Hey folks, I need to figure out a better way to furl my sail when under the strain of a full 150 Genoa. My arrangement is typical for the MkII I think: Shaefer furling system, that leads back through stantion-mounted furling blocks along the port side. The last of these blocks is the stantion just fwd of the port side winch. I want to make it easy to haul in the headsail under any kind of sail pressure. I was wondering if anyone has ever used a ratchet block for the last block. And if so, where/how is it affixed. The hope would be that I could reef in the head sail if conditions worsened. Passing through a ratchet block would allow me to pull the control line through, release and reset my grip. This would be much safer than what I have to do now, come off the wind, easing sail pressure, un-cleet the line, furl to desired reef and reset the line to the cleet. I have a great autopilot, so that helps when I'm single-handed, but wondering if there is a better, safer way of arranging this. Replace the last stantion block with a ratchet block? Curious your thoughts.
Mike
1999, #1796, C36, MkII, Tall rig, wing keel, in-mast furling
Jackfish Girl, 1999, C36 MKII, Tall Rig, Wing Keel, In-mast furling, Monument Beach, Bourne, MA
Mike, We faced a similar problem and thought we could add a rachet block as the final block. Here is a picture of our configuration on the port side. Our furling line comes back to a three inch (selectable on-off) rachet block and is then locked in placed by a traditional cleat. A jam cleat could be used in place of a traditional cleat. The heavy line is of course the jib sheet and the black block is the roller furling line going aft to the rachet block, then coming forward. The aft section of the boat is to the left of this picture.
Bill
Bill Dolan 1990 Catalina C-36 MKI - Hull #1041 'Williwaw'
Std. Rig, Walk Through, Wing Keel
M35, Oberdorfer Conversion,
Home Waters; Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands of Florida
'You are never out of work if you own a boat'
The last block on mine has a cam cleat built in. A less fancy version of this: https://www.fisheriessupply.com/harken-57-mm-carbo-ratchet-block-swivel-becket-cam-cleat-2139
Eric Howell
Take Five
Seattle, WA
1989 MKI Tall Rig #1013
C36/375 IA Webmaster
i had a rachet block, it was OK. I changed to running the line through a rope clutch. Holds the reefed sail firmly, allows the line to pulled with less strain on the hand as you change to the new grip. Easy to release. I mounted on the deck. Note: I still use the block in the back to provide a fairlead away from the clucth and allow you to pull from any position or lead to the winch, if desired. I used a Lewmar D1, but any good manufacturer will do.
Lou Bruska
Lou Bruska
Sojourn
1985 C-36 Mk-I TR #495
Eldean Shipyard
Lake Macatawa (Holland, MI) Lake Michigan
Rallyback@comcast.net
Same as what Lou said!
We have a cam cleat for this; right next to it is a regular cleat which is a belt&suspenders for when the boat is not being sailed (just in case the line is accidently dislodged from the cam cleat). Cam cleat allows for easy quick release from the helm position...
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Glad to follow this discussion as I have also been looking for a better way to anchor the Furler line. My wish is a good setup that brings the line back to a position closer to where I sit at helm while single handing. Any solution that takes the line forward would not work for me. On previous boats I have liked cam cleats for the Furler line. I think a cam cleat attached to angled section of the pushpit would work. Saw what I needed one day on garhauer but failed to buy and has now gone missing on that site. Would love to see more pix of how folk have improved this over that outboard cleat which for me is way to far away and cumbersome. I single hand a lot.
Indigo, 1995 MKII, Charleston SC, SR/WK
This is what we use. It's important that the block ratchets, locking rotation in one direction. This allows you to easily pull in to furl the sail but provides some tension when reefing for a tight furl.
Ray & Janice Taylor
"Mizu"
Hood River, Ore.
#2113 2002 TM
Ratcheting is good idea. I like that rig. Garhauer? One question. Is this the forward most stanchion on the pushpit? Just trying to understand the line of pull from the helm seat. Mine is port side but that is not a factor.
Indigo, 1995 MKII, Charleston SC, SR/WK
I'm happy with the arrangement and like I said before we used the same thing on our past boat.
As I recall the ratchet block and clamp were purchased seperately, but go together in an intuitive fashion This particular block is Lewmar, but we used Harken in the past. Strangly enough I couldn't find a ratchting block made by Garhauer at the time. You are correct that it is connected to the base of the forword most pushpit stantion.
Along with ratching it is important to be able to vary the angle of the clam cleat. It’s hard to explain, but emagine if the cleat was pivoted foreword, it would be hard to cleat, pivoted back to far and it’s hard to release. Not really that fussy but there is a sweet spot allowing easy cleat and uncleat. I can take more photos if it will help but I currently have the reefing line off, changing the line.
Ray & Janice Taylor
"Mizu"
Hood River, Ore.
#2113 2002 TM