My flap is the same but not as bad. I figured I was going to cut away the excess. It also looks like you ended up like I did with regards to pinning the forestay.

some posts ago, there was speak on a retrieval ball attached to a line from the upper spi retrieval loop and then to the retrieval/halyard line. where are you getting this ball from?
also, when you are running the spi retrieval/halyard through the mast rotation grommet, are you putting a block there or running it bare? thanks

The ball is a standard sailing part. They are available in three sizes and are probably in the Harken and Ronstan catalogs. My last ones were in a "Laser" bag.

It is nothing more then a modest sized plastic bead.

Wouter

From the Ronstan Website
Balls/Beads Tomatos/Tomatoes

thanks for the link. attach this to the retieval line between the top and mid spi loop? luis

Yes. Start with it about 12" down from the upper patch/tie point.

Paul,
I know this is an old thread, but I'm wondering if you have found a main hoisting method which is working for you? Bobcat's idea seems okay except when rigging in strong wind and Wouter's idea is good except I think the cut out on the port side of the mast for the sail feed in my Blade seem too stingy for feeding sail and pulling halyard at the same time. After four sailing days the "turning pulley" at the base of the mast is worn out. I'll try to attach a picture.
http://www.catsailor.com/bb_files/88210-smallerTurningPully175.jpg

Will

To alleviate this problem Will maybe you can do as I do. Eliminate all together that block, and just pull from where you feed the mainsail into the mast. Its simple and easy. From other posts around the forums you will see I am an advocate for simplicity. I have been doing this for a year now and I have never had any problems. Give it a shot.

The worn pulley is standard, I'm afraid <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Happened to mine, and I think the Dutch boats too. I'm sure Vectorworks will get it sorted, but the standard one just isn't up to the job.

Hans had a good suggestion for replacing it: Take a block like this http://store.catsailor.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=jmnmfnjmh0 with an eyestrap. Bend the eyestrap back on itself so that the mounting holes are back to back. Push that through the hole in the mast plate that is just below the current block and put a small bolt through the holes to retain it. This allows the block to rotate so that you can pull the halyard from different angles.

I haven't tried this yet, but will do soon. Currently, I just pull from behind the boat until the sail pops out, then I go and stand on the tramp and pull up on the rope (putting my weight on the front beam rather than the tramp).

Wouter's suggestion does work well, except that getting the rope out of the slot is an absolute pig. My fingers just aren't designed to do that. You could probably leave it out all the time, I guess. But that removes the option of throwing the rope to the back of the boat and getting The Crew to do the hoisting <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Paul

Paul, I put that Harken Micro Block setup on my Stealth and it worked brilliantly! - for about a month <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

After that the the block disintegrated. Now I just have the s/s cheeks and the axle. I just use it like that and, actually, it's not too bad! At least there's nothing else left to wear.....

Hans installed the pulley, as Paul described, on my boat Now it does it's job nice. No wear out and a bit easier hoisting because it can swivel.

Geert

I hate to say it again, but I think the designers had already found very early on that ONLY ballbaring blocks will hold up. This goes for the top halyard block as well as the bottom one, not to mention all other blocks related to halyards/retrieval line and sheets. There is sadly no cheap solution here. What happens with non ball baring blocks is that thy work fine in test setups till the moment just a little sand, dust or salt gets stuck between the axis and the sheave. Then the non-ball baring block jams up under load and within a few meters of pulling the dyneema halyard line over a stagnant sheeve, you made the sheeve square. From that moment it gets increasingly worse with each hoist. The ball baring blocks allow to rinsing out of dust, sand and salt while to non-ball baring blocks just don't.

A solution to thick fingers when using my hoisting method is to make a slip knot in the halyard line and then put the bottom part of the mainsail luff in the sail track. Now the halyard will stay outside of the mast as the knot is too large to pass between the sail and the track. The exces halyard can then still be pulled out from the bottom of the mast and you'll end up with only a small thingy on the outside of the sail-feed. This should solve any issues with this hoisting method.

Wouter

If I use the method using the sail feeding notch, I think the notch should be cut deeper for both the finger reason and also interference with the sail bolt. Is there a reason that I shouldn't cut it deeper, see attached with black line drawn indicating purposed cut out.

I just replaced my top and bottom (plastic) blocks this weekend. Raising and lowering the main has never been so easy. I guess I should relish this, ease for 2-3 more raises of the main, before the plastic sheave becomes irregularlly shaped and doesn't perform any longer <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

My cut-out isn't that deep either. Hard to tell from the picture how far yours is cut, but from first glance it looks to be the same depth.

Maybe just try it for a few weeks/months and then decide ?

You don't want to cut away to deep as that allows the sailfeed to open up to easily under load resulting in your bolt rop popping out while tensioning the outhaul.

Wouter

I haven't been able to find a "turning Block" that holds the halyard as deep into the track as that Ronstan rf917. It would be nice to find one that has a stronger material for the sheave and one w/ ball bearings.........

Why do all of you use halyards for the main? I haven't yet had a problem just pushing my sail up.

Eric,
Does that require a lot of mussel?

No mussels are needed; it does take a bit of muscle, but not much.

Feed the top of the bolt rope into the track and then place your hands (around the mast) on each side of the sail, just behind the track. Push your hands together (thereby sandwiching the sail between) and shove upward. Keep going until you hear the top hook. To take the sail down, push the sail up as far as it goes (to disengage the hook) and rotate the mast 60-90 degrees as you let the sail come back down past the hook. Gravity will do the rest, but you can slow the descent by keeping the mast slightly rotated.