New stemhead/bow roller

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Rincewind

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I am looking for inspiration for a well thought out Stem Head Fabrication.
The roller on my Sadler is a bit wonky and want to go the whole hog and fabricate
a front end to cope with all eventualities. I try to avoid marinas, so, need confidence
in my anchoring Setup.
Any photos of your, or a good layout appreciated.

thx
 
We had a double roller fabricated, I have the drawings somewhere if useful to you.

Roller.png
 
If you can wander round a few marinas always something that might spark an idea.At least two rollers if possible extending beyond the bow.Maybe it could take the form of a short bowsprit that could allow for tacking down the large light weather genoa
 
Some good examples in the previous posts. The challenge is to fit everything into the space available.. Mine (sorry, not a great picture) is a mini bowsprit that has two rollers, jib furler and further back a Solent stay attachment. While simple and solid, it's not perfect as the anchor has to be raised carefully so as not to take out the furling gear - something avoided on the other pictures - offsetting the rollers from the stays is a good idea.Screenshot_20221108_231944.jpg
 
I think the previous posts are excellent.

When I first bought a cruiser (20 footer) it had the usual miniscule stem headfitting

A boat jumble supplied me with a double roller fitting fit for a ship.

A lot of fibreglass moulding and epoxy filler and many more bolts and I had something like the previous posts; well over the top for my wee boat but probably the strongest part of the boat and a good place to have it.

I doubled the diameter of the forestay soon after for peace of mind; fall forwards you bu**er, not on top of me in the cockpit was my thinking.
 
Wansworth said:
If you can wander round a few marinas always something that might spark an idea.At least two rollers if possible extending beyond the bow.Maybe it could take the form of a short bowsprit that could allow for tacking down the large light weather genoa
Click to expand...

Excellent suggestion, there are some really good ideas out there on personalised bow rollers. Take pictures, mull them over - abstract the ideas you like and then 'give them', the photos - plus one of your bow with dimensions, to a fabricator to combine into a design.

Jonathan
 
Rincewind said:
I am looking for inspiration for a well thought out Stem Head Fabrication.
The roller on my Sadler is a bit wonky and want to go the whole hog and fabricate
a front end to cope with all eventualities. I try to avoid marinas, so, need confidence
in my anchoring Setup.
Any photos of your, or a good layout appreciated.

thx
Click to expand...

First : Having suffered the consequences of a deck mounted stemhead fitting ... I replaced with a unit that not only bolted through deck as the original - but also had a 'tang' that was vertical and bolted through the bow ...
Second : The anchor roller had higher cheeks with wider roller - to avoid those silly lockups when chain rotates and catches in the narrow guide.
Third : Forestay attachment on that boat was via an eye bolt through the stemhead fitting ... relying on a nut under deck. UGH !! New stemhead fitting had a vertical plate with a series of holes ... the plate being one of the anchor roller cheeks extended back .... the forestay then could be fastened to any hole depending on user preference.

Some suggested to me when designing my fitting - to add a strong 'pin' arrangement for locking anchor chain ..... NO WAY !! Something I would NEVER do ... The only measure I may resort to - is to have a light single lashing to stop chain jumping of the roller - nothing more.

One modification that I wish I had then and with present boat : Step through pulpit as the Scandies use ....

If I was to change my present fitting ... I would extend the base plate further back and add an anchor drop pawl. Basically a U fitting with a pivoting pawl that when chain has weight on - is trapped by the pawl ... but when chain is pulled to retrieve - the pawl rides the links as they come on board. When not in use or when setting up ... pawl has a removable through pin it rotates on ...
 
I cracked the Dehler aluminium cast one. Used a 2d program to design 3 parts for replacement. Took digital design to laser cutter. Can you do this in 316 8mm? What about 10mm, he said: we have a 10mm job on now. Of course! Boat named after a battleship anyway.

Had it welded up and blasted to look like alu casting.

£100 all in.

My only regret is that I should have pushed roller 3" further forward. These NG anchors tend to have longish shafts

Hardest bit was getting old bow roller off.

Don't cross in front of me! You will come off worst.
 
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Thanks guys, I want to get all these little addons which make life easier and safer.
All is being noted and taken into account.
 
