Double-ending jib halyard

[wbatcheler]

This is my first post, so I hope it will not be seen as off topic.

I've removed a Shaeffer roller-furler from my Bristol 24, and want to use the inventory of mostly unused hank-on jibs that came with the boat. When single-handing it would be much easier to change jibs if the halyard winch stayed where it is on the mast. However, I’ve been concerned that it might sometimes be unhandy to go up to the mast to drop the jib. I would like rig a jib downhaul to the cockpit, but that only makes sense if you can free the jib halyard from the cockpit. I'm attaching a sketch for double-ending the jib halyard (the red line), using a single block with snap shackle head to hoist the jib and a double block with swiveling head on the masthead crane. There is only one sheave available for foresails in the masthead. There was already a single block on the crane to handle the drifter, and I’m not sure there would be room for two single blocks. The mast in the sketch is an actual photo of my mast, but I used Photoshop to paste in the two Ronstan blocks from their catalog and the dinghy jib I found on the internet just for illustrative purposes. Any thoughts about the practicality of this? I know there would be several miles of jib halyard involved.

[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Owner_2\Desktop\Bristol 24 Spring 2009\double end jib halyard.jpg[/IMG]


wbatcheler

[Brian Duff]

in the days before winches on all boats, double ended jib halyards were the norm - wiht a tackle on one side and 1:1 hoisting line on the other. while you would be better to just lead the existing halyard aft and either move the winch or use a cockpit one that is there already, your double ended idea would work.

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
As Brian notes, you could keep the 2:1, but don't make it double-ended; you'd just be multiplying weight, windage, and cost. Besides, you can have a belay at the mast as well as the cockpit: get a stopper with the option for the clutch staying open when the handle is closed (Spinlock has a nice one). When you hoist at the mast, you disable this feature, and it works like a regular clutch. When you are planning to work from the cockpit, you activate it, and the line runs through unimpeded.
Also consider that, as long as you have winches fore and aft, you likely don't need a 2:1 purchase on this boat.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss