Sails on a Sailboat
The sails on a sailboat are the engine of any racing or cruising sailboat. For many solo, and short-handed sailors, sail handling efficiency is essential. If like many who have a few hours on the biological clock, sail handling can tend to fatigue and wear you out. These days many people are going yachting single or shorthanded, and that includes me for a very long time, both by lifestyle choice and also good crew are hard to find. When I was much younger, I could wind and grind in sheets all day long but not so much anymore, age has finally caught up with me.
Many late life cruisers are retired couples or others with physical limitations and who simply don’t have the same strength they once had. Does that sound familiar? There are many labor-saving bits of deck equipment out there to help you sail without or at least reducing the physical stress. That includes a range of high-quality self-tailing deck winches from many reputable manufacturers, and these are precision engineered bits of machinery.
Sails on a Sailboat
On vacation but worn out within the first few days? Stuck in weather with long windward legs to your destination, lots of tacking and sail trimming to get there? Whoever coined the phrase “Gentlemen don’t sail to windward” never went cruising, because sometimes you have no choice and not all sailing is trade wind sailing. It is inevitable much like the proverbial death and taxes. You get to know very quickly how out of condition you are and how any energy saving equipment would be great. There are reasons why some of those top ocean racing yachts have trimmers that are all muscle. Years ago, I did do a spell on an ocean racing yacht doing this and found it extremely challenging. For more technical details and information on electric deck winches check out the chapter in my book The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible, now in its 4th Edition completely updated and revised.
Sails on a Sailboat
There are many energy saving bits of deck gear to plan for and install, from new generation deck cleats to headsail furlers. I reckon that head sail furler as one of the greatest inventions ever. My first old Herreshoff ketch had hanked on sails and they were not easy to handle alone. Even the humble boom vang and mainsheet traveler has evolved and changed for the better. Mainsail reefing systems are also improved with lines all taken back to the cockpit, alas I was not able to do that on my current boat. Then there are issues about Cunninghams, outhauls, gybe preventers and so on. Then questions are about how many reefs to put in the main, and I have two, the second quite deep and my mate Steve on his boat has 3 reefs. Like most mains these days they are fully battened.
Sails on a Sailboat
The sails on a sailboat are also subject to continual technology advances. Look at any ocean racing fleet with all those black sails made from exotic materials. Sail repair takes on a new meaning if you are cruising although they are not generally used in that application. I recall the conversations with my North sailmaker about my requirement for a durable yet high performing headsail that could be reefed and still be useful. Thanks Vaughan at North Sails as the new mainsail and genoa are terrific, great shape and high quality. The genoa is installed on a Profurl 350 and one of the aims was to have some useful shape when partially furled. There are also many who opt for in-mast and in-boom mainsail furling systems which are great for short handed sail handling, although like anything there are drawbacks. It would be incomplete not to mention the subject or spinnaker and whisker poles along with deck stowage options for these, and some have poles installed vertically on mast tracks.
Sails on a Sailboat
Then I had the conversations with many others about views on Code 0 and asymmetric spinnakers and so on. Most I speak to with Code 0 with small furlers are always enthusiastic about them. I have my asymmetric from a previous boat which is in almost new condition made by a sailmaker friend and it suits perfectly. This was fitted with a Rolly Tasker spinnaker sock. I have always installed an inner forestay on previous boats and this was no different. When I had the mast pulled, overhauled and inspected I installed the hardware and halyard for a removable Dyneema inner forestay for a staysail. In the past I have used a storm jib and it was very useful so I am doing so again and is hanked on when required. I have seen a few cutter-rigged boats with furlers doing the same task and that is a very useful setup. Of course, there are many who have older boats who want to upgrade their systems. Have to say I have been there and done that, and it is all about compromise and expectation management as some boat designs restrict what is possible. Then once all the sails are sorted, genoa tracks and cars and deck winches covered, sheet and line geometry resolved we get to the most interesting subject of improving one’s sail handling and sail trimming techniques and abilities. More about parts of a sailboat sail elsewhere along with masts and rigging, reefing, sail trim and sail repairs. The whole subject of how to sail a sailboat is simple but also complex with so many variables.
Sails on a Sailboat
The humble sailboat deck winch is essential to all sailing, but over the last 50 years they are perhaps not so humble anymore. They provide the muscle to tension sails through their sheets and halyards and provide the power to move your boat through the water. There is much to know about and not the least are the indispensable self-tailing winch. The main genoa sheet winches are to control the headsail or genoa and in some cases a storm jib. Then we have winches on some boats to tension up the mainsheet. Then we have mast mounted halyard winches for hoisting mainsails and if not using a furler for hoisting a variety of jibs and spinnaker. Then we have deck winches for trimming spinnakers and gennakers. All essential in their own right but each has factors affecting selection and installation. There are a range to choose from, on this boat all my winches are Lewmar, on previous boats I had Andersen winches which were excellent as well, and then there are Harken and also a range of others.
Sails on a Sailboat
So, you are thinking about an electric sailboat winch to make life easier. Electric deck winches bring in several factors that cover installation issues, supporting electrical systems, battery power consideration and a host of other issues to consider. Useful these days are portable electric winch handles such as the EWincher. More about sails on a sailboat and sail handling is here.