My assistant in filming the operation of the sail winch is Kathryn, after whom the boat was named. Please see the attached videos.

These videos show the sail winch in operation, but without sails, just the sheets that operate the sails. The sheet emerging just astern of the hatch is for the mainsail. That emerging off to one side of the hatch is for the staysail and jibs.

The 'closed circuit' or 'loop' is what we call the cord that starts at the sail winch, passes along the length of the 'rack', around a pulley and back to the winch. The winch has two sections. The outward leg is attached to the lower section whilst the inward leg is attached to the upper section.

Watch for the knot on the jib sheet appearing. When it reaches a nearby screweye it stops. At this position the both sheets are fully extended. When the sheets are hauled in you will see the knot on the mainsail sheet appear and travel up to the sail winch when it stops. At this point both sheets are fully inhauled.

The travel distance of the sheets is about 30cm. That distance is enough for the mainsail to be let out fully, but more than sufficient for the staysail and jibs. So their sheets pass through an eye or pulley on the clew of each sail and lead to an anchoring point back on the opposite gunwale.

If you would like to see detail of this arrangement please let me know and I can post a futuyre blog on the subject.