom, as with a Cunningham, the weight of the sail works in your favor, helping you add tension. In smaller boats like ours, the weight of the main probably isn't significant, but sail area increases as the square of the boat's length, and the fabric gets thicker too, so on a larger boat it can require a winch just to lift the sail to the top of the mast and getting enough tension is difficult.
Since the CDI furler has it's own internal halyard, many boats that have been retrofitted with a CDI end up with an unused jib halyard (and winch, if so equipped). I've sailed on some boats that have a fixed gooseneck and are not equipped with a cunningham (my boss' Catalina 320 and the Hunters used when I took sailing classes, for example) and the only way to tension the luff is to put the main halyard on a winch and grind it up. One of the sailing instructors pointed out that this is not the best way to do it since when you tension from the top you have to apply enough force to overcome the weight of the sail PLUS that you want for luff tension. When you tension from the bottom, as with a Cunningham, the weight of the sail works in your favor, helping you add tension. In smaller boats like ours, the weight of the main probably isn't significant, but sail area increases as the square of the boat's length, and the fabric gets thicker too, so on a larger boat it can require a winch just to lift the sail to the top of the mast and getting enough tension is difficult.
Ok, so what is THAT for?
OK, so if the winch on the port side of the mast is for tightening the luff of the JIB, then what are the two winches located at the cockpit for? *blushing from embarrassment* Just for clarification - some asked for me to be more clear: the Main halyard runs up the front of the mast, on the starboard side (goes thru the mast head thru the starboard side) . The jib halyard runs up the back of the mast up the port side (goes thru the mast head on the port side). Just to be clear - when I say halyard, I am talking rope... about 1/2 way up, so to speak, the halyard turns into braided wire which then actually attaches to which ever sail we are talking about - but I am sure that is common and a given.
OK, so if the winch on the port side of the mast is for tightening the luff of the JIB, then what are the two winches located at the cockpit for? *blushing from embarrassment* Just for clarification - some asked for me to be more clear: the Main halyard runs up the front of the mast, on the starboard side (goes thru the mast head thru the starboard side) . The jib halyard runs up the back of the mast up the port side (goes thru the mast head on the port side). Just to be clear - when I say halyard, I am talking rope... about 1/2 way up, so to speak, the halyard turns into braided wire which then actually attaches to which ever sail we are talking about - but I am sure that is common and a given.
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
Makes sense!
Ok, got it - winch on mast for tightening luff of Jib... Cockpit winches for Jib sheets... So there is NO winch for raising/tightening the main? I seem to remember that way back when I took sailing lessons (should have taken notes!)
Ok, got it - winch on mast for tightening luff of Jib... Cockpit winches for Jib sheets... So there is NO winch for raising/tightening the main? I seem to remember that way back when I took sailing lessons (should have taken notes!)
No Main winch
The main doesn't need to be that tight. You should be able to pull hard enough on it to raise the gooseneck of its stop. The downhaul will take care of the rest.
The main doesn't need to be that tight. You should be able to pull hard enough on it to raise the gooseneck of its stop. The downhaul will take care of the rest.
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