Another vote here for control lines at the mast. My boat originally had all the 
halyard and reefing lines led to a winch farm aft of the mast. At some point a 
PO moved all those lines to the cockpit in order to race.

I've spent almost all my time on the water racing and lines aft makes sense but 
now that I am doing more cruising, as part of the refit of "Ronin", I am moving 
the halyards and reefing back to the mast. Like Andrew and Antoine, going 
forward and dealing with reefing is actually easier when single-handing or 
sailing with my crew. Which is my wife….

And I will be quite glad to get the snake nest of lines out of the dodger area.

Dave
1982 C"&C 37 - "Ronin"

On Oct 12, 2013, at 8:09 PM, Andrew Burton <a.burton.sai...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Here's another vote for keeping the halyards and reef lines, etc. at the 
> mast. I singlehanded Peregrine a lot and have no problems operating the boat 
> with that set up. I think a lot of people try to operate the boat 
> singlehanded the way she would be sailed by a full crew. That's not 
> necessary. I casually walk forward and aft, taking my time with all 
> maneuvers. It seems to work out alright. And I am very happy keeping excess 
> lines out of the cockpit. Like Antoine, I just have the sheets for the main 
> and jib and the jib furling line to interfere with lounging.
> 
> Andy
> C&C 40
> Peregrine
> 
> Andrew Burton
> 61 W Narragansett
> Newport, RI 
> USA    02840
> 
> http://sites.google.com/site/andrewburtonyachtservices/
> +401 965-5260
> 
> On Oct 12, 2013, at 5:09, "Dennis C." <capt...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> Antoine,
>> 
>> I agree with much of your comment.  There is a way to have halyards run back 
>> to the cockpit but also operate them at the mast.  Simply install a camcleat 
>> and horn cleat on the mast a bit offset from the path of the halyard from 
>> its exit to the turning block at the base of the mast.
>> 
>> When in "mast" mode, you can hoist or lower the sail, temporarily stop it 
>> with the camcleat or more permanently stop it with the horn cleat.
>> 
>> When in "cockpit" mode the halyard will exit the mast, run to the turning 
>> block and back to the cockpit.  Or, one can hoist the sail, stop it with the 
>> camcleat, return to the cockpit and pull the slack out and stop the halyard 
>> with a cabintop rope clutch.  With a little configuration tweaking,  If done 
>> correctly, the camcleat can be position such that the line pops out of it 
>> when the slack is taken out.  The line is then free to allow the sail to be 
>> dropped from the cockpit.
>> 
>> I've sailed on boats with this arrangement for spinnaker halyards and it 
>> seems to work well.
>> 
>> Dennis C.
>> Touche' 35-1 #83
>> Mandeville, LA
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Friday, October 11, 2013 10:52 PM, Antoine Rose 
>> <antoine.r...@videotron.ca> wrote:
>> It seems that many recommend bringing back the lines to the cockpit for 
>> single handling.
>> Well, allow me to trow a little rock in the pound and challenge a bit that 
>> idea.
>> I too have single handed a lot and personally, I prefer to have my lines at 
>> the mast. I know, it goes against common wisdom and what many (most) think.
>> 
>> Well, I think it is simpler and easier this way. 
>> - Hoisting: when was the last time it was easy for you to hoist the main, 
>> without a winch? When the halyard is on the mast, you have a straight pull. 
>> One block at the top of the mast and that's it. Pulling the rope down is 
>> efficient, it goes with your weight. Bringing the line back to the cockpit 
>> mean adding a block at the base of the mast, another deviation block 
>> somewhere on the roof, then the line goes through a rope clutch and then 
>> around a winch. Did you ever figured out how much friction all that is? The 
>> result is mainsails that required to be hoisted with the help of the winch 
>> almost half of the way. I raise mine to the top by hand and the winch is 
>> used only for what it was meant for, adding proper tension.
>> - My lines are neatly tidied up at the mast and I have minimal ropes in the 
>> cockpit, only the two genoa sheets and the main, that's it.
>> - Reefing, unless you have a single line systems that works very well (go 
>> back to my comment on multiple friction induce by too many turns in the 
>> line), you have to go the mast to pull down the main and insert the eye in 
>> the hook and lay down properly the main on the boom before pulling and 
>> tensioning the reef line. 
>> - The fundamental idea is to make it the easiest it can possibly be, so 
>> that, if your brain says "it maybe a good idea to reef", you go without any 
>> hesitation. The easiest it is, the more frequent you'll adjust your sail to 
>> match the weather. On my boat, everything is done at the mast. When I want 
>> to reef, I ease the main sheet and then go to the base of the mast where I 
>> do everything without moving: the halyard loosening, pulling down the main 
>> to the hook, tensioning again the halyard, adjusting the downhaul, pulling 
>> and tensioning the reef line, replace a bit the sail and go back to the 
>> cockpit to readjust the sheet. Usually, when I'm in hurry in a race, I don't 
>> loose more than a minute for the reefing. When I drop the main (I've 
