Standard or self tailing for a CD25

[Dan H]

Can I get some opinions on whether I should spend more than double for self tailing winches versus standard on a CD25? I will be doing a good amount of single handed sailing and sailing with children. I have a standard jib, 150-genny and a ballooner. Of course, I am refering to sheet winches, not the mast mounted halyard winches.
Maiden voyage just five and half weeks away, I can't wait.

Dan H.



djhhan@aol.com

[Bruce Bett]

Well Dan I guess it depends on what you want. The CD 25 genny isn't really much to handle under most conditions. Usually when single handing I just put a couple of turns around the winch give a one handed tug on the sheet and cleat her down. I usually leave the winch handle in the pocket. Going close hauled in a blow however you will need to use the handle. Then you will either need to secure the helm or use self-tailing winches or, as I generally do, you can crawl over to the lee side with the rail awash. Push the tiller to windward with one foot. Feel the heel increase as you haul the genny to a hands breath from the stanchion, cleat her home and go back to the windward side and see how far off course you've gotten. Ah adventure I can't wait. Perhaps a more elegant way to do it is to luff up into the wind to ease the tension on the jib give the sheet a one handed yank, cleat her home, and fall off to re-power the jib.

I guess I talked myself out the self-tailing winch I don't know about you.

Bruce Bett
Sostenuto
CD 25 #496



bettb@macomb.cc.mi.us

[Jim]

If you are not forced to replace the existing winches I would recommend giving the wincher rubber "gaskets" for the top of your cleats. For $29.95 you can always throw them away if you decide you don't like them. So far I am happy with them on my CD25.



jmyers@styluscentral.com

[Jim]

If you are not forced to replace the existing winches I would recommend giving the wincher rubber "gaskets" for the top of your cleats. For $29.95 you can always throw them away if you decide you don't like them. So far I am happy with them on my CD25.



jmyers@styluscentral.com

[Jim]

If you are not forced to replace the existing winches I would recommend giving the wincher rubber "gaskets" for the top of your cleats. For $29.95 you can always throw them away if you decide you don't like them. So far I am happy with them on my CD25.



jmyers@styluscentral.com

[Dan H]

Well Dan I guess it depends on what you want. The CD 25 genny isn't really much to handle under most conditions. Usually when single handing I just put a couple of turns around the winch give a one handed tug on the sheet and cleat her down. I usually leave the winch handle in the pocket. Going close hauled in a blow however you will need to use the handle. Then you will either need to secure the helm or use self-tailing winches or, as I generally do, you can crawl over to the lee side with the rail awash. Push the tiller to windward with one foot. Feel the heel increase as you haul the genny to a hands breath from the stanchion, cleat her home and go back to the windward side and see how far off course you've gotten. Ah adventure I can't wait. Perhaps a more elegant way to do it is to luff up into the wind to ease the tension on the jib give the sheet a one handed yank, cleat her home, and fall off to re-power the jib.

I guess I talked myself out the self-tailing winch I don't know about you.

Bruce Bett
Sostenuto
CD 25 #496

So what your saying is: "Real men don't use self tailers". I agree. I will use the savings to buy a nice used two burner stove so I can cook two quiches at once. Thanks for the sound advice. By the way, does anybody have a working stove they want to sell?



djhhan@aol.com

[Dan H]

If you are not forced to replace the existing winches I would recommend giving the wincher rubber "gaskets" for the top of your cleats. For $29.95 you can always throw them away if you decide you don't like them. So far I am happy with them on my CD25.

Jim,
I have no idea what you are refering to. Help me out here.



djhhan@aol.com

[Bruce Bett]

Was I being THAT macho? My goodness. I've been off the water too long. Personally I like a nice slice of quiche with a glass of white wine.

To put it simply and prosaically, the CD 25 is a small enough boat that I don't think you'll find sail handling to be a big problem. I find the little Barlow winches that came with the boat to be more than adequate.

Bruce

Well Dan I guess it depends on what you want. The CD 25 genny isn't really much to handle under most conditions. Usually when single handing I just put a couple of turns around the winch give a one handed tug on the sheet and cleat her down. I usually leave the winch handle in the pocket. Going close hauled in a blow however you will need to use the handle. Then you will either need to secure the helm or use self-tailing winches or, as I generally do, you can crawl over to the lee side with the rail awash. Push the tiller to windward with one foot. Feel the heel increase as you haul the genny to a hands breath from the stanchion, cleat her home and go back to the windward side and see how far off course you've gotten. Ah adventure I can't wait. Perhaps a more elegant way to do it is to luff up into the wind to ease the tension on the jib give the sheet a one handed yank, cleat her home, and fall off to re-power the jib.

I guess I talked myself out the self-tailing winch I don't know about you.

Bruce Bett
Sostenuto
CD 25 #496

So what your saying is: "Real men don't use self tailers". I agree. I will use the savings to buy a nice used two burner stove so I can cook two quiches at once. Thanks for the sound advice. By the way, does anybody have a working stove they want to sell?

bettb@macomb.cc.mi.us

[Bill Goldsmith]

Dan:

Winchers (patent pending) are blue rubber rings that slip (with some effort and ingenuity) over the top flange of a non-self-tailer. When you put a full set of winds on the winch, the top wind nudges up against the bottom of the Wincher and reduces or prevents slippage. They work great. Unlike a self-tailing winch, I would not leave an active sheet secured only by the wincher in a blow, and would still cleat it off. However, the wincher does help significantly. For about 30 bucks, I would try them before upgrading to STs. I know several sailors who tried them and never gave another thought to self-tailers. And they last a long time as well. BOAT/US and West marine have them. They are made by a company called Watski.

Good luck on the maiden voyage and congratulations!

Bill GOldsmith
CD27 #173 (1980)
Second Chance
(With Winchers)

If you are not forced to replace the existing winches I would recommend giving the wincher rubber "gaskets" for the top of your cleats. For $29.95 you can always throw them away if you decide you don't like them. So far I am happy with them on my CD25.

Jim,
I have no idea what you are refering to. Help me out here.

goldy@bestweb.net

[Alan]

When I first bought my CD25, the thing I liked least about her was having to tie the jib sheets to a cleat. Tacking in a narrow channel became more hair-raising than it needed to be. I knocked together a jam cleat arrangement that has made sailing the boat a much more pleasant experience.

A photo is available at http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/1 ... 854695.jpg.

Please excuse her trim, she is molting.

The boat herself: http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/1 ... 854693.jpg



ank1@verizon.net