Ok, now I am new to this. I know how to pull up the sails with the winch, BUTTTT how do you back it off?? I had to cut the line in heavy wind cause I could not get the sail down. Now I also need to know a way of getting up the mast to run a new line!!! Thanks very much, PJ
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What exactly did you do when you raised the sail?
Give us the step-by-step and maybe we can help you.
Give us the step-by-step and maybe we can help you.
Oh thats nice
Oh that was helpful Fred. I read the books.They say nothing about backing off the winch, I know you pull it through but some line still is wrapped around. And I know about stepping the mast, but there must be something easier. Thanks
Oh that was helpful Fred. I read the books.They say nothing about backing off the winch, I know you pull it through but some line still is wrapped around. And I know about stepping the mast, but there must be something easier. Thanks
Step by step
I did a couple clockwise loops around the winch and cranked it up while pulling the line off the winch. A couple of loops remained on the winch. When I went to lower the sail, I turned the winch the opposite direction and nothing happened, I could not loosen the line from the winch holding the sail up. Then I cut the damn line. Thanks so much for your help
I did a couple clockwise loops around the winch and cranked it up while pulling the line off the winch. A couple of loops remained on the winch. When I went to lower the sail, I turned the winch the opposite direction and nothing happened, I could not loosen the line from the winch holding the sail up. Then I cut the damn line. Thanks so much for your help
How was it cleated?
Is it a self tailing winch (line goes around a ring at the top) or does it go through a rope clutch? Generally, to ease the line you just uncleat it or open the clutch (all the way forward) and the line pulls backwards around the winch. Note that the winch only turns in 1 direction. If the sail doesn't just drop (due to the wind) you need to go up to the mast and pull it down. Good Luck Markdb
Is it a self tailing winch (line goes around a ring at the top) or does it go through a rope clutch? Generally, to ease the line you just uncleat it or open the clutch (all the way forward) and the line pulls backwards around the winch. Note that the winch only turns in 1 direction. If the sail doesn't just drop (due to the wind) you need to go up to the mast and pull it down. Good Luck Markdb
Remove some of
wraps from the drum and you should be able to ease the sail down. Leave one turn on so that you may control the sail as it drops. Sometimes the line may grip on itself around the drum and seem not to want to loosen. As the other Mark says, make sure the rope clutch is open ALL the Way Forward. You now have to use your other halyard to hoist you or a lighter crew up the mast w/ Boatswain chair, to replace the cut halyard. We all reccommend that you ask around the marina or Club for guidance before you hoist someone up the mast. Good luck, do not be afraid to ask for advise here
Marc
wraps from the drum and you should be able to ease the sail down. Leave one turn on so that you may control the sail as it drops. Sometimes the line may grip on itself around the drum and seem not to want to loosen. As the other Mark says, make sure the rope clutch is open ALL the Way Forward. You now have to use your other halyard to hoist you or a lighter crew up the mast w/ Boatswain chair, to replace the cut halyard. We all reccommend that you ask around the marina or Club for guidance before you hoist someone up the mast. Good luck, do not be afraid to ask for advise here
MarcLive and learn...
Fred's reply is, I am sure, just the result of surprise that you were out in heavy winds and did not know how to ease a halyard off a winch. The previous posts are helpful but I would recommend you go out sailing with some other people who have been sailing for some time. Better yet, take some courses where you go out and sail on a boat bigger than 21 ft. Book learning is nice, but you learn more from hands on experience. In addition, it helps to be heading into the wind to make it easier to drop the sail (it takes the side load off the sail slides).
Fred's reply is, I am sure, just the result of surprise that you were out in heavy winds and did not know how to ease a halyard off a winch. The previous posts are helpful but I would recommend you go out sailing with some other people who have been sailing for some time. Better yet, take some courses where you go out and sail on a boat bigger than 21 ft. Book learning is nice, but you learn more from hands on experience. In addition, it helps to be heading into the wind to make it easier to drop the sail (it takes the side load off the sail slides).
Sorry PJ, I didn't mean to sound condescending
and you scared me. This isn't a forum to ask how to wrap a winch. I was just flashing on you headed my way with no control. Are you located in Kingston Washington? If so, I'll take you out sailing and get you started.
and you scared me. This isn't a forum to ask how to wrap a winch. I was just flashing on you headed my way with no control. Are you located in Kingston Washington? If so, I'll take you out sailing and get you started.
I am sorry but,
you have no business out on the water if you don't know how to operate a simple winch. Fred was easy on you. Too many people think they can just go out and buy a sailboat and make it "go". Sure, it's just like driving a car. Being on the water in a boat is not to be taken lightly especially if you have passengers. You are responsible for them. You are also responsible for your vessel. My advice: Stay away from the water until you can take some basic boating safety courses and at least 1 sailing course. USCG auxiary and USPS both have low cost courses that may save yours and others butts in a pinch. Once you get some skills under your belt enjoy the water like the rest of us. Tim R.
you have no business out on the water if you don't know how to operate a simple winch. Fred was easy on you. Too many people think they can just go out and buy a sailboat and make it "go". Sure, it's just like driving a car. Being on the water in a boat is not to be taken lightly especially if you have passengers. You are responsible for them. You are also responsible for your vessel. My advice: Stay away from the water until you can take some basic boating safety courses and at least 1 sailing course. USCG auxiary and USPS both have low cost courses that may save yours and others butts in a pinch. Once you get some skills under your belt enjoy the water like the rest of us. Tim R.
