Hi all.
I am a newbie to all this and I have read all the posts going back several years. But I still can`t find the answer to my question. So here it is. I have a 1977 H16 with the original Seaway blocks/gear. The Seaway stuff is in excellent condition (fresh water exposure only) rarely used, and all components seem to function in "as new" condition. With particular attention to the Jib traveler/cleat combo, should I replace these or are they perfectly adequate as is? Is there a problem with this setup? The boat is undergoing a major refinish and refit but it seems a shame to replace these particular components given their condition. I have professionally restored several large powerboats in the past but no sailboats. Admittedly, I am a perfectionist (pathologically so, but I am working on that too!). I have yet to sail the boat and I want it to be perfect the first time out. Racing and class legality are of no concern to me. If I do need to scrap these parts, I wish to do it now while the boat is "in-shop" and I can take my time. Any opinions (pros and con) would be greatly appreciated.
The saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix comes to mind. At the end of the day if you're not worried about the latest specs then keep them if they work fine. Obviously the latest gear is better than the older stuff, but it only matters if you want to sail seriously.
Just wait a few more years, and they'll start calling all those old out-dated parts, "vintage". -and they'll want a fortune for them.
My expirience with the jib traveler/cleat combo is that the later design with the cleat mounted on the tramp frame and the traveler moving separate (similar to the main traveler and cleat)is a better design. It may take several attempts to uncleat the jib, particularly if the is load on the jib sheet. If the traveler is moved outboard and the jib is hauled in, the cleat can rotate toward the tramp and make it hard to snap the sheet and uncleat it. This was normal for the '78 I had. I have sailed other 16s with the newer desgin and liked that much better. I only point this out b/c if I was starting out with a used boat, I would wonder if the traveler/cleat combo was fouled up. All that being said, I still would keep the existing as it is and sail it. There is a lot of other stuff to spend cash on.
Birdlaw,
Thanks for the input. That definitely addresses what I was concerned about.
Dave