Sailing my Hobie 17, I have to change the angle of the blocks/cleat depending on wether I'm on the tramp, or out on the wire. This isn't something that can be done quickly on the water. If I leave it set for the tramp and then find myself hiking out, or on the wire, it is almost impossible to cleat. This can be very tiring sailing a six to twelve mile reach! Has anyone tried the Spinlock? Does anyone know if it might help? Thanks, Brian

Brian, I just added a Spinlock Cam Cleat to my H-17 Mainsheet. Have not had a chance to try it out yet. You should be able to set up your Block for the proper angle while on the wire, then use the same setting from the tramp.

Caleb Tarleton

A friend of mine sails with a spinlock cleat on the main of his N5.8. He likes it, however it hasn't held up well. So far he's gone through 3 of them. The upside is that the manufacturer has replaced them all at no cost.

I was ready to put one on my main last summer, but opted for the simplicity and durability of the cam cleat.

Thanks Caleb! I may splurge before you can give me a review! Kevin, I am envying your lifestyle with Kayak tours to Belize! I'd miss the cat in those waters though. Thanks guys! Brian

When paddling became my profession, I went in search of a new hobbie. That's where sailing came in.

Brian, we just had our first Regatta of the season, seven races in medium to strong winds. Going back to the standard Harken cleat. The Spinlock has two much of an angle for cleating and releasing for my taste. Also in heavy rains, our last two races, had problems cleating.

Caleb Tarleton, H-17

Caleb,
Thanks for saving me $50 or so......

...here is a consideration,...some Tiapan 4.9 Uni Aussies sailors mount the mainsheet system with the cleat at the boom,...and swear by it,......more angle to work with,.......trap or tramp opens up more angle.........you never know...

Bruce
I-17 Euro
St. Croix

Thanks Caleb! I haven't spent my money yet! I will hold off on that one. I need to install a mast rotation control system, and get another set of foot straps to put on the sterns, in addition to the ones on the wings. Surely that will eat up the money saved from the Spinlock! Brian

Brian: footstraps can be made from plastic tubing and screws :P

no need to spend the big bucks on items like that.

Appearent an extra advantage of fitting the mainsheet opside down it that the skipper pulls on the bomm rather than on the traveller car. The Taipan sailors feel this enhances the purchase.

Wouter

Wouter,

..and that makes sense too,....for the crossbar surely is not going to move......so the physics of it makes sense..

....as you know,...this tip is from the 16HP forum....!


Bruce

Bruce,
I have been using "upside-down" blocks on my Hobie 17 for several years.
My main reason for reversing them was my mainsheet.
I switched to a 5/16" Vectrus 12 line with no cover on a set of 40mm Carbo-blocks.
It is very light and doesn't absorb water.
It turned out that it was so light that I had a very hard time getting enough "snap" when I wanted to uncleat.
When trapped out, the wing also interferred with the snapping motion.
On some days I would get a very painful "tennis elbow".
With the cleat at eye level, I can get plenty of "snap" with any line and I can see how well it is cleated.
I was also tired of dropping the mainsheet and then picking up the wrong end off the tramp.
The line is hanging in my face when I pass the tiller across.
I just reach up and grab it as I walk across the boat, pulling the mainsheet tight (per Rick White seminar).

It is a little tricky to reverse the cleat, but otherwise not hard to do.

P.S.
I am testing a new set of 29mm Carbo-blocks with a 5/16" line.
The cleat comes reversed.
Total weight of blocks: 240gm = 8.5oz

Samevans,

Ok,...I tired it once,..then re rigged for some reason or other,.....I am going to try it again..

so,...it makes it a BETTER SYSTEM ALL AROUND when you put the cleat at the boom end...???


thanks..

Bruce
St. Croix

Wow. 29mm blocks on the main?

"Wow. 29mm blocks on the main?"

Try anything once. Break it, & you`ll know it doesn`t work. If you don`t try it, you`ll never know.

Find out where the limits are, & start from there (Robby Naish)

Cheers
Steve

Brobru,
I say it is a better system FOR ME.
You know how it is when you try something out-of-the-box, some people laugh and some want to try it.
I have heard other sailors complain about tennis elbow, but I don't get it anymore.
I am glad to hear that a group of sailors as competetive and well respected as the Aussie 4.9s do it too.

Steve,
Exactly! I still remember the article on Cogito, the current Little Americas Cup holder.
They said they would test parts and keep making them lighter until they broke, then they would know the limits.

The 29mm blocks are only rated at 990lbs working load and 2000lbs breaking strength.
Because of the smaller righting moment on a singlehanded boat, I think the 990 is adequate.
A big, doublehanded boat can generate much more stress on the main sheet.
They may require the 40mm blocks with 1455lbs working load and 3050lbs breaking strength.

The 29s do run incredibly quick.

You might want a chase boat when you test those blocks out on a breezy day sam :P

Just a question about the mainsheet cleat mounted on boom - I assume the jaws of the cleat are open downwards, so you cleat "up", and release "down", right?

Mauganh17,
I used them at Spring Fever on thursday when the wind was blowing and the sun was shining, etc, etc.
I was hit hit by gusts, while on the wire, hard enough to cause me to dump the main and I had no problems with the blocks.
As I said, a singlehanded boat does not have as much righting moment as a doublehander.
The boat dumps the wind power (mainsheet load)instead of driving through it.
I would not use these blocks on a Nacra 6.0 for example.

Jim,
Yes, the cleat is flipped over, releasing down.

cool beans.

I've got to have a beefy diameter line in my hands. Anything less than 7/16" makes me feel inferior