Put me straight on "handed" fairleads

[Amulet]

I am confused. I thought I wanted to replace the straight fairleads on my boat with "handed" ones. I arrived at this conclusion in the belief that handed fairleads were designed to make it more difficult for the warp to come out. It is not unknown for it to come out of the current ones.

So, if you look at the top one in my picture, I'd envisage putting it on the starboard bow, meaning that it was awkward to get the rope in and out, which is the object of the exercise. However it is catalogue listed as a "port" fairlead.

Being confused, I looked around, and saw a lot of fairleads of the Davey type, the bottom pair. In these both the channel and the jaws are at a slant, giving the suggestion that they should be positioned so that it is EASY to get the warp in and out - the top one on the port bow, and the bottom one on the starboard.

Is there an understanding about what "handed" fairleads are for? Am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[Poignard]

I think you are right.

The upper fairlead is exactly the type I have fitted to the starboard bow of my boat, so that a head rope won't jump out.

What you say about the Davey fairleads makes absolute sense. The design clearly shows how the rope is intended to be led.

 

[lustyd]

Port is not the correct label, this was discussed recently on here. They should be left and right, so assume port to be left and refer to rope going left out of it for starboard bow or port stern. Ones labelled as starboard should be labelled right and go port bow or starboard stern.

This is clearly a case of someone who isn't boaty writing labels for something boaty and mistakenly thinking port/starboard are left/right and oblivious to the fact that we use them to stop exactly this kind of confusion!

ETA: the difference between those pictures - one is to keep the rope in, the other is to stop a rope chafing the boat. Both are useful and it's up to you to decide which and why

 

[Davegriff]

Don't see why it should make any difference which way they're mounted TBH.

 

[Lakesailor]

Don't see why it should make any difference which way they're mounted TBH.

Have a look at your boat next time you are there. I'm betting you moor in a marina or using a chain over the bow roller. On a swinging mooring using fairleads you'll soon get fed up of warps lifting out of the fairlead.

The OP's post could have been the same one I posted 3 years ago.
I had a discussion with the chandlery by phone (who swapped the item no problem) he agreed the description was on the face of it incorrect. However if you were mounting it at the stern then Port would be the correct description.

 

[25931]

I thought that the term "fair lead" meant that the warp was lead cleanly i.e. not chafing so, of course, it is not intended to stop a line jumping clear.

I am confused. I thought I wanted to replace the straight fairleads on my boat with "handed" ones. I arrived at this conclusion in the belief that handed fairleads were designed to make it more difficult for the warp to come out. It is not unknown for it to come out of the current ones.

So, if you look at the top one in my picture, I'd envisage putting it on the starboard bow, meaning that it was awkward to get the rope in and out, which is the object of the exercise. However it is catalogue listed as a "port" fairlead.

Being confused, I looked around, and saw a lot of fairleads of the Davey type, the bottom pair. In these both the channel and the jaws are at a slant, giving the suggestion that they should be positioned so that it is EASY to get the warp in and out - the top one on the port bow, and the bottom one on the starboard.

Is there an understanding about what "handed" fairleads are for? Am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[Amulet]

I thought that the term "fair lead" meant that the warp was lead cleanly i.e. not chafing so, of course, it is not intended to stop a line jumping clear.

Don't much care what the name is... the effect I require is to do both - prevent chafe and keep the rope in. If it jumps out it will chafe something - like my new varnished rubbing strake. I think there are two quite different concepts of "handedness" here, and also a rather understandable difficulty in describing them in words. "Port bow" (also suitable for starboard quarter) maybe is the phrase, and then distinguish between oblique and crossover. In good old-fashioned days I'd have gone to the chandlers and looked at them. In this new-fangled era I'm trying to web order bits for a boat in Suffolk from my living room in Brisbane.

 

[jwilson]

The fairlead in your upper photo would be wrong for the port bow but correct for the port quarter. Labelling them port or starboard is silly, unless you also specify bow or stern.

 

[prv]

I thought that the term "fair lead" meant that the warp was lead cleanly i.e. not chafing so, of course, it is not intended to stop a line jumping clear.

