Now you've got me curious. How much time do you have in older
"dangerous" boats? There is certainly a convenience issue with all
cockpit control and it made sense for the retired couple who sailed
this boat by themselves. I'm not sure about the danger though.

The close overboard calls I had during my last quarter century of
sailing were mostly in the cockpit where there are few handholds when
you stand up to do something. At the mast, there are all sorts of
handholds and they are at and above your center of gravity. The
shrouds are between you and the ocean and there is this big solid
thing you can lean against.

On your other point: It's not the rope coils that take up the space.
It's the person standing up to grind the winch and sticking his or her
butt in the face of someone sitting in the cockpit. Then there are the
flailing arms as the lines are coiled up. Believe me, it takes up a
lot of space in a cockpit.

--

Roger Long




wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, just cuz it was done in the past doesnt mean its a good idea
now.
You could argue that real seamen sail with canvas sails butpeople
would laugh at you for such an assertion. Technological advances
are
made for good reason and in this day there are few reasons for mast
mounted winches. Old boats just are old, not better.
I know thata Endeavor has an engine, do real seamen EVER use
engines,
of course they do although all boats do not have them and real
seamen
did not use them in the past. Auxiliary engines, like cockpit led
control lines were a good idea.
As far as getting room int eh cockpit for guests, simply coil the
lines
and put em on the cabin top when not in use.
Creating danger for purely arbitrary reasons seems odd to me but I
was
simply suggesting based on my experience. Its your boat, set it up
your way and enjoy.
My appreciation for my cockpit led controls increased last month
when I
sailed from Sarasota to N. Florida across the Gulf of Mexico. After
dark, the wind got up a little so I decided to reef. The guy who
was
sailing with me thought i had to go up on the cabin top to reef,
instead I simply slacked the halyard and pulled on the reefing line
and
Voila, I never left the safety of the cockpit at night.