I thought I'd start a post to hopefully stimulate a bit of thinking on how we could improve our gear since it appears that manufacturers don't seem to be interested in inventing different devices to tackle what should be an upward spiral of our gears sophistication at the basic level.

For instance how many of us have spewed out expletives at the the old broken downhaul rope syndrome ,you know ,just when the wind is cranking and all the guys are ripping it and you get there 5 minutes late ,and now this!!!! a broken rope!

So whats wrong ? It's the old CLEAT that cheats us of time on the water ,gradually fraying our precious rope that should last for yonks .......but that apparently practicle cleat has just broke the rope and your heart again. Surely theres another way to do this especially since modern sails ,and especially larger racing ones that need a crank to downhaul them.

I think that North approached this and I have one of their mast extensions but it still has a cleat and the lever is too small for serious downhauling.

Any brilliant inventors out there?

Thanks for that 555 what a nice bit of gear but as you pointed out it's size is a problem and it is still a cleat that may cause wear if the rope is downhauled through it . I was thinking though ,since some use a downhaul tool maybe a device that grabs the rope tight after downhaul is applied ,without actually doing damage to the rope could be found to fit a mast base at the manufacturing stage.

Maybe I'm just pissing in the lack of wind

Brick said...



For instance how many of us have spewed out expletives at the the old broken downhaul rope syndrome ,you know ,just when the wind is cranking and all the guys are ripping it and you get there 5 minutes late ,and now this!!!! a broken rope!

A few years ago I came in to change to a smaller sail, was cranking on the downhaul, it snapped, and I put my back out. No sailing for a few weeks. Since then I always have heaps of spare 4mm rope in my van, if it looks worn, replace it.

I cant believe i'm hearing this.Grizzling about a piece of ROPE worth $6 max.What about an $800 sail or a $800 mast not to mention a $2000 board.The spectra rope is a consumable and considering the loads and abuse from twisting and incorrect release from the jam cleat jaws it is probabley one of the best performing bits of tackle.Buy a few meters and change as soon as it looks shabby.

Tip Superglue the core to the sheath of the spectra after you melt them together as it can help. Just a tiny bit at the end so the rope feeds through the mast base pulleys.

Not a brilliant inventor just a grumpy old b@*$#%^d.

trying to remember the name of the boom which it's clew had a spring loaded cleat..to tighten outhaul pull and the cleat opens up and let go at tension and the cam shuts to hold the rope, which it had a variation for the downhaul...i like the old but still reliable f2
mastfoots the clew is on the side so you never fray lines as you pull..i pack always in sets of 2pcs. of lines, screws, washers,mastbase, little things that matter the most and break easily

always carry 2 spare 2m lengths of downhaul rope .... wrap em tightly round the end of the boom and put some duct tape over them...

you'll never be caught out and miss a saill due to snappage.....but more importantly 4m of spare string could SAVE your bacon one day.....very very cheap insurance policy

"How will they make any money if they don't have to keep selling us new downhaul rope"??

Damn. We've been busted!!!

Oh well, guess we can tell you that we now have FORMULINE downhaul in stock.
Super tough & slippery.

JEZ

anyone who has to pay for downhaul rope is not buying enough sails and boards

speaking of that if anyone buys my 6.1m Simmer or one of my EVO's on the buy n sell, I'll throw in a length of downhaul rope.

Simple is best. You don't want mechanical complication if you can help it. I like the simple jam cleats - small, light, no moving bits. As long as the teeth aren't sharp they work fine. My dh ropes last quite a while.

It seems I'm beat by the logic of the simplicity of what we currently have ,Ill try our local shop and see iff they have this FORMULINE or maybe one of the boat shops stock it.

I have to admit that I've seen more breakages of booms and masts than I have of downhaul ropes but when looking down at full speed I sometimes feel uncomfortable that a puny bit of thin rope is keeping the whole thing together.

Paul Kelf said...

Brick said...

Thanks for that 555 what a nice bit of gear but as you pointed out it's size is a problem and it is still a cleat that may cause wear if the rope is downhauled through it . I was thinking though ,since some use a downhaul tool maybe a device that grabs the rope tight after downhaul is applied ,without actually doing damage to the rope could be found to fit a mast base at the manufacturing stage.

Maybe I'm just pissing in the lack of wind

Brick, simple gear has been around for 20 years and still available.
The only change we have made to the Tyronsea Mast Base is to change the Cleat material to Carbon Fibre, it used to be Nylon & Brass.

The cleat swings loose and the pull of the rope closes it tight. Simple!!!!!





Paul

That is definately a simple solution but I have always found this type of base very hard to use, as the pulleys dont offer much purchase. I currently use that base for for only soft sails that dont require alot of downhaul. I usually use a chinook extension which chews through rope like nothing else!

Are there any other models you have which will work under higher stress loads more easily and with RDM masts (would love to be able to use aussie components).

Brick said...


It would'nt have a hope of pulling down one of todays race sails especially with those plastic pulleys.

Brick,
A few years back while trying to find a replacement material for the cleat I was testing the bases with my 100% Carbon Mast & 6.6 M Freeride Sail, I was very surprised how well the base worked & how easy it was to downhaul.

I will try the Tyronsea base with my 7.8 M cammed sail & report back.

BTW the pulley material has no bearing on the performance, it's more about quantity & diameter.

Paul