Spinnaker Halyard block question

[Fire99]

Another quick spinnaker question if I may..

I'm not sure if I've made a bit of a boo-boo. I've mounted a new block for my spinnaker halyard, on the same pin as the forestay. With the small shackle that comes with barton blocks, that should project it forward of the forestay (just), when the spinnaker is launched. Is that far enough forward? (I've noticed that some have a fixed bracket that extends the block further forward.)

Thought i'd better check before the mast goes up.

Many thanks.

 

[Neil_Y]

The block needs to be clear to swivel and turn to any angle from 90deg either side of forward, the top of the spinnaker can be almost horizontal, but when dropping it is being pulled down parallel to the mast so every angle has to be OK with the forestay and other fittings to prevent a jam.

 

[VicS]

Another quick spinnaker question if I may..

I'm not sure if I've made a bit of a boo-boo. I've mounted a new block for my spinnaker halyard, on the same pin as the forestay. With the small shackle that comes with barton blocks, that should project it forward of the forestay (just), when the spinnaker is launched. Is that far enough forward? (I've noticed that some have a fixed bracket that extends the block further forward.)

Thought i'd better check before the mast goes up.

Many thanks.

Will it swing and swivel properly without being fouled by the forestay?

 

[Fire99]

Ahhhh.. I'm not sure.... Thanks chaps.. I think a wee modification may be required..

 

[awol]

What is needed is a block and positioning that can take the vertical load down to the deck while allowing a lead to the spinnaker that can vary through ~180deg almost horizontally. The danger is that if there is any restriction on this movement then the halyard cuts through the cheeks of the block and it ends up as a v-jammer. I have ended up with a much larger than the rope nominally needs swivelling Harken (it was on sale!) block which seems to keep the halyard on the sheave unlike the "correct" size Barton blocks that lasted about 50 or so hoists/drops before jamming.

 

[Fire99]

Thanks.. My barton block is oversize for the halyard / spinnaker so hopefully the block is up to the job. Regarding fouling, I guess it depends on the angle it is sitting at. Looking at another snapdragon 23 masthead, maybe I need to project a shackle/bracket forward a little.

 

[Plevier]

Rather than start a new thread prompted by this one -
I have a slightly fractional rig (Sparcraft) with a combined fitting with the gen hal emerging from a sheave just below the forestay attachment and the spin hal emerging similarly just above - say 2" - the forestay. It drags on the sides of the sheave box and on the wrap preventer disk on the forestay and friction hoisting and dropping is a pita.
Any suggestions for improvement welcome!

 

[William_H]

As said the spin halyard will have a lot of movement sideways and loads down ward in pulling spin up. Presumably yours is a a mast head rig so there is not much above the forestay. We used to be able to buy a box arrangement for attaching stays and included halyard pulleys for mast head rig. This had welded to the top horizontal plate on top of mast a loop of ss extending forward to take the spin halyard pulley. It extended about 8cms from mast front and was cocked slightly to one side. I imagine that this is the kind of thing you need. We might describe it as a crane facing forward for the spin halyard. I don't know what arrangement you have on mast top that could accommodate some sort of crane. Perhaps 2 plates set in place by the forestay clevis pin and anything else there to force a horizontal projection.

Regarding Troubador's question. On my fractional rig I have a sheve set into the front of the mast about 10cms above the forestay. Yes I had a lot of problems with the halyard pulling sideways and so wearing the sheave box. I improved the situation by mounting a dead eye (or is it bulls eye.) just below the sheave for the halyard to run through. (one of those eyes designed for ropes to run through.) I mounted it on a plate with legs so that the hole is angled forward and down about 45 degrees. This is far more suitable to take the halyard movement when there is a lot of side loads. good luck olewill

 

[Plevier]

Regarding Troubador's question. On my fractional rig I have a sheve set into the front of the mast about 10cms above the forestay. Yes I had a lot of problems with the halyard pulling sideways and so wearing the sheave box. I improved the situation by mounting a dead eye (or is it bulls eye.) just below the sheave for the halyard to run through. (one of those eyes designed for ropes to run through.) I mounted it on a plate with legs so that the hole is angled forward and down about 45 degrees. This is far more suitable to take the halyard movement when there is a lot of side loads. good luck olewill

No room I'm afraid! See attached pic. It really is a single combined fitting.

 

[Fire99]

I've attached a quickly edited picture of a very similar masthead to mine... (another snapdragon 23). You can see on the left hand side (where i've edited it) where the forestay is... I'm running tight on time for any impressive bolt-ons etc. I just need a simple setup to get going.

Any suggestion? Can I drill out the higher rivet than the forestay and add a block via a shackle there?

The second pic shows what the other snapdragon 23 owner did for their spinnaker but I'm not certain from the pic how it's been done.

 

[William_H]

I would suggest from the photo that you make up a pair of triangular plates the base of the triangle sized to fit the 2 rivets for the forestay fitting. Remove the forestay fitting rivets and replace with bolts and lock nuts. The triangle should then cantilever forward by perhaps 70mm with holes in the ned of the triangle to take the spin halyard pulley Add another shackle in addition to the pulley shackle to give max flexibility. (sideways load). The triangles of metal should be robust enough to take a sideways load.
Any other sort of crane arrangement to bring the sp[in halyard forward and above the forestay would be OK. good luck olewill

 

[Bosun Higgs]

yes you have dropped one if you have roller reefing - you will get the Spinny halyard wrapped round the forestay. you might get away with it with thanked on foresails but I doubt it. I wore through the sides of a lewmar block in a year because it did not articulate right. In an ideal world, the block needs to be 4 inches or so forward of the forestay pin.

 

[Fire99]

Thanks for the replies. I don't have roller reefing like the one in the pic. I have hank-on sails.

Any ideas on materials for such a projection?