who needs jib sheet winches?

[mousenik]

Something I've been pondering as I'm about to make new cockpit comings and winch stands--at what size boat does one really need winches for the head sail sheets?--especially if one is willing to luff up to trim? My boat is 25 feet and I seldom use the winches except to take some turns around.So I'm comsidering leaving them off. Any thoughts?

[Emmalina]

Watch this.. These guys just use pulleys LOL
Barge sailing (extract form Stem van het water / The Voice of the Water) - YouTube

[daddle]

If you need them then you need to have them

A 25 foot boat with overlapping headsails sure might need a winch. But I had a 33 for race boat that used only a 3:1 tackle for the non-overlapping headsail. I can tack my 50 without getting the winch handles out if I have the 80% jib and time it right. But I can't trim it while powered up.

[delmarrey]

My ole CAL 2-27, I don't remember even using a winch handle, if'n I even owned one.

Now this beast genoa with 650 sf, I struggle with this 16.5:1 monster winch.

The bigger ya go the more power needed. And I think the lack of man power starts in at around a 25' boat.

.

[mousenik]

great video --not sure what I learned but ya gotta love it.

[builder dan]

I have a 26 foot yacht and find the winches very usefull when tacking upwind when it is blowing,especially in confined harbours,I would leave them on also good for an emergency anchor windlass.

[JazzyO]

Originally Posted by Emmalina

Watch this.. These guys just use pulleys LOL
Barge sailing (extract form Stem van het water / The Voice of the Water) - YouTube

My dad crewed on one of those a couple of times. Hard work!


Onno

[Rubikoop]

I don't have jib winches on my boat. I don't have jib sheets either. She sails fine the way she is. I see no need to add them either. :-)

[Willie@VoyagingYachts]

The Wylo 35.5 gaff rigged steel cutter doesn't need winches. The type of rig matters.

[Tar34]

A twenty five foot sailboat requires winches in IMHO. The loads on the headsail can be quite significant as the breeze picks up. Not being able to properly trim can lead to significant overpowering, i.e, the inability to properly flatten the sail, can be dangerous. Install the winches, you will be better off for it. In the end, it will also save the leech of the headsail. Nothing worse than twisted off flogging headsail. By the way, what kind of boat? Some picts would help.

[letsgetsailing3]

It depends on how efficiently you'd like to be able to sail the boat.

You can always head into the wind to adjust sails, but you lose time doing that.

[Roy M]

Unless you are racing, or seeking perfection constantly, just head the boat up 'til the sails luff, pull in some sheet, and fall off. Doesn't matter what size you are. And when you grow tired of constantly having to trim and lose ground, then buy some winches.

[Kettlewell]

It depends on the boat. I've seen some pretty big boats with small, non-overlapping jibs, sometimes rigged up to be self tacking, that don't need winches. Winches can be useful on many smaller boats, even if you don't need them for normal tacking. They make it much easier to fine tune your jib set without having to luff up into the wind.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by mousenik

Something I've been pondering as I'm about to make new cockpit comings and winch stands--at what size boat does one really need winches for the head sail sheets?--especially if one is willing to luff up to trim? My boat is 25 feet and I seldom use the winches except to take some turns around.So I'm comsidering leaving them off. Any thoughts?

I don't want to luff up to trim. I'll do it if I have to, but it's a solution, not a routine. I don't just want winches -- I want self-tailing winches. The bigger the boat and/or sail, the more you need winches.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

It depends on how efficiently you'd like to be able to sail the boat.

You can always head into the wind to adjust sails, but you lose time doing that.

Also, if you sail the boat by yourself -- things can go wrong and you may need to conserve your strength for a long haul.