We are recent owners of a ’67 boat and sometimes find the hoisting/handling of the main to be cumbersome if not downright difficult. What modifications/solutions can you recommend? What of main furling system? Thank you. Best regards, Phil
Hi Phil: This is a very involved subject, starting with the height of the boom above the deck. On our designs we try and keep the boom(s) low so they are easy to work–which means they cannot overhang the cockpit. Hoisting is simplified with an electric winch (which we usually use for other halyards too, going aloft, and often reefing). Then there are the in-the-mast and or in-boom furling systems. If you have a really high boom, which makes covering difficult, one of these approaches might make sense. In the mast means a lot of extra weight and windage aloft, and a battenless mainsail (which means it is much less efficient). There are quite a few details on this subject in our Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia. Good Luck–Steve Dashew
Posted by Steve Dashew (November 30, 1999)
March 27th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
In response to Phil and everyone with the same mainsail handling questions. The best combination I have ever come up with is the Tides Track system combined with the retively new SailCrib. With the Tides Track, just release the hallard and the sail comes down with the minimum amount of friction and the SailCrib will capture the sail and keep it stacked on the boom and out of the cockpit. It works the same for reefing. Mark the hallard to the correct reefing point, release the hallard to that point, the sail is captured in the SailCrib where it can be kept until you are back to the dock, but always ready to quickly re-deploy should the auxilary power supply fail and you must emmediately sail away from the dock to regroup.