Internal downhaul

Anyone got any pics of how you rig the downhaul to the sail? I have the internal downhaul but the line that goes to the sail has a spliced piece of spectra on it as well as a block with a shackle and a brummel (i think that is what they are called) hook also. kind of throwing me off a little. I assume it is part of a cascading system but I can't work it out in my head.... hmmm... gonna call matt but it is something that would be difficult to explain

Hmm - no idea what that's about. On mine, the rope comes out of the mast, you thread it through a block that's tied to the sail, and you stick it in a cleat on the other side. Sounds like your boat has some trick system on it.

Can you post a photo?

Paul

figured it out...the little piece of spectra was on there from the youth team that was using it and doesn't seem to have a purpose.

Prepare for multiple threads!!!
took the boat out for the first time and it was great. Nothing broke! (this is not surprising from the boat's perspective, I just seem to break things maybe a small ding in the gel coat from being stupid though

I take it you have to take the mast step off to get to the internal downhaul line that comes out of the mast to go to the sail right? Previous owner has a knot tied to a piece of spectra that then goes through the block. Don't trust any more knots than absolutely necessary on probably the highest load item on the boat. I would prefer to run a piece of spectra with an eye splice to the block inside the mast then out to the block on the sail to the cleat.

Yes, you've got to take the base of the mast off to get at the internal downhaul, but it's not that big a job. To get at the bit you're after, you'll need to lower the stuff that's attached to the bolt up the mast. The way I did this was to tape a thin piece of rope end-to-end with the bolt before pulling it out of the mast. You can then pull everything out of the bottom of the mast, and when you're done, pull the rope tight again and slide the bolt back through.

I wouldn't worry too much about the knots in the rope. The problem you may have is that the cleat kills the rope by pulling the cover off. It may be that the spectra you've got now was a quick repair after this happened to the original rope.

Paul

Don't worry about the knots. This setup has been in use many years and the knots have proven to be up to the job. The cleat on the mast however is a different matter. Removed is and put back in its place or eyestrap (saddle). Don't use the flared eyestraps however but the solid fully rounded ones.

Just tie the downhaul line off to this eyestrap by running the line through it two times time (one wrap around) and then using a slip knot (a least 2 in a row). This will hold up perfectly and the slip knot will allow you to easily and quickly undo the line when you're done with sailing, even when alot of tension has been on the line.

This setup has also been tested for the last 3 years and works absolutely without problems. It is also bettter than the hook and line system. Sometimes the hook straightens out on you when enough tension is put on the line.

So my system is : line out of mast, block permanently on the tack of the sail. Run line through this block and tie it of the the eyestrap (saddle) using at least two slip knots. Best system I have ever used and interestingly enough also the cheapest.

Wouter

Thanks for the info.. pd- I esp like the idea of the the line through the bolt hole- that would make like so much easier if I were to take the whole system out.
I think that is probably what happened- the original line got worn away by the cleat so they cut it off and spliced that piece of spectra to it- the original line is clearly not long enough. odd they used spectra though- doesn't hold well in cleats for the most part. I haven't downhauled to the max yet - I hope that the original line is long enough to do that.
W- I think I will replace the cleat sometime soon with an eye- that is the way we did it on the HT and it worked well... but then cleat is certainly faster.

BTW- W- why not flared eyestraps? I would use this probably- http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d273000/e272183.asp
or: http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d273000/e272158.asp I like the ferrule