Replacing mainsheet block and cam cleat

[marko99]

Our Sadler 29 needs a new mainsheet block and cam fitting as the old one now slips constantly and does not have replaceable cams.

We use the boat for a mixture of relaxed "around the cans" club sailing and cruising so don't need top racing gear. As fas as I can remember, our mainsheet is 10mm diameter.

I'm horrified at the price of Harken gear - Barton seems far more reasonable but I have no experience of using Barton gear. Any thoughts ?

 

[ianfr]

Just replaced our mainsheet gear on our Sabre 27 with Barton and am very pleased with it. Runs much more smoothly than the old stuff, and appears to be well made etc.

Regards

Ian

 

[vyv_cox]

We have had a 6:1 mainsheet system by Lewmar on our 34 for years. Two triple blocks, which I prefer to the cascade system originally fitted. No problems whatsoever.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

We have had a 6:1 mainsheet system by Lewmar on our 34 for years. Two triple blocks, which I prefer to the cascade system originally fitted. No problems whatsoever.

I'll start a new thread in a similar vein as I have a poor mainsheet set up which needs a solution.

Vyv whats a cascade system?

 

[Tranona]

I'm horrified at the price of Harken gear - Barton seems far more reasonable but I have no experience of using Barton gear. Any thoughts ?

For a normal cruising boat, Barton is fine. That is the market they aim at rather than the high performance end.

 

[voicilesrosbifs]

10mm is right - downsized on our 29 to 10mm and runs much sweeter - Barton on ours and ok. The other improvement was to fit a swivel on the boom end block.

 

[BAtoo]

The Harken website has some good diagrams:- http://www.harken.com/rigtips/mainsheet.php

I do similar cruising & occasional racing as you seem to do. I have the 4:1 16:1 cascade system on my First 31 and its good; the 4:1 bit pulls in quickly, the 16:1 is good for the last bit - and very helpful for weaker crew members.

Had a similar system on my previous boat & had Harken kit then - very good stuff but winced somewhat at the price..!!
This time have gone for Lewmar and its more than adequate. Interestingly when discussing the choice of kit with my local sea-school they always use Lewmar & wont look at Harken.

 

[BAtoo]

[QUOTE whats a cascade system?[/QUOTE]


A cascade is block that doubles the purchase of the tackle below it. The load on the fiddle blocks is also halved so they can be lighter etc.

Best seen on the 8:1 vang system here - http://www.harken.com/rigtips/BoomVang.php

The dark rope and the block on the boom is the cascade.

 

[marko99]

Thanks for all the feedback - ideally, I'd like snapshackles at either end (with swivels) for ease of use in a MOB situation. From what I can see, this seems to rule out Lewmar though.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I put new Barton mainsheet blocks and jammer on my boat(12mm mainsheet) and went up a size in blocks and opted for the ball bearing ones.It has been a considerable improvement.

 

[Lakesailor]

I put Barton on my little 17 foot cruiser. It's way better than what was on. I have no experience of the more expensive systems, but can they be 2 or 3 times better?

 

[doug748]

Our Sadler 29 needs a new mainsheet block and cam fitting as the old one now slips constantly and does not have replaceable cams.

Mine was the same. I modified it and fitted new cams which came on their own backplate. They were pretty inexpensive. I did the same thing with the kicker.

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks for all the feedback - ideally, I'd like snapshackles at either end (with swivels) for ease of use in a MOB situation. From what I can see, this seems to rule out Lewmar though.

That's exactly what we have. I can't find a perfect photo of ours but here are a few.

These are all from some time ago, the current arrangement is that a snaplink with swivel attaches to the boom, then there is a strop around 12 - 15 inches long, then the top triple block. At bottom is the standard triple block with cleat, shackled to another snaplink with swivel.

When in port we disconnect the lower snaplink from the car and attach it to a U-bolt on the side deck, giving us far more space to sit. The mainsheet reverses very quickly for MOB hoisting.

 

[BAtoo]

Attach the lewmars to something like this:-

http://www.baysidemarine.co.uk/product/Lewmar_Snap_Shackles_Lewmar-304

 

[vyv_cox]

Attach the lewmars to something like this:-

http://www.baysidemarine.co.uk/product/Lewmar_Snap_Shackles_Lewmar-304

OP wants swivels. You can get away without one on the top block in my experience but definitely not the bottom one. As he wants to make the tackle reversible this means that both need to swivel.

 

[3Sheets]

This thread has reminded me that I have new Easy Matic 2 mainsheet system somewhere in the darkest recesses of the garage where I keep countless items I have bought and not got round to using.

I will post it in the for sale section in the next few days

 

[RobBrown]

Easymatic system

I replaced my old mainsheet system with this and find it excellent. Must splice mainsheet into a continuous line one day!!

 

[BAtoo]

OP wants swivels. You can get away without one on the top block in my experience but definitely not the bottom one. As he wants to make the tackle reversible this means that both need to swivel.

I think you will find the Lewmar blocks swivel themselves - mine do

 

[Iain C]

Just replaced our mainsheet gear on our Sabre 27 with Barton and am very pleased with it. Runs much more smoothly than the old stuff, and appears to be well made etc.

Regards

Ian

Erm, another Iain here with another Sabre 27 with more Barton gear replaced last weekend...spooky!

The barton gear is great, you really do not need ball bearings on an application such as a mainsheet block on a Sadler. Go for it!

 

[Kelpie]

Last year I replaced the original mainsheet jammer block on my Vega (27ft)- it was pretty hopeless, metal jaws and plain bearings. Found a Barton BB cam/fiddle unit on eBay for under £20 and it has totally transformed the feel of the mainsheet system- you can now flick the sheet in and out of the cleat with one hand, and the reduced friction allows you to sheet out on light days without having to get up and push the boom manually. Can't believe I put up with the old one for so long...