The Aussie Blade F16 is fitted with a very similar externally cascaded system as well. The VWM Blade F16's in standard setup has also a external cascaded setup but that one lays along the mast.

This setup is getting pretty common on designs. However I personally still prefer the internal system alot. Mostly because I keep my boat on the beach in all weather, salt and sand. External lines become hard and abbrasive very quickly under those conditions. And that makes downhauling very hard. The internal downhaul system does not sure from that.




I have indeed opened up my mast to get to the internal downhaul system ones, but didn't spend so much effort and time on it as it made out to be here. There are several tricks to avoid drilling and rivetting or spend lots of time on it. Shouldn't take more then 20 minutes all taken together.



Basically, I unstep the mast but leave all stays attached. I lay the mast next to the boat. Then I unhook the diamond wires from the spreader arms; the diamond stays go slack. The unscrew to two retainer screws from the mast bottom and the whole mast base plate comes undone. I take it off and let it hang off the mast by the diamond wires.

I then pull the first stage line and the first stage block drops out of the mast. I untie it from the second stage line and stitch a long "helper" line to the end of the second stage line. I then pull on the third stage line (last stage that comes out of the mast) and the whole internal block system and all lines drop out of the mast. That includes the wholly internal the second stage line as that one terminates at the floating block and not at the mast bar or something. The only exception are the two blocks that are fitted to the internal bar but I glued those shackles tight so they will never come undone; I also carefully selected those blocks and shackles so it will take decades before they wear through.

Basically everything is now out of the mast ready for inspection/repair/replacement. Gettting the stuff back in is the same procedure in reverse direction.

Doing the whole job take about 15 to 20 minutes if you don't waste time yacking to interested passers-by.

Last time I did it all internal lines looked as new (1.5 years of sailing and leaving the boat out on the beach in weather and sand).

The first stage line itself (the one you are holding) can be replaced very easily without doing stuff like taking mast off the boat. Just stitch the new line to the old line and pull the setup with a little care throught the blocks and out the other end. I do this every winter because I want to wash my downhaul line clear or salt and sand that has accumulated in it over the sailing season.


But I guess you have to think systems like these through before making them and repairing them. I did when I designed and implemented this 3-stage cascading system. It is both more powerful and runs smoother then the standard AHPC internal system and more easily repaired.

Wouter