>> installed home made lazy jacks), I again go to the mast to let go the 
>> halyard and I'm right there where the action is, to lay down properly the 
>> main.
>> - I've seen many boats where the halyards goes back to the cockpit. Yes, but 
>> when singlehanded, you have to go to the mast to pull down the main down to 
>> the hook, go back to the cockpit to tension again the halyard, go back to 
>> the mast to pull the reef line and then back to the cockpit again.  We often 
>> say it's safer to get the lines back to the cockpit, well, it is not safe  
>> if you have to do two back and forth to the mast for a simple reefing.
>> 
>> In the end, before choosing your religion ( to the mast or to the cockpit), 
>> take some time to really think it through, do some simulation, picture 
>> yourself in bad weather and make your choice. 
>> But, no matter what you decide, make it as easy as possible, with the least 
>> possibilities of something going wrong.
>> 
>> Antoine (Cousin, C&C 30)
>> 
>> 
>> Le 2013-10-11 à 12:23, Patrick H. Wesley a écrit :
>> 
>>> On a smaller boat that doesn't have autohelm the other things I would add 
>>> to Chuck's list are a breastline for quick tie-up in docking, and learning 
>>> how to heave-to. I often singlehand and the latter has allowed me do many 
>>> things I forgot to do before setting out, or to use the head, or reef the 
>>> main.
>>> 
>>> Incidentally, many thanks for those who replied to my earlier post about 
>>> crossing the Georgia Strait, I successfully did that, solo, few weeks ago 
>>> and the comments helped. Strong wind warnings, gale force warnings and even 
>>> a waterspout advisory! I told my family that I was back, safe and sound but 
>>> there had been a few clenched sphincter moments. One of my sons-in-law does 
>>> not have English as his first language and he told me that he had to check 
>>> with Google as which part of the boat that was!
>>> 
>>> Patrick Wesley, The Boat, C & C 24
>>> —
>>> Sent from Mailbox for iPad
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Fri, Oct 11, 2013 at 6:50 AM, Chuck S <cscheaf...@comcast.net> wrote:
>>> FWIW, I enjoy singlehanding my boat but pick my days.  The sails are not 
>>> the biggest challenge.  For me, it's always been docking.  Docking can be 
>>> challenging in a crosswind or in strong current, and I learn something 
>>> everytime I go out.  The bow of a sailboat wants to spin downwind as soon 
>>> as she loses forward way.  This year I started "backing in" when the wind 
>>> is up, and that proved a better alternative.  The bow follows the keel that 
>>> way.  Before docking, I rig my fenders and have lines bow, stern, and 
>>> spring, coiled at the gate, ready to take myself onto the float, or hand to 
>>> someone else.  The tricky part is stopping the boat alongside the float and 
>>> getting from behind the wheel thru the gate onto the float with docklines 
>>> in hand, and secure them before the boat reacts to wind and current and the 
>>> bow spins.  I think I've learned a lot docking the boat for ten years, and 
>>> the only scrapes occurred from dockside helpers who tend to pull the bow 
>>> line in too tight.  I feel docking is still the most challenging aspect of 
>>> singlehanding.  The more you know your boat and the more practice you get, 
>>> the better you get at timing your turns and controlling your approach 
>>> speed, and the easier it gets.
>>> 
>>> Having the jib on a furler is a must and some days you can sail with just 
>>> the jib and not have to deal with the mainsail cover or flaking the sail.  
>>> I use an autohelm to steer the boat and raise the mainsail by hand, using 
>>> the winch only for the last few inches.  When I bought my boat there were 
>>> two frozen sheaves for the main halyard that forced us to use the winch.  I 
>>> didn't find the problem until the following summer and then I freed the 
>>> sheave at the mast deck collar and the sheave in the deck organizer and 
>>> lubed the track and now anyone can raise the sail without the winch.
>>>   
>>> I plan to install lazy jacks, but meanwhile I have to wrestle the big sail 
>>> onto the boom and reflake it at the dock, before putting on the cover.  
>>> Occassionally I have my son along and one lowers the halyard in a 
>>> controlled way so the other can flake and tie the sail on, but lazy jacks 
>>> would make the job a little easier.   
>>> 
>>> Summary:  you'll get used to the bigger boat so buy the biggest you can 
>>> afford, don't forget the annual costs of slip fees, winter storage, 
>>> insurance.  Research and know the value of things.  One new sail costs more 
>>> than a whole instrument package, or a good feathering prop.  Setups for 
>>> singlehanding should include good roller furling, lines led to cockpit, a 
>>> reliable engine and good engine controls (remember docking), lazy jacks.  
>>> If you're handy, things can also be added to an otherwise good boat.  I 
>>> added the Harken furler and autohelm and many cruising amenities to my 
>>> barebones racer, but your boat should include those things.  A professional 
>>> survey will run around $600, so presurvey a few boats yourself before going 
>>> to that step so you only have to pay that fee on one boat.  Happy hunting.
>>> 
>>> Chuck
>>> Resolute
>>> 1990 C&C 34R
>>> Atlantic City, NJ
>>> 
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