Placement of Genoa Winch

[MarkSouth]

I bought my 1997 26X this past winter. Now I am finally sailing it I am wondering why the winches are where they are. The boat has a Genoa, I am guessing about a 150 but not sure. Its has a roller reefing. The sheets are routed to a track with a block, that is mounted on on the forward side of the cockpit (if you are sitting in the cockpit it would be behind you)... that leads to a winch and then a cam cleat.

I don't know if it come from the factory like that or not, but something isn't right.

The block on the track feeds the sheet into the winch I think too high. So when you take a turn around the winch and pull most of the time the sheet crosses and fouls. Its rather spooky when you have a 25 not wind not being able to free the jenny!

The next thing is the cam cleat is so close to the winch its darn close to impossible to secure the sheet.

I think the block on the track needs to feed the sheet to the winch close to the base of the winch or the winch needs to be raised. Also the cam cleat needs to be moved back away from the winch (aft) so its usable.

Does anyone know anything about this stuff? Is this factory installed? do my ideas make sense?

[Tomfoolery]

Winches like to have the line led in from below a bit, not from above the centerline. Mine only has the cabin roof winches, and that's fine with me. Less junk cluttering the smallish rails.

You can possibly remove the winches and mount them on angled blocks. You may also like using the standard jib fairleads, which are much lower, but not as flexy in line orientation. It's free to try, at least.

Beyond that, I'll defer to those who successfully use dedicated genoa winches.

Edit: In fact, you might be able to put the jib fairleads right near the winch, and use the genoa stand-up blocks to lead out to the sail. That might bring the line down low enough to the winch, with the stand-up blocks able to take the hard turn to the sail. If you're not using the jib blocks anyway, it might be worth a try.

The cam cleats, well, they're too close. I don't know what you can do short of moving them. Or just take a turn or two around the dock cleats at the stern. No cleat hitch - just a turn or two, since the winch will do the hard part.

[MarkSouth]

Can I use the standard winches on the cabin top for the Genoa? When you say use the standard fairleads, what exactly are you referring to?

[Tomfoolery]

The blocks for the genoa are different, and much lower. They attach to similar rails, but on the cabin roof, on either side of the sliding hatch.

[Tomfoolery]

You can see them here, one on each side, at the bottom of the pic.

[MarkSouth]

I am getting confused, sorry... the winches on the top of the cabin are used for the standard jib and nothing else... is that correct? Or does the jenny use the same winches? Is so then how do you route the sheets for the jenny as compared to the working jib?

Sounds like whomever put the winches in the cockpit for my jenny didn't really know what they were doing?

[robbarnes1965]

Can I use the standard winches on the cabin top for the Genoa? When you say use the standard fairleads, what exactly are you referring to?

Just route the genoa sheet through those same genoa leads and up to the the standard cabin top winches. I don't have the lower ones. If you can find lower profile tack blocks it would still be nice to have the sheets closer to you when single handing.

[jbousquin]

Hi Mark,

You might find the discussion here helpful in determining why your winches are where they are:

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =9&t=20396

I own an , so I'm not as familiar with the , but it looks to me like your winches were mods added on by the PO. If so, consider yourself lucky, as winches are typically the most expensive piece of rigging gear you will put on your boat. I wouldn't assume the PO didn't know what they were doing, probably just trying to figure out the best way to single-hand sail your boat.

I think if you look in the thread above, you'll find some ideas for how to route the sheets on your current set up so that they suit your needs better, without a lot of added cost.

Good luck,

Joe

[Tomfoolery]

I am getting confused, sorry... the winches on the top of the cabin are used for the standard jib and nothing else... is that correct? Or does the jenny use the same winches? Is so then how do you route the sheets for the jenny as compared to the working jib?

Just route the genoa sheet through those same genoa leads and up to the the standard cabin top winches. I don't have the lower ones. If you can find lower profile tack blocks it would still be nice to have the sheets closer to you when single handing.

^^^^^^ What robbarnes said. ^^^^^^^ The working jib sheets go to the cabin top fairleads, inside the shrouds. The genoa sheets go to the stand-up fairleads on the rail, outside the shrouds. I only have the cabin top winches, so that's what I use.

[MarkSouth]

I found a picture of the genoa sheet rigging. Like you said it goes from the track on the cockpit back to the winches on the top of the cabin. I bet it wouldn't get fouled like that, but wondering how much that messes up people sitting in the forward part of the cockpit?

[robbarnes1965]

I found a picture of the genoa sheet rigging. Like you said it goes from the track on the cockpit back to the winches on the top of the cabin. I bet it wouldn't get fouled like that, but wondering how much that messes up people sitting in the forward part of the cockpit?

People sitting forward need a job

[MarkSouth]

Yes I agree but it appears that the sheet would pass over where you would sit? I guess limit total POB to 3 people !!!

[Tomfoolery]

I bet it wouldn't get fouled like that, but wondering how much that messes up people sitting in the forward part of the cockpit?

They would be sitting on the low side. Folks without a job should at least serve as rail meat, and be on the high (windward) side. Except for my 80 year old FIL - he likes sitting on the lee side. It's more comfortable. At his age, he's earned it.

[MarkSouth]

Good point! I will give that a try next time out!

Any idea why someone would have added the winches like in my picture?

[Tomfoolery]

Because big boats do it that way? Not trying to be funny, but I just don't think it's necessary on such a small boat with an extra small sailplan (for the size of the boat, the especially).