| Harken carbo ratchamatic experiences? #16066 02/03/03 12:23 PM 02/03/03 12:23 PM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA Kevin Rose OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA | Have any of you had experience with the Harken carbo Ratchamatic blocks for either main or jib? (As is typical for this time of year in the frozen north, when you can't sail, you find ways to spend money on new gear in anticipation of Spring! )
Kevin Rose
N6.0na #215
Lake Champlain (New England's "west coast")
Burlington, Vermont
| | | Re: Harken carbo ratchamatic experiences?
[Re: Troy Szabo]
#16070 02/03/03 06:11 PM 02/03/03 06:11 PM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA Kevin Rose OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA | The blocks on my N6.0 have 75mm (3 inch) sheeves. Since I use a 3/8" mainsheet, though, I can get away with the 57mm sheeves on the ratchamatic. I'm curious as to any negative tradeoffs by going to smaller sheeves (other than being limited to a smaller line size for the sheets).
I'm also really interested in the performance of 57mm carbo ratchamatics for the jib blocks. Anyone use them?
Kevin Rose
N6.0na #215
Lake Champlain (New England's "west coast")
Burlington, Vermont
| | | Re: Harken carbo ratchamatic experiences?
[Re: Kevin Rose]
#16071 02/03/03 10:48 PM 02/03/03 10:48 PM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 12,310 South Carolina Jake
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310 South Carolina | I've been eyeballing those myself. After working myself at Tradewinds regatta and a check of the N6.0 class rules that setup looks mighty attractive!
I do wonder, though, has anyone tried to do any kind of a cascading setup for a N6.0 main sheet? It looks like there might be enough room between the traveler and the main.
Jake Kohl | | | Re: smaller & lighter
[Re: Kevin Rose]
#16072 02/04/03 12:25 AM 02/04/03 12:25 AM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 390 samevans
enthusiast
|
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 390 | The stiffness of the line, type of cover and any coatings would affect the minimum size sheeve required for proper functioning. A bigger sheeve usually runs line better. Per Harken, the 3" blocks are designed for a maximum line size of 7/16". They are at least a little oversized for a 3/8" line. Most of the newer boats I have seen, Tigers, Foxes, Inters etc. use 57mm/2.25" blocks, some with 3/8" line, some with 7/16" line. I use 7:1 40mm Carbo blocks with 5/16" Vectran and it runs great. Both 40mm Carbo blocks together weigh 25.9oz./734gm. 50 feet of 5/16" Lite Speed weighs 16.6oz./472gm. For a total of 42.5oz./1178gm. A Harken 3.00" base quad(#064) weighs 33oz./936gm. by itself. A triple w/becket(#070) weighs 21.5oz/610gm.
There is a catch 22 about blocks and line size, the cleat. While the 40mm Carbo blocks are rated for 3/8" line, the Harken carbo cleat(#423) cannot handle 3/8" line. I had to switch to the Ronstan carbon cleat(#RF5000), it is stronger, cheaper and handles 3/8" line. The 57mm Carbo blocks come with the carbo cleat(#365) which is only rated for 3/8" line, while the Ronstan is rated for a 1/2" line. | | | Removing Cover Makes it Better, Too!
[Re: Jake]
#16073 02/04/03 08:50 AM 02/04/03 08:50 AM |
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,355 Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ... RickWhite
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,355 Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ... | I just got a set of the ones I have featured on the Welcome Page and also ordered mainsheet to go with it. I had the supplier remove some of the cover from the core, so only the core runs through the blocks. When you ease it, it really releases -- I remember that my old blocks have managed to give me problems in the past. In light air I would do a roll tack, release a little mainsheet.., but alas, the sheet would not go out and the boat would go in to irons or slow way down through the turn. With the new setup, there is no such thing happening. Also, when sailing along and a puff hits it is a snap to ease the mainsheet a bit and keep on hauling. No more snapping and tugging, snapping and tugging. Rick | | | Re: Removing Cover Makes it Better, Too!
[Re: RickWhite]
#16075 02/04/03 10:38 AM 02/04/03 10:38 AM |
Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 805 Gainesville, FL 32607 USA dacarls
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 805 Gainesville, FL 32607 USA | Re stripping off part of the cover on the mainsheet... This was done on my BIM2000 (5/16 with a larger 3/8 cover for the hands) for the Worlds. The sewn-on cover was pretty good, and lasted 2 years of hard use, until the first start on Sunday at the Tradewinds when it suddenly came all apart in a frazzle in the breeze. Even Harken jaws eventually eat the cover: and by now the core was a bit worn.
