Cabin top clutches
Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2025 8:49 am
Do you have specific recommendations or advice for installing cabin top clutches? Both about a specific brand or style as well as some useful installation hints that would allow me to do this without cutting into the cabin headliner.
I have a 2002 26x and I'm adding a hardtop dodger with stamoid side curtains and an AR2 windshield in a frame with a manual windshield wiper.
Currently, all lines come aft in the following way:
Starboard:
- Preventer to a camcleat.
- Main halyard to a swiveling camcleat located a foot forward of the companionway bulkhead and very much in the way of my new setup.
- Main downhaul to a camcleat.
- Jib sheet (not shown in some photos, black line in others) from cabin top cars/leads to a camcleat.
- Single line reef for the first reef, does not require a camcleat.
- Swingkeel line to a camcleat, not modifying this, leaving it set up as is.
Port:
- Preventer to a camcleat.
- Jib from cabin top to camcleat.
- Roller furler to a camcleat.
One complication is that the roller furler line is a substantially smaller diameter than the halyards and preventers.
It is a frequently occuring situation at anchor where I need to be able to simultaneously secure the main halyard, the downhaul and the preventer on the starboard side all at the same time to prevent the halyards from noisily slapping against the mast while also keeping the boom fully extended out from the side of the boat to accommodate the magma rock and roll stabilizer on the starboard side.
On the starboard side, probably need a four station clutch (preventer, main halyard, downhall, jib) though the Jib will be used only occasionally (i frequently use a genoa).
To port, need a clutch to hold the preventer and Jib. Would also be great if it would hold the roller furler, but note that that is a substantially smaller size line and it needs to be a smaller size line so it will fit inside the furler drum housing.
I should be able to install these on the edge of the companionway bulkhead/walkway where the camcleats are currently installed, allowing me to get access to the back of the unit through the little hutch in the top of the aft side of the head and the similar hutch on the port side which currently houses the AC switches and shorepower inlet.
The photos are all the same boat. I just have new black canvas in some of them.
Suggestions? Corrections? I would like good quality economically priced clutches. I want them to last, but I also am not buying status symbols. Thanks for your help.
I have a 2002 26x and I'm adding a hardtop dodger with stamoid side curtains and an AR2 windshield in a frame with a manual windshield wiper.
Currently, all lines come aft in the following way:
Starboard:
- Preventer to a camcleat.
- Main halyard to a swiveling camcleat located a foot forward of the companionway bulkhead and very much in the way of my new setup.
- Main downhaul to a camcleat.
- Jib sheet (not shown in some photos, black line in others) from cabin top cars/leads to a camcleat.
- Single line reef for the first reef, does not require a camcleat.
- Swingkeel line to a camcleat, not modifying this, leaving it set up as is.
Port:
- Preventer to a camcleat.
- Jib from cabin top to camcleat.
- Roller furler to a camcleat.
One complication is that the roller furler line is a substantially smaller diameter than the halyards and preventers.
It is a frequently occuring situation at anchor where I need to be able to simultaneously secure the main halyard, the downhaul and the preventer on the starboard side all at the same time to prevent the halyards from noisily slapping against the mast while also keeping the boom fully extended out from the side of the boat to accommodate the magma rock and roll stabilizer on the starboard side.
On the starboard side, probably need a four station clutch (preventer, main halyard, downhall, jib) though the Jib will be used only occasionally (i frequently use a genoa).
To port, need a clutch to hold the preventer and Jib. Would also be great if it would hold the roller furler, but note that that is a substantially smaller size line and it needs to be a smaller size line so it will fit inside the furler drum housing.
I should be able to install these on the edge of the companionway bulkhead/walkway where the camcleats are currently installed, allowing me to get access to the back of the unit through the little hutch in the top of the aft side of the head and the similar hutch on the port side which currently houses the AC switches and shorepower inlet.
The photos are all the same boat. I just have new black canvas in some of them.
Suggestions? Corrections? I would like good quality economically priced clutches. I want them to last, but I also am not buying status symbols. Thanks for your help.