[Public-List] Do we need halyard winches?

[Don Campbell via Public-List]

Brent;
     There are a couple of things that matter when it comes to sailing.The 
first is safety and the second is the transfer of wind power via sails to 
the boat so it moves through the water to the best of your ability.  You 
will find that being part of a race crew improves your sailing because small 
details matter. Racing shows you the fine points of making a boat move. 
There will be a time when you want to beat a storm and then you will 
appreciate getting the most out of the boat you have. Safety first.  Many 
skippers seem to want to go to rope halyards and unless one spends  a hefty 
chunk for very low stretch line , these lines sag.  Since our mast is about 
34 feet from the deck to the sheave, (or 408 inches) a 1% stretch from the 
sheave to the deck is 4". It will  be more than 3" if you use a mast mounted 
winch and more like 5" if you go the the cockpit.  I still use wire for that 
very reason. If the halyards  do not sag, sometimes the clutches let things 
go and the same result ensues. Neither is very good for sail shape. That 
kills power transfer. Trying to get sails back to position without winches 
is not easy , even if you go head to wind, and the older one gets, the more 
difficult it becomes. Mechanical advantage is always that, an advantage.  I 
have found that it is always safer to use mechanical advantage than to not 
use it,  or lose it by choice of removing gear.  Nonetheless, it is always 
your choice and no-one else matters.
Don Campbell

-----Original Message----- 
From: Brent Higgins via Public-List
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2015 3:57 PM
To: via Public-List
Subject: [Public-List] Do we need halyard winches?

Hi Guys,
I took my A30 out sailing for the first time last weekend. We got the 
mainsail up but didn't raise the jib, because I only have the one port-side 
mast winch. I was planning to run my jib & spin halyards aft by mounting 
cheek blocks on the mast, similarly to what's on the website. Then I'd have 
to install a deck organizer, jammer, and winch on my cabin. I have all the 
parts, but I do not want to do undertake this unless I have to.
I looked through the old emails about mast winches & running line aft, & 
several of you said that our boats do not really need halyard winches, that 
you can hoist the main & jib without them. What're your thoughts? Is this 
unrealistic and/or dangerous? I am cruising only (and not very well...) in 
the Chesapeake. Should I run some lines aft or manually hoist the halyards?
Thanks,
Brent
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