Closeable fairleads

Seajet

Seajet

...
Joined
23 Sep 2010
Messages
29,177
Location
West Sussex / Hants
Visit site
A chum is fitting his 24' boat out for cruising, and needs to fit forward fairleads.

As he needs to take large mooring strops through these as well as the normal berthing lines one uses, it strikes me closeable fairleads would be ideal.

The only closeable fairleads I've seen are on RNLI lifeboats, and even allowing for the extra cost it's always been a mystery to me why such things aren't more common on yachts.

By closeable I mean a normal pattern open fairlead with a pivoted lockable bridge across the top to prevent lines from jumping out.

Does anyone know of a supplier of closeable fairleads suitable for 17mm strops and a 24' yacht, please ?
 
I've never seen one.
Sounds like a great idea.
Try designing onr and going on that dragon show.

Most I have seen are permenantly closed. "Panama leads" I dont know of any suplierers of small ones.
Designing an opening "Pannama" lead for small boats should be straigh forward. you just need to have a very strong securing pin.
A "fairlead" which is a round lead on a spindale which is free to rotate. if you just put a cover you have a high likely hood of chaff.
To reduce chaff a roller lead has four rollers top bottom and sides.
If you often intend to secure to a wall or pier which will be above your deck level a lead which a line cannot slip out of would be a good idea.
 
parsifal said:
Surely handed fairleads achieve the same result?
Click to expand...

No they don't, it's quite easy for lines to jump out of handed fairleads, the most obvious situation being when tied to a wall higher than the boat - in experience the handing is no guarantee.

I use closed fairleads on my boat as I like to know lines will stay put, but unlike my friends' boat mine has a good size bow roller for large diameter nylon strops etc, his roller is tiny and his club insists on twin strops, so fairleads seem the way to go.

As I mentioned, I noticed the RNLI have these closeable jobs, but not much point asking them about suppliers as

A, knowing them these fairleads are £10,000 each,

B, They're a bit big for a 24' boat...
 
Seajet said:
As I mentioned, I noticed the RNLI have these closeable jobs, but not much point asking them about suppliers as

A, knowing them these fairleads are £10,000 each,

B, They're a bit big for a 24' boat...
Click to expand...

C. Quite likely they make them in-house, or have them custom-made.

Have to say, I've never seen closeable fairleads (or openable panamas) on any other vessels. Most you might get is a pin through the top.

Pete
 
Yes, I've never seen them on a yacht, which is why I asked; still seems a good idea though, I'd certainly have them if available.

As my chum is specifically fitting fairleads I thought I'd ask just in case !
 
Seajet said:
Yes, I've never seen them on a yacht, which is why I asked; still seems a good idea though, I'd certainly have them if available.

As my chum is specifically fitting fairleads I thought I'd ask just in case !
Click to expand...

Not in the Davy + co catalogue, but I bet they have a pattern somewhere and would make some up for you, at a price.
 
Seajet said:
Yes, I've never seen them on a yacht, which is why I asked; still seems a good idea though, I'd certainly have them if available.

As my chum is specifically fitting fairleads I thought I'd ask just in case !
Click to expand...

I have a similar requirement, and couldn't find acceptable 'closed' or 'closeable' fairleads, so I'm fitting these s/s cleats, mounted each on a teak packing block to bring the base up level with the top of the teak toerail, and with a s/s sheet rubbing/capping plate underneath the cleats, wrapped around the toerail and the teak block, to take any chafe. I've gone for the 10" 250mm size, as the enclosed gap will take 18mm warp, the 10mm chain AND the hefty shackles I have. There are larger sizes.... and smaller.


stainless-steel-boat-mooring-cleat-23586-232043.jpg
 
hornidge,

thanks for that, not quite the thing of stainless or even brushed alloy elegance I had in mind and works differently to the neater RNLI jobs, but yes, you win the prize, that is the only closeable fairlead so far known to be available, well done !

Now about the £261 +vat each............:)
 
Woodlouse,

thanks, that's much closer to what I had in mind; still not as neat as the RNLI job - which as I recall had a vertical axis pivoting bridge section, diagonal joins, looks like a cast one piece closed fairlead in closed position.

This is much more yottie, and I might consider these myself but will need a much longer look at the dimensions.

Thanks !
 
Seajet said:
not as neat as the RNLI job - which as I recall had a vertical axis pivoting bridge section, diagonal joins, looks like a cast one piece closed fairlead in closed position.
Click to expand...

That's interesting - the ones I've seen (and fiddled with :) ) on RNLI boats were very similar to Chris's alloy one above. More precisely made, I think machined rather than cast, and with a smart black coating - but the same overall design.

I guess they've used different patterns on different classes of boat over time.

Pete
 
prv said:
That's interesting - the ones I've seen (and fiddled with :) ) on RNLI boats were very similar to Chris's alloy one above. More precisely made, I think machined rather than cast, and with a smart black coating - but the same overall design.

I guess they've used different patterns on different classes of boat over time.

Pete
Click to expand...

The ones I saw - Arun 52 I think, Yarmouth circa 1980's - were bronze and I suppose one day after we're all gone will be beside a nautical pub fireplace - in the hope such things continue to exist !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top