I'm not worried about dowsing sail so much as changing sail. Way I see it, even with the forehatch hinged aft, you can stand in it and hank a jib on the stay right in front of you, attach downhaul and halyard, pull it down to the deck and haul the peak up. All this standing in the hatch. A point on the forestay six or seven feet up is only four feet or so from your reach standing in hatch. Not so? Sure its easy to climb up there and all, we all do it constantly. But if you are sailing alone, can you do that in perfect safety 200 300 1000 times and never make a mistake? One slip is all it takes. A safety harness in the long run is too cumbersome. If you don't use it every time you come on deck you might as well not have it aboard.
From: cjpacker@theofficenet.com> To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 12:45:22 -0800> Subject: Re: M_Boats: Re: M17 heavy weather capabilities> > Yes, downhauls are great. I've had them on my last 2 boats and you can drop > the jib from the cockpit so fast... especially when your sailing up to a > dock or mooring buoy. They also have the advantage of being able to tie the > jib down from the cockpit so its not trying to run itself back up in strong > wind.> > Jeff> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Nebwest2@aol.com>> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com>> Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 9:34 AM> Subject: M_Boats: Re: M17 heavy weather capabilities> > > > I'd have to second Gary's observations about the M17 hatch. I'm a pretty > > big> > boy and honestly I never tried it. My 17 had the backwards opening front> > hatch, so even if you fit, the hatch lid would prevent you from leaning > > forward.> > In this photo you can see the hinges are on the front of the hatch and > > that> > there's no way you'd be able to work around it to deal with the luff of > > the> > jib.> >> > _http://msogphotosite.com/MSOG/b17thomps/b17thomps7.jpg_> > (http://msogphotosite.com/MSOG/b17thomps/b17thomps7.jpg)> >> > On later versions and I believe the new M17's that Bob builds the hatch> > opens from the front...> > Hey Gary H.! Doesn't your hatch open from the front??? Could you manage > > a> > headsail change through it???> > (http://msogphotosite.com/MSOG/b17thomps/b17thomps7.jpg)> > Lately, I have been experimenting for the first time ever (for me) with a> > simple downhaul attached to the jib/genoa head. Holly cow, why I never did > > this> > before is beyond me. I don't mind going forward and pulling a sail down > > when> > someone's on the helm but when singlehanding it's a pain. When I'm alone I> > try to make sure I don't overcanvass for the conditions, but if I do, now > > I can> > at least get the sail down on the deck and secure before I ever leave the> > relative safety of the cockpit. It also allows me to hank on a jib at the > > dock> > , and attach the halyard without worry that the halyard is going to foul> > something by swinging around slack before I'm ready to raise it. I just > > hook up> > the downhaul and tension the halyard. I know, I know, roller furling > > would> > solve that issue. Someday I may go back to a furler, but for now I'm > > happy with> > hank-ons.> >> > Sean> >> >> >> > **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.> > http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489> > _______________________________________________> > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats > > > _______________________________________________> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
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