Thanks for the tip to trim the tip. Hadn't thought of that, but need chop saw which I have to make it square so end cap will fit flush.
Couldn't you just drill out the rivets of 3 boom blocks and use through bolts to make it into a tripple? Hate to pay $ for tripple...
Nope, driving the pins from one of the boom blocks busted the plastic. Hence not a good idea to make a tripple from 3 single blocks. Seaways have seen better days. I'll try the 2 boom block technique as shown here on different thread.
-- Goodsailing
Laser-Standard Rig (Sold 6/15)
H18 (Sold 7/15)
Building 19' Tacking Outrigger
Balt-Wash Area --
I took Dogboy's recommendation and hacked off the end of the boom and refreshed the out hull with new line and bungie. Even though the end cap had considerable corrosion it cleaned up OK. Fortunately I scribed lines on the boom before the hack off to ensure I could drill holes that matched holes in cap. I was dead on for rivets with no additional material taken from cap. I used silicone to patch the holes. Since I broke one of the pulley's (it wasn't working anyway) I wonder if this configuration of the main sheet would work using only 2 boom pulley's. I'm not sure about the amount of torque needed as this has a rachet and jam. My main concern is ease at letting out etc. Not a kid. But not a weight lifter either.
Thanks for any responses...
You can see pics in my gallery. Here are the blocks...
i got rid of my sea-way's and purchased harken carbo triple tops and only used the center bale (if i recall correctly - whichever one hung most inline with the beam)
Yea Yea Yea, I know. I've been eyeing all the bling. I'm not sure how the whole rig will fly so I'm being a tad conservative with parts until I sail it to learn if any major work needs done before springing for items. I've barely looked at the sail yet..etc. I was in tractor supply today looking at wheels and tires 20x10 for up and coming cat trax project and happened to see pulleys at $9.99 each. They spun pretty freely and at what it cost for Harkins, you could have new pulleys every year for the next 10 years or so! Rated at 400lbs and pretty shinny. But I held off...
-- Goodsailing
Laser-Standard Rig (Sold 6/15)
H18 (Sold 7/15)
Building 19' Tacking Outrigger
Balt-Wash Area --
goodsailing, believe me I completely understand avoiding buying stuff, but sometimes...
To replace your broken single block just buy a used one. They should be easy to find and cost less than the postage to mail them. There is nothing much to do with them once you go to a multiblock system so they get put in the parts box we all have.
On making home-made beach wheels, it's really a non-starter, knock yourself out if you enjoy learning your own lessons but no, you can't make your own beach wheels that work anywhere as good as the real thing for any cheaper than you can buy a used set. For that reason used ones sell quick, so keep your eye out.
There have been some good attempts over many years but even the ones that did the best versions came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it. The only exceptions are those building wheels to only roll on hard surfaces (not sand) that can get away with using wheel barrel or ATV wheels and tires or tires made of plastic barrels etc.
I need to gather all the home-made versions in one folder sometime.
Also, any chance you could share an actual name with us? Even just a first name, all the code-names get to me sometimes. Unless of course your mother named you goodsailing which would be quite a coincidence.
You need a 20 x 10 lawn saver wheel and tire. Club Cadet. The only problem is that inside the hole of the wheel is a lip that prohibits a round steel tube, axle, from going all the way through. I gather a drill or reamer could cut it out, opening up the hole so that the tube can run through. This is the only quick solution I'm investigating at the moment. Wheels and tires are $85 each. Tubing, washers, pins $20. Then there's welding the bracket for the hull rests that will include the pvc pipe. I'm looking at less than $200 total build. No wheel bearings. I weld. BB if you need a name.
-- Goodsailing
Laser-Standard Rig (Sold 6/15)
H18 (Sold 7/15)
Building 19' Tacking Outrigger
Balt-Wash Area --
Also need beach wheels for my tri. So I could use different length axle for that as the main hull is only 18" wide at the bottom. Cat/Tri traks so to speak. BB
-- Goodsailing
Laser-Standard Rig (Sold 6/15)
H18 (Sold 7/15)
Building 19' Tacking Outrigger
Balt-Wash Area --
For the mainsheet system, you're going to want an absolute minimum of 6:1 purchase (unless you're built pike a gorilla). I'm no beefcake, but at 6'-3", 200lbs, I use every bit of my harken 7:1 mainsheet system when the wind is up. I realize that dropping a lot of cash on an older boat may not make a lot of sense, but trying to sail with junk gear doesn't make sense either. Your mainsheet and your rudder system are your connections to the boat. If you're going to plunk down any money or put any effort into your boat, tbis is where you want to do it.