So what is it for then? If the idea was that the fairlead should never restrain the line, why bother fitting it?

The cut in the top should be at the opposite angle to how the warp will lead, so that the warp can't come out. Only when it's slack and able to be turned in the opposite direction will it fit through.

Those Davey fairleads just look badly designed. Never mind the angle of the lugs on top, the corners of the side posts will be quite chafey if the line is doing anything other than passing through hardly changing direction. Since bow fairleads might sometimes be used for a bridle to a swinging mooring, sometimes for a head-rope leading forward, and sometimes for a spring leading aft, they need to work from any direction even if there is a "preferred" one based on the top lugs.

Pete

 

[MYStargazer]

This is clearly a case of someone who isn't boaty writing labels for something boaty and mistakenly thinking port/starboard are left/right and oblivious to the fact that we use them to stop exactly this kind of confusion!

Surely port and starboard do just mean the left and right sides of a vessel? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard

 

[prv]

Surely port and starboard do just mean the left and right sides of a vessel? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard

Yes - left and right side of the vessel, not left and right under all circumstances. I think Lustyd is saying they're named left and right based on which way the warp leads out of them, regardless of where they're mounted. I haven't bothered trying to understand how that nomenclature would work though

Pete

 

[aquaplane]

Discussing this before made me look at boats to see if fairleads were indeed mounted differently fore and aft. Most boats had fairleads at the bow but just cleats at the stern.

 

[Lakesailor]

......and don't forget that in the Southern hemisphere things will go anti-clockwise.

 

[Searush]

I use mine for Springs as well as warps.

 

[prv]

Discussing this before made me look at boats to see if fairleads were indeed mounted differently fore and aft. Most boats had fairleads at the bow but just cleats at the stern.

Our old boat had fairleads at both ends, the new one has just cleats at bow and stern (mounted right at the gunwale so no fairlead needed) but has a cunning midships fitting that can be either cleat or fairlead as required.

Pete

 

[lustyd]

Surely port and starboard do just mean the left and right sides of a vessel? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard

No not at all. Port means the left side of the vessel when looking forward, and starboard means the left side of the vessel when looking aft, hence the requirement for more specific terms. Standing in the cockpit, if I tell you to look left and you're at the bow looking at me and listening, what would you do? If I say look to port you'll look to your right .

You'll find this a lot on boats because everyday words are generally not specific enough for the situation, especially where someones life may rely on conveying a meaning.

 

[lustyd]

Yes - left and right side of the vessel, not left and right under all circumstances. I think Lustyd is saying they're named left and right based on which way the warp leads out of them, regardless of where they're mounted. I haven't bothered trying to understand how that nomenclature would work though

Pete

yes, on a left handed one, the rope would lead left if you want it not to jump out. Turn the fairlead around and the rope would still lead to the left.

 

[VicS]

Have a look at your boat next time you are there. I'm betting you moor in a marina or using a chain over the bow roller. On a swinging mooring using fairleads you'll soon get fed up of warps lifting out of the fairlead.

The OP's post could have been the same one I posted 3 years ago.
I had a discussion with the chandlery by phone (who swapped the item no problem) he agreed the description was on the face of it incorrect. However if you were mounting it at the stern then Port would be the correct description.

I remember your post

Its been discussed again more recently, when the opinion expressed was that the top picture would have been correctly called "right handed" because that's the direction of the horns ... like a right handed thread But that a RH fairlead would be for the port bow ( or stbd quarter) I think that would have agreed with your experiences.

It should be able to find both discussions!

 

[chinita]

Surely port and starboard do just mean the left and right sides of a vessel? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_and_starboard

SWMBO uses the old phrase "No Port LEFT". She then goes on to say "I can't remember the one for Starboard though".

 

[lw395]

My last boat had fairleads through the toe rail with closed tops.
The ones in the lower picture look too rough for rope.
It depends also on the position and height of the fairlead relative to the cleat, and its intended purpose, ie spring or bow-line.
There is always a circumstance where what you choose will be wrong.