Easing a Rope on a Winch

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Excerpted from The Handbook of Sailing

It is important to know how to ease the tension of a sheet or halyard on a winch. The tail of the line is taken off the cleat but the tension must still be kept on it. One hand should then be placed on the turn of the line around the winch barrel and the heel of the hand used to feed the line around the barrel, as the other hand eases the tension on the line. It is most important that the fingers are kept well out of the way.

For more hints and tips on sailing techniques for both the beginner and experienced sailor, purchase Bob Bond’s The Handbook of Sailing from Practical Sailor.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.