any sources of cheap or used furling line leads?

[steve yates]

S0 far everything I'm finding looks quite expensive, just to lead a 4mm furling line down an 18ft boat. Anyone found anywhere cheaper? or chinese versions? I'll need 3 or 4 and thought they would be about a fiver each new!

 

[steve yates]

Found something, so for anyone else looking for similar, holt ones on ebay, £2.79 for a pair, including postage...

HOLT HT52 Pack of 2 Bullseye Deck Fairleads for 7mm Rope 5028191001540 | eBay

or fancier ones with ss insert, (mines are almost chewed through by the line) for £8.99 for 2, HOLT HT4052 Pack of 2 Bullseye Fairlead w/ Stainless Steel Inserts for 6mm Rope 5028191011259 | eBay

 

[PetiteFleur]

If you go for the Holt ones as suggested by Steve, go for the stainless inserts, the all plastic ones will wear with more friction.

 

[Neeves]

It depends on the deck arrangement but you should be able to run furling lines between toerail (if you have one) and stanchions, so outboard (or depends on the base of the stanchion) 'through' the base of the stanchion. You might need a fairlead at the bow when you turn inboard to run to the furler and you might need another fairlead at the transom. Its not as pretty as having nice matching fairleads with free running rollers attached to every stanchion - but it sure is cheaper. We don't have any fairleads for this application but run through the stanchion bases, we turn through 90 degrees on each bow (its a cat) with a block bolted to the bow (a cheek block?)- but that's it. We have cam cleats on the transom for each line (we have one furling line on each hull, one for each headsail.)

We have other lines 'in' or through the stanchion bases, a self tacking headsail sheet on one hull, anchor bridle legs on both hulls - its not too busy and has worked well for 2 decades. The sheet for the self tacker shares the cheek block, it has 2 sheaves, and the anchor bridle has their own turning blocks (as they need to be further forward than the furlers or sheet).

If you go the Holt route - there should be minimum friction along most of the run and wear should not be an issue - until the furling lines changes direction with a large angle - as you were mentioning cost - you could save some money with the simple all plastic ones for much of the application.

Jonathan

 

[Boathook]

I've got the holt style with a s/s insert. Being on a cat I had to turn the furling line 90 degrees at the bow to used a roller bearing pulley. It was all fitted years ago and still going strong. I remember that it took quite a bit of double handed work in trying to work out the route for the line to keep it as straight as possible.

 

[mjcoon]

Could you try tethering some low-friction rings? (N.B. I have no experience of them; just read about them here!)

Mike.