• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Line bags in cockpit - where to place ?

K2MSmith

Sustaining Member
My newly completed running rigging setup now leads all lines from mast back to cockpit. I have have two new Lewmar 40st winches and 6 Antal clutches mounted on the cabin top. It is nice that I have all the control lines within easy reach now as a single-hander but I now have moved the mess of lines from deck back to the cockpit - and there are lots of them if you include the double main sheets (fine and course adjustment). This is further made worse by the fact that I let the so-called rigger spec the new jib and main halyard ropes (big mistake - don’t let anyone specify any rope or hardware for you !!) . He supplied me with double-braided oversized lines (1/2”) that could lift my boat let alone the main/jib, so they take up a bit more space .

Given the new setup, I am wondering if some line bags would be a good solution ? the problem is that I don’t have much place to put them. I already have a mesh line bag in front of cockpit below the companionway for the main sheets. The left and right side of the cockpit just below the cabin top winches have compass (port) and instruments (starboard). I am wondering if two bags each placed on port and starboare side of lower cockpit well would work ? It would mean a little less space for your legs but would tidy up the cockpit and prevent fouls. the other default solution is just to punt on it all together and drop the lines below deck through the companionway.

Any suggestions ?
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Do you have a dodger? I've been attaching rail-mounted cleats to my dodger's side supports and they make a great place to hang less-often used lines.
 

Slick470

Member III
I have been considering this as well. I don't currently have any line bags and have instruments on the bulkhead as well. For now, I just toss the lines into the companionway but that puts a large amount of line on the floor which can be a slippery mess. So, I think I'm going to make some line bags that snap to both sides of the steps to contain the lines. Kind of like this, but smaller and attached to the steps.
 

Attachments

  • halyardbags3.JPG
    halyardbags3.JPG
    111.9 KB · Views: 30

K2MSmith

Sustaining Member
This works well. Just Sunbrella bags, make or buy.

View attachment 36711
click to enlarge
On my boat (tiller steering), the area where you have your bags is taken up by instruments and compass. So thought about maybe putting bags on each side of cockpit well but it’s a bit of a long reach to clutches. Maybe I need to get a bag and try it by temporarily mounting it there.
 

K2MSmith

Sustaining Member
I have been considering this as well. I don't currently have any line bags and have instruments on the bulkhead as well. For now, I just toss the lines into the companionway but that puts a large amount of line on the floor which can be a slippery mess. So, I think I'm going to make some line bags that snap to both sides of the steps to contain the lines. Kind of like this, but smaller and attached to the steps.
That’s interesting. Had not thought about that. the downside is that the lines are presumably only stored in those bags when you are sailing but remain exposed on deck looped around the winches when you are at the dock. Are those custom bags or can you buy them made up that way ?
 

Slick470

Member III
That picture is a proof of concept on a friend's boat, but I was going to have my wife measure and make up some custom bags for our boat that are narrower. I'm sure that there is a vendor somewhere makes something in a standard size that could work.

The general thought would be toss everything down the companionway, and then once sailing, flake everything into the bags in some order to contain the mess. A bit less convenient than cockpit bags, but gets everything out of the cockpit.
 
Top