PJ
PJ, nobody is disrepecting you, probably more concerned about your safety. Sailing isn't exactly rocket science, but it does take skills and a lot of practice to get good at it. In heavy winds and seas, small things can go critical mass quickly if you don't have the experience to handle it. I would strongly suggest that you go to one of the folks in the marina, if you are in one, and tell them that you are new to sailing and would like to crew with them to get some experience. I'm fairly sure that they will help you out as most sailors will do just that if you need help. If you are not in a marina, I'll bet if you ask around, you will find someone who will go out with you and help you learn. There is a lot that can be learned in safety classes, however, there is nothing like hands on experience at the tutor of an experienced sailor. If you keep at sailing, in a couple of months if not years, you will look back at your situation and laugh about it. Hang in there!
PJ, nobody is disrepecting you, probably more concerned about your safety. Sailing isn't exactly rocket science, but it does take skills and a lot of practice to get good at it. In heavy winds and seas, small things can go critical mass quickly if you don't have the experience to handle it. I would strongly suggest that you go to one of the folks in the marina, if you are in one, and tell them that you are new to sailing and would like to crew with them to get some experience. I'm fairly sure that they will help you out as most sailors will do just that if you need help. If you are not in a marina, I'll bet if you ask around, you will find someone who will go out with you and help you learn. There is a lot that can be learned in safety classes, however, there is nothing like hands on experience at the tutor of an experienced sailor. If you keep at sailing, in a couple of months if not years, you will look back at your situation and laugh about it. Hang in there!
Did you Head up into the wind
Where exactly did you cut the halyard at the mast or at the winch? If at the mast trace the stub that is left and see if it ran through a rope cluth or some sort of cleat. If the main halyard wasn't cleated or auto tailed there may have been too much pressure on the sail slugs to allow them to drop. Did the sail drop immediately when you cut the halyard?
Where exactly did you cut the halyard at the mast or at the winch? If at the mast trace the stub that is left and see if it ran through a rope cluth or some sort of cleat. If the main halyard wasn't cleated or auto tailed there may have been too much pressure on the sail slugs to allow them to drop. Did the sail drop immediately when you cut the halyard?
PJ answers not lecture
You probably experienced a "wrap" on the winch, where the line going back around the winch wraps under the line exiting the winch effectively creating a friction knot. When that happens you have to reverse the process and again take in the line and raise the sail until the wrap clears. I lower my 40 ft main sail with one wrap around the winch and sometime none. Note, my main sail halyard is tied off at the end so I won't loose it up the mast. As has been mentioned all winches (except anchor) are one way always clockwise turning. You can't crank a winch to run line back out. Some winches (2 speed) alow you to crank both directions but the winch always rotates clockwise. If you can get a hand(literally) on the end of the halyard you cut and it still goes up/down to top of mast then do an archive search on "paper clip" for a method of attaching a new halyard to the end of the cut halyard and then pulling the new halyard through where the old halyard ran. If the cut end was pulled through the top of the mast and the whole halyard ended up on the deck, then you will need to get the new halyard end up to and through the mast head somehow. There are various methods to do this all of which have been discussed and are in the archives. Do a search on "lost halyard" or "going aloft" Good luck, stay safe, have fun. Scott
You probably experienced a "wrap" on the winch, where the line going back around the winch wraps under the line exiting the winch effectively creating a friction knot. When that happens you have to reverse the process and again take in the line and raise the sail until the wrap clears. I lower my 40 ft main sail with one wrap around the winch and sometime none. Note, my main sail halyard is tied off at the end so I won't loose it up the mast. As has been mentioned all winches (except anchor) are one way always clockwise turning. You can't crank a winch to run line back out. Some winches (2 speed) alow you to crank both directions but the winch always rotates clockwise. If you can get a hand(literally) on the end of the halyard you cut and it still goes up/down to top of mast then do an archive search on "paper clip" for a method of attaching a new halyard to the end of the cut halyard and then pulling the new halyard through where the old halyard ran. If the cut end was pulled through the top of the mast and the whole halyard ended up on the deck, then you will need to get the new halyard end up to and through the mast head somehow. There are various methods to do this all of which have been discussed and are in the archives. Do a search on "lost halyard" or "going aloft" Good luck, stay safe, have fun. Scott
Drop the mast
If you can't attach a new halyard to the old one and pull it up and through, it may be easier, and will be safer, to drop the mast (with help), and install the new halyard. Depends on the size of your boat. Since we all like Monday morning quarter backing, here is another suggestion for next time. If you see/feel the wind picking up, drop you sail right away. If the wind does not get to blowing above your comfort level, you can always put it back up. Good Luck
If you can't attach a new halyard to the old one and pull it up and through, it may be easier, and will be safer, to drop the mast (with help), and install the new halyard. Depends on the size of your boat. Since we all like Monday morning quarter backing, here is another suggestion for next time. If you see/feel the wind picking up, drop you sail right away. If the wind does not get to blowing above your comfort level, you can always put it back up. Good Luck
Thank you Scott
Thats exactly what happened, a wrap. So as soon as that happens I should pull it off, ok. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I started sailing last summer and never used the winches. I just tried them and ouch! Thanks again!!
Thats exactly what happened, a wrap. So as soon as that happens I should pull it off, ok. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I started sailing last summer and never used the winches. I just tried them and ouch! Thanks again!!
OK now that PJ is on the right track
lets all go over and make fun of Doug with his bed sheet sizing question on the mid-size boats forum.;D
lets all go over and make fun of Doug with his bed sheet sizing question on the mid-size boats forum.;D
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