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DSK wrote:

Roger Long wrote:

I previously posted about my desire do save the cost and mast real
estate of a winch for the roller furling jib halyard since it is
infrequently used. I posted this sketch:

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Halyard.jpg

which elicited no technical comments but started a long thread about
how I was negligently and foolishly endangering my children and
everyone else by requiring anyone to leave the security of the
cockpit.

wrote:

I'd encourage you to bear in mind that not everyone who posts to usenet
is a confident sailor who has spent some time doing things at sea.

Ya think?

I'm glad you are happy with your arrangement. I'd offer that on a boat
this size, one can get as much or more force than needed without any of
this by simply choking the line at the cleat, putting one's foot hard &
high against the mast, & alternately drawing the halyard outward like a
bowstring while snubbing it up between strokes.

I'd offer that you have no idea how much halyard tension is desirable on
a keelboat of this size, and I'll bet you haven't tried "putting one's
foot hard & high against the mast, & alternately drawing the halyard
outward" in any kind of seaway.

Picture this... how much force would be on a line used to *tow* the boat
at 5 1/2 or 6 knots, thru a bit of lumpy water? Are you going to sweat
that line tighter with your hands & feet, with no added purchase? Is the
halyard tension greater or less?

Plus, it looks from Roger's drawing like the halyards are inside the
mast. The bowstring method won't work then will it?

Stephen