Spinlock Cleats a Pain!

[johnphilip]

*******s to that. The explanation is as involved as the operation of the cleats.
Primary control equipment needs to be functional not over clever.

I will try again for the obtuse.
You are pulling the sheet in and want to lock it, change the angle of pull to flick the cleat to the lock position and a further pull of the sheet will easily lock the sheet. Cam cleats are similar and jam more easily if the rope is being drawn across the top.
What is more functional than being able to release the main in the eventof a knockdown gust? With cam cleats it can be much harder to release when tension is extreme.
Each to his own, but I do not think your remark was appropriate.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

We have had these as halyard cleats on the masts of Glenans 5.70s for a couple of years and they were found to be very efficient and easy to use, once we trained people not to bash them with winch-handles as they were wont to do with the previously installed lever-operated cam-cleats!
When you have winched your halyard the desired tension, you simply push perpendicularly on the bottom part of the body of the cleat, this will pivot inwards, clicking the cam towards the rope. The tension on the winch is then released gradually, so that the slight "backwards" movement of the rope pulls against the teeth on the cam, increasing the grip. To release, the tail of the halyard is pulled perpendicularly to the part of the line which is under tension. This pulls the bottom of the body out, which in turn pulls out the cam, releasing the tension. It should allow you to "dump" any line instantaneously.
I think they work very well as halyard cleats, but would see problems with them on other lines which might not necessarily be under tension when being cleated, you would possibly have to pull a little on the working end in order to ensure that the cam is actually gripping i.e. in your case, on your mainsheet, pull the sheet to the required tension, put your hand on the cleat and tilt it forward, then put your hand aft of it and pull it aft a little, in order to ensure that it is actually gripped. To dump the sheet, pull the sheet upwards. If it's a little stiff in operation, rinse it with fresh water to remove any accumulations of salt or rope fibres.

 

[sailorman]

I will try again for the obtuse.
You are pulling the sheet in and want to lock it, change the angle of pull to flick the cleat to the lock position and a further pull of the sheet will easily lock the sheet. Cam cleats are similar and jam more easily if the rope is being drawn across the top.
What is more functional than being able to release the main in the eventof a knockdown gust? With cam cleats it can be much harder to release when tension is extreme.
Each to his own, but I do not think your remark was appropriate.

there are 3 settings for the cam as well