I designed mine based on what I had seen on American boats, and stores the anchor as well. Very solid layup in GRP and include a heavy stainless roller. I have a quick realease shackle to an eye bolt to secure the anchor which you can't easily see in the photo.

bowsprit4.jpg
 
BabaYaga said:
One feature that often seems to be overlooked is chafe protection at the rear end. When I designed mine, I was keen to avoid any sharp corners where the rope must change direction to reach the cleats.
IMG_3360.jpeg
Click to expand...
Why do you use locking turns as they are completely unnecessary and IMHO have no place on any boat ?

If the cable pulls very tight these can seize so hard releasing becomes near impossible, leaving little option but to cut the line and that cannot be done in a hurry. I would get very annoyed with anyone who used these on a service cleat, especially a jib or genoa sheet, and I don't even like them on mooring cleats. If someone (kindly) takes one of my lines and applies one I discreetly remove them at first opportunity.
 
superheat6k said:
Why do you use locking turns as they are completely unnecessary and IMHO have no place on any boat ?

If the cable pulls very tight these can seize so hard releasing becomes near impossible, leaving little option but to cut the line and that cannot be done in a hurry. I would get very annoyed with anyone who used these on a service cleat, especially a jib or genoa sheet, and I don't even like them on mooring cleats. If someone (kindly) takes one of my lines and applies one I discreetly remove them at first opportunity.
Click to expand...
Can you explain what you think is wrong in BanaYaga's picture? I don't see a riding turn, just a final locking turn on his figure 8s. Perfectly normal, to me.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
superheat6k said:
Why do you use locking turns as they are completely unnecessary and IMHO have no place on any boat ?

If the cable pulls very tight these can seize so hard releasing becomes near impossible, leaving little option but to cut the line and that cannot be done in a hurry. I would get very annoyed with anyone who used these on a service cleat, especially a jib or genoa sheet, and I don't even like them on mooring cleats. If someone (kindly) takes one of my lines and applies one I discreetly remove them at first opportunity.
Click to expand...

There is only one locking turn, namely the last one.
This is my habit, for mooring lines and halyards, on horn cleats. (Sheets are completely different, of course, mine are on jamming cleats).
Haven't given this a lot of thought, but also have never experienced any such problems that you mention.
 
BabaYaga said:
There is only one locking turn, namely the last one.
This is my habit, for mooring lines and halyards, on horn cleats. (Sheets are completely different, of course, mine are on jamming cleats).
Haven't given this a lot of thought, but also have never experienced any such problems that you mention.
Click to expand...
I do the same, although I always put more figure of 8 turns on a cleat before the locking turn. The only time I don't is when I am anchoring in exposed positions when I am on board (fishing) and may have to leave in a hurry due to deteriorating weather or shiping aproaching. I would never trust a cleat with no locking turns to hold an unattended boat.
 
Why do you use locking turns as they are completely unnecessary and IMHO have no place on any boat ?
Click to expand...

Fine - but as long as there are enough fig 8's on the cleat to produce the friction necessary to carry the load - the locking 'turn' is perfectly fine.

I would not like to have a boat moored next to mine without a secure lines ..... yachts are not ships with heavy lines that sheer weight keeps free end from 'jumping' of the bollards ....
 
Plum said:
Can you explain what you think is wrong in BanaYaga's picture? I don't see a riding turn, just a final locking turn on his figure 8s. Perfectly normal, to me.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Click to expand...
I did not use the term riding turn, which is actually a different thing entirely when a rope overruns a later turn on a winch and inadvertently locks its, but essentially the same thing is a locking turn and is (IMHO) always completely unnecessary. I understand others use them, but having had a well loaded genoa sheet lock hard on due to a locking turn and require a knife to release in a fairly stressful situation, the 'never again' rule works just fine for me. So if you kindly do use one on my mooring lines I won't say anything, but I will quietly correct (remove) it.

I suppose similar to the way I was taught not to leave the slack of my shorelines on the dock in case some Frenchman nicks them and never ever apply a riding turn.

Works for me - others not using my ropes can of course do as they please. I am confident my made up ropes do not slip on their cleats.
 
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