Hey TD, I thought we were the only people getting old? Connie and I have had this discussion more than ten times, it is also a common discussion on our dock. There are two more issues for us. Raising the main and trimming the head sail. The Admiral seems to think that she is 30 years old, sailing a Catalina 25. She SHOULD be able to throw a couple of wraps around the cabin top winch and just pull that rope to scoot the main sail right up the mast. In reality that won't happen even with a good dose of dry lube in the track. She fights with a winch handle and although I let her to try and to make a point, the point never registers so we do it every time. I also tried to explain that two-speed winches are not installed because the builder has extra ones laying around the shop.........that point doesn't register either.

As far as solutions to your problem? We are the last hold out on the dock, everyone else, which totals maybe 10 couples, have purchased new or newer boats with Seldon in mast furling. Our dock looks like a showroom for Marlow-Hunter with one random Beneteau thrown in. No one was willing to refurb their current rides because, to be honest, they did not want the project or the expense. I will also throw in that I believe everyone of those couples is a snowbird so there is no time for a DIY project over the winter. This being a very dry area for riggers, the boats would have to go to Buffalo to get the work done.