[alberg30] Mainsail Winch, Reel Halyard - REAL DANGER!

[John Birch]

Jim;

The concept was flawed from the outset and Sunstone came with one.
When June was adjusting the main halyard the brake failed and the handle
spun spitting her sunglasses in two and mildly fracturing the bridge of
her nose - she was very lucky.  We removed the winch that Fall and
replaced it with a self tailer, an indulgence to be sure.

We elected to stay with new wire to rope tailed halyards for the
superior stretch control and so the tail starts about a foot above the
winch when hoisted and we went with a larger diameter to compensate for
splice weakness concerns - that was 4 years ago and we are happy with
the arrangement.

Until then, carefully crank down your main and if the handle starts to
free wheel, resist the temptation to stop it as there is enough momentum
with a falling sail transmitted into the winch to break your arm, or jaw
or whatever - best you make it a coffee table conversation piece.

Read "The Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics Of Offshore Yachts"
edited by John Rousmeniere et al, for all the reasons reel winches are
bad and to get some other good pointers on upgrading your fine ship.

Yes she is a good offshore boat with a few minor modifications.
Increase your chainplate bolt size to from 1/4" machine screws to 5/16 -
3/8 ths diameter SS shanked hex bolts as a start, all of them.

Cheers,

John

Jim wrote:

> I thank you for your comments. I didn't like it at first glance but
> figured I just didn't understand it the whys and wherefores. I thought
> the one saving point was that it allowed a single handed sailor to
> raise an lower the main easily. Aside from the broken strands with
> meathooks causing a problem what is the other dangerous
> happenings...for instances what happens when you release the
> brake...how should the sail be lowered to do it safely.
>     Jim
>
>
>>
>
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