I sail a Mystere 6.0 that I bought used (1997 model) this year. Within the first two weeks of ownership, I found the Harken halyard block at the mast top was gone. I mean this thing was melted through the bearings and the sheaf itself.
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<br>Keep in mind that that main sail is held up by a hook and the only load on the top block is when the halyard is pulled by hand.
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<br>The only load that this block experiences is from manual (with no winches or other mechanical advantages) hand hoists. the halyard exits the block, goes down the mast, and makes a U turn throgh a block at the mast bottom.
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<br>The biggest loads that I have exerted on this block is if I stand on the deck and lift the 3/16" line in an upward direction, using my legs and arms together.
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<br>After finding that I had melted the sheaf, I replaced it with a brand new one. Within a few weeks I had to do it all over again. One used one gone and one new one gone now.
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<br>The third block lasted a bit longer becase I was being careful not to put any of that big brute force this little 190# guy could put on it. Yes this one must have lasted a full two or three months before it started to groan from having less than round ball bearings.
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<br>One More Thing:
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<br>When I bought my boat, the furler was missing. So I bought a brand new harken high load catamran furler. After 8 months it is beginning to make a screaching noise as the lower drum cage fingers are rubbing agains the upper drum. That means to me that the bearings have worn and are allowing the two drums to move closer together. I have not bent the housing and I have given things a close look. Yep, the furler is failing.
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