MacGregorSailors.com

I just received my rope clutches so that I can run my lines aft to the cockpit on my 2004 26 . The installation instructions state that the lines should not exit the clutch at more than a 10 degree angle.
The 26 has the factory winches on a raised section of the cabin deck 2 1/2 inches above the rest of the cabin deck.

Following these instructions the clutches are going to have be installed almost as far forward as my deck organizers!

Does anyone have a 26 which has had its lines led aft?
Did your installer place the clutches on lift blocks? If I place the clutches on 2 1/2 inch blocks, they are going to either be very wobbly or I am going to have to build very large area blocks that high.

Does anyone know how Bluewater Yachts install their clutches on 26 's?

I would appreciate any helpful suggestions...I don't want to install the clutches and find that they should have be placed differently.

You don't need to raise them, just install a wedge plate underneath to tilt them to the correct angle. You can buy these (wedges) for cam cleats; never seen them specifically for rope clutches but if you can't find them you ought to be able to make one out of a piece of wood, Starboard, or generic UV stabilized HDPE.

If I put in wedges so that the clutch exits are then in line with the
winch, won't this just shift the too-great-an-angle from the rear to the front of the clutch? Does this mean that I will have to put in some
lead blocks just forward of the clutch to allow the deck-parallel lines to angle up to the clutch?

I don't understand why MacGregor went and placed the winches up above the cabin deck so that any line coming from the foredeck, such as jib sheet would be raised inches above the deck rather than parallel to the deck like the 26 (a clean straight fore-aft run).

I bought a 'brick' of HDPE plastic, 2"x4"x12", cut it in two-4x6 pieces.
Used my router to round the edges. My triple clutches are slightly smaller than 4x6, so they sit nicely on top of the bricks, and are now only slightly lower than the winches.
The only problem I still have is that raising the lines aft up to the clutches and then to the winches, means that I will have six lines at just the right height to trip over when I walk the cabin top forward.

I have the same 2004 M26 and installed a clutch just forward of the starboard which. I use it to raise the main, I did not put anything the clutch just mounted it flat and it works great. I have to winch the last 1/3 of the main to get up to the top but it is far better than going up by the mast to raise it. Highly recommend.

Lynn Massingham
26M Wind Seeker
Fresno, Ca

Hamshog,

can you post a photo? I would like to see your set-up....

Thanks

Rich

Here's a picture of triple rope clutches mounted by BWY on an '05..
http://brownz.com/rope_clutches.JPG

I don't want to re-open an old argument, but in my opinion there is no need to be able to use the winch to raise the Main on a Mac. The sail is not that big.

So, my rope clutch is outboard to starboard about even with the winch.

- AndyS

My set up is a lot like hamhogs but on 04m26, i have no issues raising the main by hand, and i may use the winch on occassion for the last foot for sail trim.

WOW HERE WE GO AGAIN......Listen you M guys all you need to lead the main halyard aft is a little goodie just like this http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... ctId=46935

Now this one is too small but west marine does sell a larger one that is not on their website for 60 bucks...

No winches, no cam locks no nothing else except the sail slugs.


works perfect does not interfere with the rotation of the mast nor do you have to use any other lines..

Install it 8 inches from the bottom on the mast starboard side three screws and your in biz.

Here's how Super Sport Marine rigged my halyard. The clutch is not tilted or raised and works fine. I do use the winch because I'm a wimp (and a nerd).

http://www.rapidnet.com/~dt2000/non_web ... A60026.JPG

Also see the discussion at http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/viewt ... &&start=30

BB

aya16 -

I'm sure you're tired of this subject, but one question I haven't seen addressed that is making me a bit hesitant to convert to your solution is this: have you, or anyone else, tried this system with a dodger in place, or more specifically a full enclosure? It seems to me that there could be some problem releasing the halyard from the cockpit under those circumstances.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim I have not used it with a dodger, But I cant see why it wouldnt work.
With My setup you do have to snap the line out of the cam cleat but you can also install a wedge to go under the cam cleat that will change the angle enough to just pull it out. The problem I see with this setup is you may lose the ability to lock the halyard with every pull when the sail goes up.
Also the halyard never has to be winched up at least on my boat. I can make the sail very tight with out the winch.
Simply , we have a rotating mast and there isnt a whole lot we can do without efecting the mast. So people can use this or not but I keep seeing some one post the question ( how can I run the lines aft on my M?) and I just keep telling them how. I assume that the poster of the question has a real desire to find out. If not, and its just to get a debate going then Ill post the fix once and let it go.

aya16 -

Thanks for the reply. I was serious in my question, since I do want to get a full enclosure in the future, and previous discussion had implied that snapping the line free might need to be done from the companionway. I'm going ahead with this as a solution; unfortunately I can't afford to do the full enclosure right now, so I won't be able to report back on that part of the question.

Thanks again,
Jim

AYA16
I see advantages to your solution. In our case the truth is that both my wife and me need to use the winch on the main halyard so I'm glad we went the way we did. If I were 20 years younger maybe it would be different.

I assume you use nuts and bolts to hold your cleat to the mast; there's going to be a lot of force on it.

BB