The Contessa Corner — putting a halyard winch on mast

Re: putting a halyard winch on mast

null@example.com (Christopher) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:40:22 +0000

I think Ivan will have better info for you -- my 1976 mast is quite different from yours. Good luck!

Re: putting a halyard winch on mast

null@example.com (ivanross) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:38:21 +0000

Hi - Morava is a 1980 - and the lines leading aft where added later but I still have the two original winches on the mast - they are placed just above the goose-neck for the boom and are on pads - I will post a picture of it in the technical section.

Cheers,

Re: putting a halyard winch on mast

null@example.com (Viragodeb) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:49:06 +0000

Hi Christopher,

I had thought of that and it's good to know there might be one out there, but from what I've gathered from postings elsewhere on this site the mast steps may be different and I don't know that changing mast steps would be clever. Mine straddles a ridge on the deck fitting and the foot of the stepped mast is held in place with a bolt. Yours sits in a dent in the cabin roof doesn't it? Also, I want to be able to restore the boat to original should I (gulp) sell it some day. How are the winches on your mast mounted? Are they on blocks that allow for the curve of the mast? Where do the halyards exit the mast? Are there two winches on the mast or just one?

Re: putting a halyard winch on mast

null@example.com (Christopher) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:30:22 +0000

I know the easy way to make this switch -- swap masts with one from one of the older boats which do not have internal halyards! Want to trade?

putting a halyard winch on mast

null@example.com (Viragodeb) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:26:41 +0000

The halyards and toppinglift on my boat (85 JJT) are lead aft to the cockpit. The reefing lines and boom vang are controlled at the mast. I find this set-up awkward when managing the main, especially when reefing. Rather than routing more lines to the the cockpit, I'd like to move the main halyard and topping lift to the mast. The topping lift is no problem as that's were it was originally - I'll just move it back to its original spot, but what about putting a winch on the mast for the halyard? There is a pad for a small winch on the aft part of the mast but I'm guessing that's for the reefing lines.

Here are some of my thoughts/questions:

Will adding a winch where there was not one before severely compromise the strength of the mast? I doubt it as the boats I grew up on had a winch or two on the side of the mast but ya never know...

How would I route the lines? Leave them to exit the foot of the mast and come up to a winch, or put a hole in the mast above the winch and come down to it?

Has anyone done this already? Are the older Co. masts set up with the halyards on the mast? If so, how are they rigged?

Does anyone remember the B.C. comic strip? I feel like that when I come on this web site with a question - I scratch the question on a stone tablet and let it slip away on the water and then wait for an answer to come back.