Questions for singlehanded sailing

[jbenagh]

I originally tried running the downhaul through the clew grommet. It always got hung up -- it has to make a very sharp 180 degree corner. I'm not sure high tech line would fix it.

Occasionally, the snap shackle gets hung up, but it always frees itself in the next puff. It's important for the crew to pay attention and not just heave as hard as possible.

I haven't had a tangle since the first couple times. And, when I did, I usually have some combination of the three lines taught so that nothing is flying around. I do share your concern though about all that mass flying around. We always clear the kids off the foredeck before a tack.

I have thought of using a rope grommet at the clew (but that would mean permanently attaching the block to the sail) or a long D shackle.

Jeff

[Shipscarver]

I want to run the Mains'l on my CD 27 from the cockpit, what is the suggested parts list?

[tartansailor]

I asked Doyle to rig all of my head sails with down hauls.
What they did was to sew loops along the luff and supplied 1/4" high tech lines running from the head back to the cockpit.
I added a block to my stem plate, then bulls eyes along the stancheons, back to the cockpit just outside of the combing.
This set up has worked well for me for 3 seasons so far with out any hang-ups.
Dick

[Warren Kaplan]

I want to run the Mains'l on my CD 27 from the cockpit, what is the suggested parts list?

I did exactly that. I put a Dwyer halyard organizing plate under my mast step. To that I attached some Garhauer turning blocks. From there the lines went to a Schaeffer triple deck organizer, then back to the cockpit to Lewmar triple rope clutch and then to an Andersen 12 self tailing winch. (I believe in supporting all manufactures in the business). I brought my main halyard and two reefing lines back. See the photos,

[Dick Barthel]

[quote="Warren Kaplan"][/quote]

I brought my main halyard and two reefing lines back. See the photos,



Warren,

That really looks great. A couple of questions:

(1) how do you prevent the slides from hanging up in the gate? Do you have bat cars?

(2) are there situations when you still have to go up to the mast?

Thanks,

Dick

[Warren Kaplan]

As for preventing the slides from hanging up in the gate....well....I also had installed a Tidesmarine Strong mast track system. These are precision made mast slides for its own installed mast track and the sail can actually pivot on the slides and they never get stuck going up. The slides are all in the mast track and do not have to be fed in with each raising of the sail. I just hoist away from the cockpit when I'm ready. I haven't had the slides bind in the 5 odd years I've had the Tidesmarine system.

I sometimes have to go up to the mast when dousing the sail at the end of the day. But that is only because of the way I have my lazy jacks set up. The sail falls easily until it starts to bunch up on the boom, held in close by the jacks, and loses momentum coming down. So I usually have to go up to the mast to pull the last few feet of mainsail luff down to boom level. No big deal really as I'd have to do that anyway to secure the halyard so it doesn't start to migrate up the mast again.

[Tom in Cambria]

If you're taking down all your sails, here's how I used to do it and anchor under sail when single handed. First I would heave to and get the way off the boat. While I was hove to I'd take the anchor line and cleat it at the forward cleat and bring it to the stern outside the shrouds and everything. Then I would go forward and drop the main and secure it to the boom. When you drop the main sail, the backwinded jib will slowly bring the bow around and you'll be sailing slowly downwind on the jib alone. I would have my anchor set up at the stern with the scope I wanted and then I would pay out the anchor over the stern. The pull from the jib would be enough to set the anchor, and if by some chance it didn't set you could bring it in and you'd still have the jib to sail on and way (forward motion) on for maneuvering. Once the anchor got set I'd let the jib sheets fly to take the pull off the anchor line. Then I'd un-cleat the anchor line at the stern and the boat would slowly come around bow into the wind. Now I would be anchored into the wind and I'd go forward and at my leisure bring the jib down without the bow jumping around.

If you want to take only the jib down the suggestions above cover that. It's usually the main that is a problem getting down in a blow when short handed. Roller furling is one of the best investments I ever made when you can afford it.

[M. R. Bober]

I want to run the Mains'l on my CD 27 from the cockpit, what is the suggested parts list?

I did exactly that. I put a Dwyer halyard organizing plate under my mast step. To that I attached some Garhauer turning blocks. From there the lines went to a Schaeffer triple deck organizer, then back to the cockpit to Lewmar triple rope clutch and then to an Andersen 12 self tailing winch. (I believe in supporting all manufactures in the business). I brought my main halyard and two reefing lines back. See the photos,



Warren,
Neat setup. I see you have chosen the dual vang approach. Is the four part primarily used as a preventer?

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (where a good belt goes well with good suspenders),VA

[versine]

for yours advices.

I have a question for Warren : you have near the cockpit the main halyard and the reefing lines ; have you also the topping lift and the boom vang back ?

On the other hand, have you hooks for tack or do you use a "single line reefing system" (a "automatic reefing" as wee said in France) ?

Regards


Jacques

[Warren Kaplan]

for yours advices.

I have a question for Warren : you have near the cockpit the main halyard and the reefing lines ; have you also the topping lift and the boom vang back ?

On the other hand, have you hooks for tack or do you use a "single line reefing system" (a "automatic reefing" as wee said in France) ?

Regards


Jacques

I don't have a topping lift anymore. If you look at the first photo, those rods above the standard boom vang is a Boom Kicker. Sort of a poor man's rigid vang. That holds up the boom and I no longer needed the topping lift for raising/lowering sails or reefing.

I have a two line reefing system. The two reefing lines in the photo are the luff and the leech reefing lines. I only set up "one reef" at a time, to keep the spaghetti down, and both those lines are for one reef. I actually set up the second reef as my boat sails quite well doubled reefed with the big 140% genny. At the time I was advised that a single line reefing system for the mainsail area of a CD27 was too much, and that I should stick with the two line system. Since that time I think better single line systems capable of "easily" handling the sail area involved have come on the market and if I had it to do over again I'd probably go that way.

I can reef with the two lines in about 30 seconds...all done from the cockpit. No reef hooks necessary.

[versine]

Thank you for the information, Warren.

On the other hand, I know that others CD owners, as Neil Gordon, prefer to have halyard and reefing lines on the mast ; I assume that the advantage is the simplification of the deck layout ...