I'm curious about upgrading the downhaul on my P18. Does anyone know if it's worthwhile to upgrade beyond the stock 5:1 system? If so, what have other people done to improve it?
I'd really like something that can be adjusted by crew on the water.

Thanks

If you still have the older style dacron sail I would leave it alone. If you put a 12 to 1, or 18 to 1 on the old sail and crank it, I am not sure how long the sail would last.

Gotcha..

I dont know what the prindle system is like... but i have replaced my downhaul lines to reach my sidestays... i then put little brass clips on the ends so they attach to the stays. I can reach them while on the wire to adjust.

The problem with the stock downhaul system is that it's not designed to be adjusted from the hulls or out on the wire. The clutch is mounted to the mast and you must be at the base of the mast to change downhaul settings. I would advise at the minimum, getting the Harken 392 Bullet block and riveting it to the mast:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/scpdinw1.showProd?409Z56LC3RA3M



You don't have to purchase the entire downhaul kit (or the 392 direct from Harken) and this single component can be found fairly inexpensive for under $100 on some websites. It allows you to use a longer downhaul line and adjust it from the hulls or out on the wire. The blocks allow you to make a downhaul adjustment and then lock it down like your jib blocks.

As it is, you would have a 4:1 purchase. If you have double bullet blocks on your sail and would like to make it 8:1, you would have to buy the small Bullet cheek blocks and rivet them to the mast over the steel plate of the 392. It all makes life so much easier to have downhaul controls on each side of the boat at the hulls.