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.

snipped installation descr

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.

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. It is done everyday,
and in a heavier seaway one only needs to time one's body motion with
the rolls, while being quite secure by virtue of holding onto a line
with both hands that isn't about to go anywhere. Cost & time to
design, purchase & install: zero. It is much faster, too, once you get
the hang of it, and you will soon find yourself wondering why anyone
bothers having little single-speed winches at all (and their cranks to
deal with too), let alone more running rigging to take their place.