"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
...
If your budget restricted you to a single powered winch, which lines
would you use it on?

The main halyard and reefing lines (and I like separate clew and tack
lines). Rope clutches for all of them.

Say you're motoring at 2 a.m. You've been on watch for 1-1/2 hours. The
wind comes up a bit. Do you:

a) hoist that main - this is a sailboat dammit
b) wait a bit - the wind might die again
c) wait for the change of watch - it's safer and the other person makes it
easier.

If it was my old boat I'd say a). But if it was a 45' boat with a big full
batten mainssail I'd be tempted to b) or c) 'cause it's a real committment
at 2 a.m. So that's my reasoning.

You can also look into Harken or Spinlocks "open sheave" cross-overs to lead
other halyards to the powered winch in a pinch.

--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)