Unusual (old style) spinlock clutches.... replace?

[FairweatherDave]

View attachment 49939

As usual I have forgotten how to load photos but hoping this one has worked. It is a 1979 Spinlock clutch unit and given the arms point at various angles when the ropes are jammed in the arms are very vulnerable to being knocked, and suddenly releasing tension. I haven't had enough time to get used to them but I fear I might want to change them next winter. Are they the work of the devil or do you think I will learn to live with them. (I have one lot each size of the companionway.)

 

[Ardenfour]

I have similar ones, and what crossed my mind was not the rope being released inadvertantly, but more the idea of slipping and getting impaled on the upwards pointing handles...

 

[antaris]

You might start to appreciate them more when you see the price of similar new units! SO expensive!

 

[sailorman]

View attachment 49939

As usual I have forgotten how to load photos but hoping this one has worked. It is a 1979 Spinlock clutch unit and given the arms point at various angles when the ropes are jammed in the arms are very vulnerable to being knocked, and suddenly releasing tension. I haven't had enough time to get used to them but I fear I might want to change them next winter. Are they the work of the devil or do you think I will learn to live with them. (I have one lot each size of the companionway.)

When introduced they were the DBs

 

[charles_reed]

View attachment 49939

As usual I have forgotten how to load photos but hoping this one has worked. It is a 1979 Spinlock clutch unit and given the arms point at various angles when the ropes are jammed in the arms are very vulnerable to being knocked, and suddenly releasing tension. I haven't had enough time to get used to them but I fear I might want to change them next winter. Are they the work of the devil or do you think I will learn to live with them. (I have one lot each size of the companionway.)

Unless the cams are badly worn, you'll be unlikely to find anything which works any better and you'll have a big hole in your pocket.
They are very susceptible to sightly oversize ropes - from memory they were only good for +/- 2.0mm. rather better holders were the ring-type of a similar vintage by Lewmar - but they are even more limited on the size-range they'll accept. It's usually cheaper to replace the strings than the jammers.

 

[FairweatherDave]

They are very susceptible to sightly oversize ropes - from memory they were only good for +/- 2.0mm.
It's usually cheaper to replace the strings than the jammers.

Thanks all. I think my issue might well be oversize ropes in that case...(the boat is new to me)... can anyone tell me the optimum angle the closing arm should be lying at when the rope is held fixed in the clutch? Then I can experiment with sizes of rope (well I can experiment anyway but nice to know how they should look in operation).

As for the replacement costs I had noticed

 

[sailorman]

Thanks all. I think my issue might well be oversize ropes in that case...(the boat is new to me)... can anyone tell me the optimum angle the closing arm should be lying at when the rope is held fixed in the clutch? Then I can experiment with sizes of rope (well I can experiment anyway but nice to know how they should look in operation).

As for the replacement costs I had noticed

I used 10>12m/m matt braid on braid

 

[FairweatherDave]

I used 10>12m/m matt braid on braid

Thanks Sailorman. With the right sized rope does the closing arm lie pretty much horizontal with the deck like a modern jammer?

 

[alahol2]

Thanks Sailorman. With the right sized rope does the closing arm lie pretty much horizontal with the deck like a modern jammer?

No, it stands up at about 30deg from the horizontal.

 

[sailorman]

Thanks Sailorman. With the right sized rope does the closing arm lie pretty much horizontal with the deck like a modern jammer?

after 30 yrs i cant remember

 

[PetiteFleur]

I understood these are 'jammers' not clutches. I use Lewmar clutches and pleased with them - better than Spinlock in my opinion.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Many thanks all. Looking forward to measuring what I have got. I won't be replacing anything anyway immediately as I will be seeing what I like or don't like on the boat over a full season. But I did knock the mainsail halyard one on the delivery trip when I was not relaxed so my initial bonding experience was unfavourable. I suspect the halyard is oversized as I don't recall acheiving 30 degrees....
What I found interesting too is when I googled "old spinlock clutches" in "images" I barely saw anything that resembled what I have, so I assumed they must be fairly obsolete.