Meanwhile try to loose only one length of sheet instead of two ( reduce purchase in1x instead of 2x) by using the missing block as becket and start threading the sheet from there. (I am assuming that the becket is in the lower part of your system)
Yea Yea Yea, I know. I've been eyeing all the bling.
I wasn't suggesting you blow money on bling, i was just saying i was able to use 1 bale on my h18 boom
and happened to see pulleys at $9.99 each. They spun pretty freely and at what it cost for Harkins, you could have new pulleys every year for the next 10 years or so! Rated at 400lbs and pretty shinny
There is a reason why harken can charge $40 for a 57mm block
this block is rated double the one you saw (Max. working load (lb) = 792)
higher quality parts that are "marine grade", with a history of not failing under load
it is extremely UV stable and come with a warranty that can't be touched
I would really hate to have a main sheet block fail on me - those kinda things seem to happen at the worst time (i.e. while under heavy load from wind or flying crew /skipper landing in the (capsized) sail
Excluding sheet breaking, the only breaking point is the bail. So, having several bails, not just one, adds a level of safety. Ooops, the gooseneck can fail... had that happen on the Laser
-- Goodsailing
Laser-Standard Rig (Sold 6/15)
H18 (Sold 7/15)
Building 19' Tacking Outrigger
Balt-Wash Area --
I'd say swivel, but if you get a fixed one and you get it wrong, you can still change the angle in 90° with a twisted shackle.
For a triple with becket in the boom you need 4 blocks in the lower part, if you have only three then the becket is likely in the lower part and you don't need the becket in the boom part.
If you happen to have 4 blocks + becket in the lower part, then you could get 4 blocks for the boom and make an 8:1 setup.
I did that to upgrade my 7:1 setup, it was like this one.
- I interchanged the triple blocks to have the becket in the lower part
- I changed the upper triple with becket for a 4-block w/o becket.
- I'm happy with it.
i have the seaway blocks, 3 singles, one on top with becket, triple on boat with ratchet cleat. Are you using 40mm or 57mm blocks. Does your 4 pulley system effect mast rotation not being more lateral on top?
Edited by goodsailing on Mar 01, 2015 - 05:20 PM.
-- Goodsailing
Laser-Standard Rig (Sold 6/15)
H18 (Sold 7/15)
Building 19' Tacking Outrigger
Balt-Wash Area --
40 or 57? I guess 57, not sure. The triples that i removed were smaller.
No weird rotation.. no boom on my boat either...
On the upper blocks i have a hook insetad of a shackle, for fast setup. It can be set up as swivelling or fixed with a removabke little piece. Yo can choose along or across orientation. I use it fixed, don' remember which orientation.
I use 40's for my jib blocks, and i am waiting to see if they explode
Harkens (used to) come with a swivel and removable "stop" that prevents them from swiveling
if your not getting harkens, i would get a swivel. the blocks give the most "leverage" when the blocks are reeved straight in line with the lowers and a swivel allows this to find it's most effective angle possible
Do I order fixed or swivel triple with becket for boom?
Regarding price and quality of blocks, I don't have much experience with different brands and models, but I guess that friction is a relevant consideration for a mainsheet system.
Regarding price and quality of blocks, I don't have much experience with different brands and models, but I guess that friction is a relevant consideration for a mainsheet system.
You can say that again. The amount of rolling resistance (friction) is what separates good blocks from cheap junk. A $10 pulley from a tractor supply house may roll freely in the store, but I guarantee that when you stack enough of them together to build a 7:1 system and then put a load on them, they're not going to work nearly as nicely as the blocks from a high quality, marine grade equipment manufacturer. Do you really want to be dealing with poorly functioning blocks that seize up or explode every other outing? The Harken (or Ronstan, or Lewmar, or other quality manufacturer) are designed for the task and last just short of forever with virtually zero maintenance. Well worth the money IMO.