I agree the winch and servo type work well in different models. I can't claim to be the original designer of this system as I copied it from fellow club member Brian Clewes when I built my Marblehead, from the same plug as his Marblehead model.

I used for my Capricorn (Thames sailing barge) model almost the same design . It works reliably. For my other models, I chose to use sail lever servos .Setup is then much easier .
Tom

No Worries Dave I ordered two Hopefully get them sometime around Christmas but I still have loads to do and the Sails won't arrive until around March. I could have got them from Canada or Australia for twice the price but as I have time it really does not matter. I looked at your setup and it looks reasonably easy to make just put together the parts pulley wheels etc.

Cheers Jon.

Hi Dave, i had a look they are out of stock on back order. i found Elite models are due a delivery on the 20th December so i ordered two. even if i don't use the second one i have always got a spare.

Cheers Jon.

Hi Jon
Try Servo Shop
https://servoshop.co.uk/index.php?area=servo&make=Hitec
They have them at about £28 and are in the UK.
Cheers
Dave

Thanks Ron but i have just had a call from a supplier in the UK and they expecting an order this month.

Cheers Jon

https://www.amazon.ca/HiTec-RCD-33785S-HS-785HB-Winch/dp/B000BOGI7E

7 available

https://www.robotshop.com/ca/en/hitec-hs-785hb-winch-servo-motor.html

In stock

Hi, I have been looking all afternoon but cannot find any Hi Tec 785 HB in stock anywhere in the UK anyway, I will have find someone who will order me one or two. They on Back order by all accounts so i will have to wait.

Cheers Jon.

Hi Dave I have used your set up a couple of times where I can withdraw the whole sail control unit for servicing.

I usually have a locating spigot at the bow of the sail boat where the control unit slots into.
It is worth mentioning that there are standard size servos with drum winches at around £10 which can be used for the lesser tasks.

I have a 32 inch loa yacht which stands about 4' 6" high and one of these winches happily runs main and jib.

These are the ones with the enclosed drum and do not need an out and back line. They are not perfect but as long as you give an adequare space gap from o/p to any guiding items they work fine. If necessary I loop an inch of solder wire loosely onto the out lines to make sure they do not bundle up inside.
regards
Roy

Hi Dave I ment say my radio is a Futaba 4yf SkySport four channel. I will have to read if it is capable of doing that.

Cheers Jon

Hi Dave, Thanks for the information I will have a good look when I get home as the photos will be a lot bigger on my laptop.

Cheers Jon

Hi Jon
Good to see you are progressing.
I agree with the Hitek we use the HS785HB in our large 5Ft schooners to control the the main sails + gaffs. I also a standard servo to control the jib sails linked to the main servo using the mixing function on the TX.
I attach a pic of a typical unit we use with the servo. This uses a piece of electrical plastic trunking and a piece of sliding nylon attached to lines running round two pulleys at either end of the track. A spring between the nylon slider and line on the side that is not pulling in the sails keeps it tight. The sheets to the sails are attached to a simple brass plate fixed to the slider.
You only require about 6" or so of travel to allow the sail to run out so will not need more than the three turn version of the servo. If you have as modern radio that allows you to adjust the end points this will not cause a problem, I have reduced mine to about 30% on a six turn version (FlySky FSi6).
The unit is positioned to the formers beneath the hatch and fastened securely but in a way that allows quick release for servicing etc.
cheers
Dave

Thanks Graham I will use this type of Servo as they probably won't take up as much room as a lever arm and as they are tried and tested I will stick with it. Cheers Jon

Thanks Roy for the information I have a look and see what is available. Cheers Jon.

Hi to you both I calculate the power needed to move the sails in and out by this rule of thumb. The wind blowing at 20 mph on 1 square foot of area has a force of 1 pound.

The Hitec servo mentioned is excellent and by a bit of arithmetic will pull about 10 pounds so that equates to maybe 10 square feet. Two sail servos wil give you a bit of choice on sail settings but one servo will do the job.

I also have a hypothesis that when you can't pull the sails in then you pull the yacht round to suit.
Also from a personal point of view if the wind blows any harder, then I would be watching the weather form home.

Make sure the rudder servo is man enough for the job, water is aprox 800 times denser than air. So a little arithmetic will sort things out.

Regards
Roy

Hi Jon,

I’ve used two HiTec HS-785HB winch servos on my pilot cutter. They’ve lots of power (11 kg.cm torque), ball bearing output shaft and provide 3 1/2 turns.

Can’t be sure that one of these would be OK for all the sails but I’ve been impressed with their performance.

Graham93

Hi I am not sure how much sail area your yacht has, but the Hitec sail servos should suit OK. You have a choice of a winch or an arm. Each has their merits but you will only need one winch. Sails should go in and out in parallel so a bit of planning as to where you place the sail winch sheets on booms is advisable.

If you use a winch you will need to have a pulley at the other end and continuous run of cord in and out of the winch. When attaching the sail sheets to it remember to attach on the side of the winch cord that is winding in under power.

Sails (jibs) with no booms have a mind of their own and will fold into nothing just like that! One solution is some piano wire threaded through the lower seam of the sail. Not the stiff stuff but some thin flexible wire.

I use braided cord for the winch to sail sheets, which just falls in a pile and does not tangle and if the sail sheet has to go around any corners use a small single sheeve pulley. If it comes up through the deck than you can use some plastic tubing which can be bent into a shallow curve with hot water.

All the best
Roy