OK, I have had it with the two line system, one for the halyard, one for the tack. Seems I'm always kneeling on one or the other and (along with the kinked halyard previously discussed) have been having a hell-of-a time snuffing my spinn. So I'm considering going with a small block on the end of the tack line through which the halyard will pass, so when I pull the halyard, the tack line pulls as well, and switching them both to Dyneema.

I know many of you have that set up already, before I start drilling holes in my front beam for a turning block and a new clete, what problems have you found with that system, that I might avoid? Pictures would be great before I drill holes. Oh, and I sail it solo most of the time, so no second set of hands to help, BUT, I want to keep my jib self-tacking track on the front beam so the setup has to run clear of that. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Thanks.

Welcome to the club Tim.

F18's go "double spi lines, cleat on mast", F16's go "single spi line clear on beam". That basically sums up the difference.

Wouter

Yeah-but...how do you run the halyard from the front beam under the self tacker track out to the tack line??

pictures ... need pix.


Timbo, on my blade I run a single tack line.

Down from the block on the mast, thru a turning block on the starboard crossbeam (clear of the jib traveller), thru the double block of the tack, back thru the SpinLock on the starboard crossbeam, across the tramp, down thru the block on the rear crossbeam, under the tramp, thru the spin bag and tied to the spi patch...

...reminds me of the nursery ryhme .... over the hills and thru the ....

Yeah that's how mine is set up as well.

Tim, this is essentially as you described, except that instead of "a small block on the end of the tack line", the block in question is the back-to-back double that tback refers to, with the tack line running from the tack through a block on the end of the pole, through one side of the double (the halyard goes through the other side as tback described) and back to the end of the pole and tied off. This essentially gives you an extra double purchase on the tack line.

I know Wouter has previously described an alternative to handling the retrieval end of the halyard that doesn't run to the back beam as tback describes but instead (I think) through a turning ring and back through the tramp. I have a suspicion the current Blades may use the same arrangement.

I will try to get you a picture of the turning block location on the starboard front beam.

Mark.

Picture -

BTW, I haven't tried the new(er) method on the Alter Cup Blades, but if you're predominantly a uni sailor I'd go for the single tack line.

Thanks for the pictures, do you really need the tack line on a 2-1 block or can it just be run 1-1, without the back to back block?

And to keep me from kneeling on the halyard during a snuff, I was thinking of only running it half way down the tramp, throug a single block tied to the mid point foot strap, then over to another single on the other footstrap, then forward through the gromet to the bag under the tramp. I want to keep as much line up front as possible, so the sheets don't get tangled up in the halyard during the take down.

Come from the spinlock cleat on the main beam through the grommet for the mast rotator then under to the snuffer bag. BUT - make sure you get your kinks situation "ironed" out before doing so and make sure your spin halyard runs aft of the mast rotator lines..... The only downside is when snuffing you can't always get a good arm full, maybe only 3/4 of an arm full unless standing.

I have not tried it without going 2:1... It gives you some purchase for pulling the spin out of the bag... maybe.

I guess it would work with a single block. I think keeping the halyard/retrieval line forward as you suggest is a good idea.

I did have a double block, 2:1 set up as you describe on my old Nacra 5.5 with spinnaker. The problem was the line kept twisting around itself and caused problems on the set and the takedown, but I was pulling it all the way from the tramp, no mid pole snuffer back then.

With the mid pole snuffer, the tack line only has to go out about 4 feet, so I figured a simple single line to a single block would be enough.

We personally have a 1:1 block and we don't have any problems hoisting it. I also think a 2:1 slowsdown the hoisting.

Gill

Easy enough to experiment with. See what works best for you.

Does the tack set-up really affect the hoist speed (with the single line arrangement)? Getting the head of the sail up the mast seems like a much bigger component of the effort. You get the tack more or less for free.

Not necessarily. It is possible to hoist the spin and get the head set but not the tack and visa-versa. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> I don't think the back-to-back block adds much purchase, rather it is an adjustment to get the head and tack set with the same effort.

'Course, I can screw-up most anything.