Has anyone moved the Prindle jib blocks to the front beam in order to clean up the tramp? The support wires and jib lines sit in the primo seating area while cruising at low speeds with friends/family. I looked through the various galleries and haven't seen anything.
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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Moving Prindle 18 jib blocks
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Posted: Apr 28, 2017 - 04:28 PM
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Posted: Apr 28, 2017 - 05:11 PM
Unfortunately, you can't move them to the front beam without re-cutting your jib. I believe the Prindle 18 jib overlaps the mast, anyway.
IMHO, the best you could do is to move them as far inboard as you can and then install barber haulers to pull the jib sheets outboard to control the slot. You could move them back out to their normal position when the family isn't on board.
You could use snap shackles on the jib blocks so all you have to do is unhook them and move them to the new location.
That would at least open up some seating space between the front beam and the sidestays. You would still have the wire crossing the tramp, but you wouldn't have the blocks in the way. -
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Posted: Apr 28, 2017 - 05:47 PM
The only movement allowed by design is to thread the line connecting the two jib fairleads through one of the four sets of grommets in the center of your trampoline, lined up fore and aft. Anything beyond this would require altering the rigging or sail. You could just do without the jib for a day and remove the blocks.
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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Posted: Apr 28, 2017 - 10:06 PM
Simple solution and I've done it several times. Ever notice where the H-16 bridle is attached ? Yes right to the tip of the bow. Then get a set of H-16 jib traveler tracks & install on the front beam. Now your geometry is correct, no need to cut down the jib. I've raced side by side with std set up and noticed no difference--except comfort. Pete -
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 11:52 AM
Yes this can be done and was done from the factory at one time for the Prindle Escape... this was a Prindle 18 classic with the 16 mast and sail plan... the jib blocs were mounted to the front beam. Here is a picture...
What Pete recommends is a great idea... but you can go real simple with a pad eye, shackle, spring, and a Prindle 16 jib. If you have a barber hauler set up, your 3/4 the way there..
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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 02:02 PM
Pete, how would you attach the bridle wires to the front? I understand you can drill a new hole in the rail and move the bolt and "pin" (whatever its called), but how to you get the other screw to secure to the deck?
John, I just so happen to have a barber hauler and a Prindle 16 jib. Do you have more detailed pics of explanation of your idea?
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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 02:34 PM
yup can be done!
(notice the added foil? that is so your bows don't implode inward in a gust/heavy sheeting)
& that's with a shorty mast, and smaller jib
moving your bridal forward will change the tension/torsion on you hulls, require a new bridal, new forestay, new jib (maybe) , move your center of effort and in the end ... could fail and destroy your boat - ymmv
(not to mention the inferior performance of your cat and new jib setup)
not sure how these tangs attach - maybe a bar under the deck lip?
my cat has internal braces to avoid the bow tangs from being ripped out of the decklid/gunnal area
this may work - but there is NO WAY i would make modification like this on a cat. I am willing to add weight to get more "utility" (add a front tramp, carry an anchor, spare parts, medical kit, radio)
but our cats are old - epoxy is old and brittle -foam is old and degraded or wet.... I wouldn't make a structural change without some type of additional structure to handle the changed loads
IMHO - I would sell the boat and get one better suited for my needs before i would make a modification like this
Edited by MN3 on May 01, 2017 - 03:25 PM. -
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 02:39 PM
no offence to the poster but ...
with a single block, you have no way to control your slot
with the h16 slider, you can at least have some slot control (i still wouldn't do it) -
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 03:08 PM
MN2, I had similar concerns with Pete's idea. John's idea using a barber hauler on the jib sheets would allow control of the slot, would it not?
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Hobie Getaway
Prindle 18 - Sold
South Padre Island, TX
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 03:18 PM
I never made it to MN2 - only 3 :)
yes - using a barber hauler would allow you to outhaul your jib, but you coudln't inhaul it for upwind past the single block -
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 03:58 PM
I just used the single 3/8" bolt as Hobie used on the 16. I grant there could be a failure in heavy air, but the main use for moving the jib blocks off the tramp is for convenient & comfortable sailing in moderate conditions. I would say that I've tested it in 15 knot conditions & had no problems. Owners may do as they wish. Pete -
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 05:55 PM
You have a point there, but if that was the case it may have been cheaper for them to put in an additional bulkhead and/or a stringer at the bows during construction to keep the bow from towing similar to how they do with the modern F18's, Inter/NACRA 20.. for handling the load for spinnakers... probably would have cost them what $2.00 for materials and 15 minutes work?
From what I understand the bridal foil for the Prindle Escape was there for a lower footing jib so they were able to get the same sail area of the Prindle 16 with out the sail overlap.
Keep in mind the Prindle Escape was not designed for racing etc... At the point of this production run the Prindle 18-2 and 19 were old news, no new 18 classics had been sold in a couple of years, the NACRA 6.0 and 5.8s' were winding down with the NACRA Inter 20 and 18 had just hitting the market... It was a boat that was designed for the hotel/resort rental market to go after the business Hobie was getting with their Waves... It was very simple to use and gave the user enough sail area to have some fun, and not get themselves in trouble with an uncluttered deck making it conformable for the skipper and crew. The factory brought a couple out to to the Long Beach Clairmont ramp on a pretty gusty day.. they were a blast to sail.. but even single handed I had a hard time getting it to fly a hull, plow, and pitch pole.
I have a photo somewhere of one of these next to a my Classic 18 on the beach that day.. I dig it out later.
Edited by JohnES on May 01, 2017 - 06:24 PM.
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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Posted: May 01, 2017 - 06:10 PM
I am thinking if you mount your jib blocks inboard of your barber hauler.. this will still give you the ability to out haul the jib sheet.. may be a little messy or put a swivel cleat on there similar to your main-sheet kind of like how it was done with the original Inter 20 before the self tacker.
Edited by JohnES on May 01, 2017 - 06:19 PM.
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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Posted: May 02, 2017 - 09:59 AM
hard to know what was cheaper 20 years ago as a company was in it's end of life stage: changing production lines and methods + adding materials vs. adding a small metal bar above the hulls
either way .... the "need" was probably based on several reasons.... costs (and profit), ease of install and use, decrease the likelihood of failure, and better jib positioning to help with the reduced main sail area
the 1989 ad states - "an innovative bridle mount system results in a larger jib that propeles the Escape at exciting speeds and allows for easier tacking"
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Posted: May 11, 2017 - 07:47 PM
I did on my Prindle 16! I move jib down as much as possible (to my spi pole) and sailmaker make for me one new jib (smaller) and old was recut. You are losing 0,3-0,4 square m but jib work much better! Also you have much more space on tram for crew. Here you can find some photos and a short films:
https://vimeo.com/217091498
https://vimeo.com/215618460
http://katamarany-poludnie.pl/foty/
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Kuba,
1980 Prindle 16
Hobie Wave
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