Best config for running rigging

[s/v Beth]

Sailors and Boat Owners alike:
I am tired of my current layout. It involves lines coming down haphardly from the mast and redirected (usually with a single pulley) to a winch and a cleat. Consequently, I have 7 winches on top of my doghouse. None of them are self tailing so I have a ton of cleats too. I am thinking about 1. Lines that come from the top of the mast in the mast then directed to two sets of pulleys to clutches with 3 self tailing winches (two for the staysil) and one for all the halyards, with maybe a fourth for the reefing line on the main
Going aft to the jibsheets, I have two large grinders on each side with associated cleats. Can I go down to one self tailing on each side? I just can't see where I will need more than one on each side, except if I was running a genanker and jib on one side, and I really don't see doing that. Even if I wanted to run a jib to blanket the gen for some reason, I would use my staysil or backwind my jib for a minute.
Just trying to get the optimal system for running rigging in 2015....

[barnakiel]

We have 3 jammers ahead of two plain winches, one each side of the companionway. These two share all halyard and reefing jobs (main halyard, 3 reef lines (two reeef points - fore reef line is shared). We also have our topping lift there (but this is only because we do not have a hard kicker).

Next we have two cockpit (genoa) winches, plain.

If I were to improve, I would do the following:

- make the two companionway winches selftailing (while holding on to the jammers).

- make the cockpit fat winches self tailing (while holding on to genoa cleats),

- add two smaller cockpit winches aft of our genoa winches (call them spinnaker sheet winches),

So, to make a long story short-er, my dream layout would look as follows:

- two selftailers one each side of companion, with threeway jammers just ahead,
- two fat selftailers in the cockpit, with cleats just aft,
- two secondary winches of any style aft of the genoa winches.

Total 6, 4 of which seltailers. Two fatsos and four smaller calibers.

Why jammers or cleats and selftailers? Well, you need one hand less (jammers, I pull halyards and reeflines via locked jammers) and I hate the sound of genoa sheet flogging on a self-tailer (there seems way less noise if the sheet is cleated on the opposite side of the winch).

I made it very long, I know. But I do love winches.

PS I like my kite halyard in the cockpit when there is someone there but I like it at the mast when I hoist and douse the kite alone ... so, yes, another winch - on the mast, a plain one.

b.

[roverhi]

All mainsail control lines run back to the cockpit cabin top through blocks, organzers, clutches and winch where needed in that order. Main halyard with winch and tack reefing lines to stbd, outhaul and clew reefing lines with winch to port. Traditional main vang on each side with tail to cockpit. Both winches are self tailing. Tails go into bags on the backside of the cabin. The clutches take the place of cleats Adding winches and staysail sheet would fit if the boat had one.

Headsail halyards are at the mast.

[s/v Beth]

Thanks Barney and Roverhi, a response I can understand to a real problem by another sailor. What CF is really about.

[Paul Elliott]

I have pairs of winches both on the port and starboard cockpit coaming so I can manage the spinnaker sheets and guys during a jibe. If it weren't for the spinnaker I could easily get away with a single winch per side, but the additional winches do come in handy from time to time during non-spinnaker sailing.

I have pairs of winches both on the port and starboard sides of the coachroof. These are fed through a bank of organizers, then one clutch per line, and then to the winches as needed. I've also got pairs of cleats near the winches. The lines include staysail sheets, mainsheet, main halyard, spare main halyard, pole topping lift, traveler lines, boom-furling line, and dual preventer lines. It can be a bit of a rat's nest between the clutches and the winches, but it all works out. I have sheet bags on the cabin backside.

Foresail halyards (jib, spare jib, staysail, two spinnaker) are all at the mast, with clutches, and share two mast-mounted winches.

All winches are self-tailing. I love self-tailing winches.

As mentioned, my mainsheet does run through a clutch, but I only engage that clutch briefly when I need to temporarily use the winch for something else. It's not a great idea to have your sheets run through clutches, since you really want to be able to let the sheets run free at a moment's notice.

[s/v Beth]

Hi Paul, yeah I drooled over Valis's setup, my windvane is now setup almost exactly as yours is. To all that responded: Would you go to the trouble to make your halyards inside your mast and coming out the bottom, or keep them on the outside?
Also, I respect Paul's opinion about the sheet coming loose at a moment's notice, but do all of you not clutch your sheets? or just not the jib/gennacker sheets? In particular I was thinking of clutching the mainsheet...

[roberthowell]

adding some clutches would solve most of your problems at a minimal of expense and adding self tailing winches as your pocket book will allow

[Training Wheels]

Here's what I did.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[tankersteve]

OP, I think you have plenty of good advice. I don't think you could simplify much below what was already discussed. If you do change some out, I would add that making sure the ratio options (especially on 2-speed winch) is similar to what you already have, unless you have issues with your current setup beside business...

OP, could you post a pic of your doghouse/dodger and cockpit? I just want to appreciate the real estate usage and original cost of 7 normal winches, plus 4 large grinders in the cockpit.

Thank god for removable winch handles, too.

Tankersteve