The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

Preparing for Sailing Season '04
The All-Lines-Led-Aft Project

Description

First, I replaced the old-style mast step with the new-style step and halyard plate. (Apr. 17, 2004)

Next, I attached the blocks to the halyard plate and installed the port and starboard deck organizers.  (May 2, 2004)

After raising the mast, I led the jib (port) and main (starboard) halyards aft along the deck between the hatch cover and the hand rails.  (May 8, 2004)

Then I installed the  first two cockpit cam cleats; port side for the jib halyard, starboard side for the main halyard.

The port side cam cleats for the new single-line reefing system line (inboard) and jib halyard (outboard). The cockpit mount for the new Humminbird Piranha Max15 fishfinder is alongside the companionway.   (May 29)

The new main halyard (outboard) and main downhaul (inboard) lines and cam cleats are on the starboard side bulkhead. The new boom vang is visible above the companionway.

(After discovering that lines and halyards were wearing grooves through the fiberglass where they turned down from the cabin top to the cam cleats, in 2005 I added stainless steel rub strakes along the edges of the cabin top.)

Subsequently, I added cleats to the starboard (photo left) and port (photo below) sides of the cabin bulkhead on which to hang coiled lines and halyards when not in use (see above).

After installing the Furlex roller-furling system, I added its blocks to the stanchions to lead the furling-line aft, and a cleat to the portside deck, parallel to just behind the cabin bulkhead (not visible in this photo), to tie it off.

Addendum:  Last season (2004), after completing the above All Lines Led Aft project, a new problem developed: the lines coming back to the cockpit were wearing grooves in the fiberglass where they turned over the cabin top edge. Once I recognizes this, I took precautions when hauling in on them to minimize the wear, but recognized that a better and permanent solution was needed. Wally Riddle ("Carpe Diem") offered one after stopping by the other day: stainless steel rub strakes he saw advertised by West Marine. I bought a pair and installed them today.  (Apr. 29, 2005)

The rub strakes come in various lengths and widths; the smallest was 3/4"X 8" so I cut my pair down to about 5" and drilled a new hole in each. Next I filed out the corners of the pop top just enough to close over the rub strakes, then sealed and fastened each one.

The cabin top is now protected where the lines (main halyard and main downhaul on the starboard side) turn over its edge and down to the cam cleats.

I likewise added the second rub strake to the port side to protect where the single-line reefing line and jib halyard turn over the cabin top.

In the spring of 2007 I added a pair of Spinlock XAS/2 power clutches to replace the need for the cockpit cam cleats and makeshift rub strakes.  This was a great improvement, though it required cutting down the handrails.

See:  The Rope Clutches Project