I decided to change ends and sew the cover back on---but where? Guess? When sheeted in hard, about 1 foot of covered mainsheet want to be inside the blocks, but now its all apart. Arguments? Also what is best to sew the 2 covers on with? Dacron, waxed Dacron, what size thread (#2,#4, #8?) and where from?
Dacarls: A-class USA 196, USA 21, H18, H16 "Nothing that's any good works by itself. You got to make the damn thing work"- Thomas Edison
| | | Re: Just got my new blocks today!
[Re: RickWhite]
#16078 02/05/03 11:33 AM 02/05/03 11:33 AM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA Kevin Rose OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA | Rick,
Looking forward to the report. You mentioned your new tapered sheet. What diameter did you start out with?
Kevin Rose
N6.0na #215
Lake Champlain (New England's "west coast")
Burlington, Vermont
| | | New Blocks Worked Great!
[Re: Kevin Rose]
#16081 02/09/03 09:25 AM 02/09/03 09:25 AM |
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,355 Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ... RickWhite
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,355 Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ... | Yesterday I took the Taipan 4.9 out with the new Carbo RatchaMatic 8:1 Main system and it worked like a charm. This system was all I had expected and perhaps even more. This works almost like the Magic Blocks (although they would not work on this boat because there is not enough room between the boom and the traveler). In hull flying winds around 12-15 it was really easy to sheet and hold even without using the cleat. Today I will lower the cleat a bit -- it was just a tad too high.., and at my age I use the cleat a lot. At any rate, when I need to ease the sheet, the system worked flawlessly. I really think the 8:1 is just what the doctor ordered as it really makes it easy to sheet in easily. I remember someone had said that 8:1 is overkill, but I respectfully disagree. It would be perhaps if the sheet did not easily run through the blocks, as my previous system. But, in this case the sheets ran like it was a 4:1. With my old sheeting system when sailing the T4.9 as a uni-rig I would sometimes blow a tack because of the sheet not running out properly when eased. When tacking I have the main sheeted tight while sailing close hauled, and then begin my tack with steadily increasing pressure on the helm and working my way to the back of the boat at the same time. As the boat goes through head-to-wind, I release the mainsheet about 6-8" which lets the leach go slack and also powers up the mainsail to come out of the turn. (You can sort of think of it as a sports car shifting down to 2nd gear while going through a turn) After the boat is on a close reach heading, I straighten the rudders, cross the boat and go forward and one the boat has good flow across the board, start sheeting in again. (You can sort of think of it as a sports car shifting back to high gear after the speed is back up from a turn) Those are the basics for a good roll tack. What used to happen with the old blocks? When I released the sheet, it would not always run out. That kept the leach tight, kept the main flat (not powerful). The tight leach would try to keep the bows weather vaned into the wind longer and really slow down the tack. With the new system the boat tacks faster than I have ever seen it. A few little tweaks and it should be perfect. Rick | | | Re: New Blocks Worked Great!
[Re: MauganN20]
#16083 02/10/03 08:19 AM 02/10/03 08:19 AM |
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,355 Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ... RickWhite
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,355 Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ... | One of the tweaks I found I needed on Sunday: The sheets run so easily that twice the sheet slipped out of my hand and I T-Bagged myself. There is a way to adjust the drag on the blocks, however. I may opt to put a little bit more drag on so the sheets do not run quite so freely. Despite the T-Bagging I managed to keep the boat upright. I compared the ease of release to my old set and it appeared that the old system would not even let the sheet go loose, while the new Carbo RatchaMatic were great. I think these are keepers! Rick | | | Re: New Blocks Worked Great!
[Re: RickWhite]
#16084 02/10/03 08:49 AM 02/10/03 08:49 AM |
Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA Kevin Rose OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 397 Burlington, Vermont USA | I'll be adding a pair of Harken #2628 blocks to my jib this spring. The idea of the jib sheets running as freely as Rick describes for his mainsheet is very appealing. How durable can I expect the carbos to be compared with the old heavyweights?
Kevin Rose
N6.0na #215
Lake Champlain (New England's "west coast")
Burlington, Vermont
| | |
|
0 registered members (),
659
guests, and 142
spiders. | Key: Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod | | Forums26 Topics22,405 Posts267,056 Members8,150 | Most Online2,167 Dec 19th, 2022 | | |