Several supplier have several different qualities in cleats. Ranging form pure plastic to reinforced polymer. Alot of shops only carry the cheap plastic ones. You have to get the catalogy and look for the specific product number of the high load baring product.

I've used Ronstan extensively on my F16 and have had only one of the old model Ronstan autoratchet (spi sheet) break on me. This is however a well accepted product fault of the first model autoratchets. I knew it could happen before it did. I send my block back with a letter and Ronstan replaced it with a new model autoratchet where the cause has been redesigned. I hear from several other sailors that this modified block is up to specs.

I'm using 4 mm dyneema as spi halyard and only once in a while I have a slight slip on my spi halyard. Often when the line is not properly cleated as rolf describes. Several at our beach club use spinlock cleats but with the salt and sand they operate alot less then when new. Often the need exstensive cleaning before racing. I'm staying with my extremely simple ronstan cam cleat setup on the mainbeam. I don't seem to have more trouble then others while this setup was only 35 Euro's in total. I have thought about thickening the halyard locally to get a more firm grip on it by the cleat.

Why spend money on expensive stuff and end up at the same level of reliability.


Wouter