imagineero wrote:
snip...
It looks like roller furling for the jib, and some other (preferably
fast simple) means of fixing the main halyard. I'm going to employ the
travelling block on the downhaul, i've only got 1:1 gong to a clam
cleat and i can never get enough tension on it... i end up having to
sit on the mast while trying to lock the downhaul at the same time...
can be amusing for bystanders if the mast is slippery ;-) As an aside
is there anything that can be done to make the luff slide easier up the
mast? dry lubricants or such?

thanks for all the excellent comments,
Shaun


I have roller furling on my Sandpiper 565 (similar to Sailfish 18),and
just this spring, I had a local sailmaker change my main over to slides
(slugs) from the 'bolt rope' system. I bought the lubriant recommended
by my local boat supply store.
I plan to have my main halyard, line to douse main, & cunningham all
lead back into the cockpit to allow for easier control while singlehanded.