I have to disagree that 3/16" cleats or holds "far easier". You pull the line with a bit of downwards force & it cleats, & holds, mine has never let go. What is easier than that?
I don't think one would have to be "crazy" to use 1/4"
In fact a case could be made for using line that doesn't sink deeply into the pivmatics. The 1/4" line has less tendency to recleat itself after you yank it out in a panic as you realize the water is getting shallow fast. Also the deeper the line sinks, the tension on it becomes almost completely horizontal. If you sank a very thin line right down to the bottom of the cleat, it wants to shear the rivet, instead of popping the pivmatic. The higher in the cleat you are, the longer the arm trying to pivot the pivmatic, & the less force it takes to pop the rudders when striking an object.
My lake has dropped around 1' & my rudders now tend to hit the sand as I round up to the dock. I like them letting go easily as there are some logs buried in the mud/sand.
If I wear the teeth near the top, maybe I'll change to thinner line so as to extend the cleats life,(mine are the plastic ones)but for now 1/4" is golden.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Mast Rake
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Posted: Sep 07, 2010 - 11:19 AM
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Posted: Sep 07, 2010 - 01:05 PM
hah, fair enough...'crazy' might be a bit strong, but I'll agree to disagree on the rest.
1/4" would be easier on the hands trying to lock the rudders down initially, but doesn't seem like the right call overall to me.
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Rob
OKC
Pile of Nacra parts..
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Posted: Sep 07, 2010 - 03:50 PM
I have the same problem on my Prindle 18. I have to keep constant pressure on the helm to maintain course and if I need to adjust something and need to hands I try to tuck it under my rump and leg a bit to hold it otherwise I start to turn upwind. In heavier winds it can turn quite quickly. I understand why having some could be good if you fall off the boat or something or lose the tiller but it sure can put a strain on my grip and forearm after a bit.
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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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Posted: Sep 07, 2010 - 04:35 PM
Something is wrong. you should not have so much helm that you are having it tug out of your hands. either your rake is extreme, or your blades aren't angled in correct, or your hulls are out of alignment, or your jib is wrong (height, angle, its upside-down?), or your hulls are on backwards, something is out of whack if you have extreme lea or weather helm and can't fix it (or you own a aqua-cat)
most people want a small amount of weather helm to round your cat up in the event you fall off... drop the stick, break your extension cross-bar, etc. the amount of helm (when set close to neutral) will fluctuate with things like speed, up vs. downwind, travel etc...
i personally have almost neutral helm and prefer that due to when i am dousing my spinnaker, the last thing i want is to round up while i am snuffing (as i would then have my spin tangled in all my stays)
Disclaimer: never owned a prindle/nacra
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Posted: Sep 07, 2010 - 04:58 PM
my p-16 had some big time weather helm last season. after adjusting the rudders to the manual specs, only a small amount of pull was left. this season, i raked my mast way back(next to last hole) with almost no affect on the rudders. the boat got faster with every increase of mast rake but surprisingly did not affect the rudders. i could probably rake my rudders a little more foreward but i don't want to jinx it.
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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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