Booms, Halyards and Such...

[Yachts66]

I'm replacing my 17' boom to accommodate a new main which has an E dimension of 22'. The original builder put on a smaller main because he was afraid the main called for in the plans would be too large and hard to handle, but that resulted in the boat being way underpowered. I had a naval architect re-design the sail plan and he specified the new 22' E. Comments on booms appreciated. I'm considering building one myself and I'm also looking at store boughts. BTW I've removed the mast to replace all the blocks and re-wire the running lights and I'm also going to install mast steps as long as she's down. I on this boat is 72.75'

Now about the halyards. I'm considering removing the winches from the mast and routing all the halyards to the pilot house. I'd like to hear your experiences with this arrangement, both the pros and cons. The boat is cutter rigged.

My thanks in advance for your $0.02!

Regards,

Thomas

[Minggat]

You'll love the lines led aft. But do you have jiffy reefing as well? I can't imagine moving the halyard to the cockpit and still going forward to do the reefing. For a roller furling jib you still want a winch on the mast I believe.

[Yachts66]

Haven't ordered the new main yet and still not really sure what way to go. I've heard a lot of good and bad about roller furling booms. Part of the bad is the cost. With a sail this large I'm for sure interested in easy (a relative term I'm sure), cost effective ways to hank in a reef. Thoughts on those areas certainly appreciated.

Thomas

[roverhi]

Through Mack sails, got a US Spars 16' boom for my boat when I replaced the old main. The lines for the slab reerfing are run internal and made it very easy to run all the mainsail control lines back to the cockpit. I used a double line reef system, one set of lines for the tack and another set for the clew. Can reef in under a minute from the cockpit. Works great. Cost f the boom was less than I could have made the boom myself, I didn't have to build it and I don't have to varnish it. Foresail halyards are still at the mast, btw. The turning blocks, deck organizers, rope clutches to bring the lines to the cockpit cost more than the boom, however.

It is so easy to reef, don't see why anyone would waste money on a roller furling boom. Assume when you say roller furling/reefing your talking about the new ones that roll the sail internal in the boom. That is opposed to the old roller reefing that rolled the main around the outside of the boom. The latter systems are totally worthless. The former are WAY too expensive.

Reefing for me is dirt simple and I never have to leave the comfort and safety of the cockpit. I loose the main halyard to a premarked point, pull in the tack reefing lines, secure it, and retention the main halyard. Then move to the other side of the cabin top and pull in the clew reefing lines by hand and tension the line with a winch if needed. The loose sail bunting stays on the boom and doesn't even need to be bundled up.

[barnakiel]

When you re-route your lines to the cockpit (I would, mine are) then think about which to leave out at the mast. Main, mizzen halyards, reefs I would lead to the cockpit. Also jib halyards, unless jibs on furlers.

b.

[bewitched]

Buy high quality blocks and deck organisers to reduce friction and take great care to align them correctly - My factory installed organiser is very slightly at the wrong pitch - the result is that I shred mainsheets - hull number 400 and something would you believe!!