By Paul Jeffery Heyse

     This Issue Blocks, Lines, and Cleats

      In this issue I will go over many of the different lines, blocks, and cleats we can use on our sail boats for running rigging. All of the blocks and cleats reviewed will be by the two major manufacturers who produce these for small sailboats, Harken and Ronstan. The lines will cover the three major makers of yacht braids which are Samson, New England Rope, and Marlow. In this review I will not make recommendations of one manufacturer over another but will discuss the the sizes and types we should look at using.
    Turning Blocks
     To start lets go over just what we need for blocks on our boats. We will begin at the bow and work our way back to the stern. The first blocks we need are for the jib club and jib sheet. The first block is the block attached to the bottom of the jib club and should be a block with a swivel with a becket. This is because the jib is self tacking and does not require being double lead. The size of the blocks that can be used with good safety margins are 28mm blocks. These blocks have maximum working loads of 300 lbs. or greater, more than enough for the loads developed by the jib and club. The two blocks that fit this are the Harken 167 and the Ronstan RF895. The next four blocks are deck mounted and should be self standing. This means a pad eye and a spring. The springs are available through both manufacturers for the size blocks we need. A Harken 082 or a Ronstan RF892 will do the job for this for us.
     We now move back to the main mast. Here we need several different types of blocks for the many lines we are running here. First the jib halyard and getting it to the cockpit [recommended for sailing with no crew or first time sailors]. The jib halyard block is a low load block as we will not be applying great halyard tensions. It does not require a free standing block so a pad eye is all that is needed. A Harken 082 or a Ronstan RF892 is all that is needed here. To turn the jib halyard at the cabin roof level so it runs along the cabin top we would need to use these blocks. A Harken 092 or a Ronstan RF1278, these turning blocks should be mounted on a beveled pad so they fair lead away from the mast and clear any cabin top hardware or other structures.
     With the jib lead away from the mast we turn our attention to the running rigging for the main sail. Now we have two halyards that are in use to control the main sail. One is the main halyard or throat halyard and the other is the gaff halyard or lift. Both of these should be run down the same side of the mast and lead to the same side of the boat. This is to give control over the main sail from the same position for the crew. The first is the main halyard or throat halyard and needs a block near the top of the mast. This block does not need to be self standing so again a Harken 082 or Ronstan RF892 will do the job nicely. This halyard will again need to be turned at the cabin top level, so another Harken 092 will be needed. Ronstan makes a double turning block that can be used for two lines it is the RF1280. Both of these blocks should be mounted on a pad so they fair lead away from the cabin top structures.
     The second halyard is the gaff halyard or lift and will need two, three, or four blocks to make it smooth running. The two block system requires the lift to be dead ended on the gaff with another block on the gaff and a double block on the mast. The single block should be a swivel block a Harken 166 or a Ronstan RF894 will be needed. The double block on the mast does not need to be a swivel but should be shackled a Harken 084 or Ronstan RF896 will work. The three block system needs a double block with becket. to dead end the lift to the block a Harken 085 or Ronstan RF897 will work. On the gaff two blocks with swivels are used again Harken 166's or Ronstan RF894's will work. The four block system needs the two Harken 166's or Ronstan RF894's on the gaff and one Harken 082 or Ronstan RF892 on the mast plus one Harken 083 or Ronstan RF893 with becket. to dead end the lift also on the mast. Again the lift will need to be turned at the cabin top level and set on a beveled pad as the other halyards. This can be done with another Harken 092 will be needed. No additional block will be needed if using a Ronstan RF1280.
     Now on to the main sheet. Here we have several options that can be used all achieving the same basic end. To give good control of the main sail to the crew. The most basic main sheet system is detailed in the plans for our boats and is the best one to use. It is a boom end system with the sheet lead forward on the bottom of the mast to the center of the cockpit. A seldom mentioned bonus to this system is that in case the goose neck or boom are damaged the main sail may still be used to sail. The main is dropped and the boom removed and stowed away. Now the main sheet can be attached to the clew of the main and the sail can be raised and used. Although it can not or should not be hard close hauled going to windward it will still be possible to make head way and little sail power will be lost on a reach. This can not be done with mid boom sheeting systems.
     Now lets go over the blocks and other small options to this system. This system for a wheel will need a self standing block mounted to the center line of the aft deck. Two different blocks can be used here. The first is a swivel block with spring. The swivel block to use is a Harken 168 or a Ronstan RF1711. These are to be used with a swivel block with becket. on the boom end. The swivel block with becket. and spring are a Harken 169 or a Ronstan RF1712. The second deck mounted blocks are the Harken 169 or a Ronstan RF1712. These blocks are to be used with a fiddle block mounted on the boom end. The fiddle blocks to use are a Harken 028 or a Ronstan RF1266. The first option here is less expensive but also has less purchase. The second costs more but gives more purchase and more control.
     The next block in the system should be a ratcheting block for turning the sheet down into the cockpit to the crew. This block does not need a spring and are made by both Harken and Ronstan. They are the Harken 019 or the Ronstan RF42100.
     For boats that have gone with a tiller option the only change is that instead of mounting a block to the deck we secure it to a bridle. The bridle should have a ring or a loop attached or formed to be on the center line of the boat. It should be as far aft as possible and form a triangle high enough to allow the tiller to have good scope. The base of the triangle should be as wide as the boat allows. When pulled taught the ring or loop should be above the center line of the boat. The block options are the same as I have discussed.
     In closing both Harken and Ronstan make very fine sailing hardware. They both have made their reputations with small boat sailors both racing and cruising. The only differences between them is in cost and load values of their blocks. Harken costs a little less and Ronstan has higher load values. Other than that it is just your personal preference as to which you use. Both will do the job very nicely.

    Lines
     Now lets look at lines we can use on our boats. I will list these by line size,  where each size should be used, manufacturer, and type of line. There will also be something on specialty lines that may be used.
     The first size is 3/16" line. It should be used for the jib halyard, main or throat halyard, gaff lift or halyard, and main sheet bridle for tiller option boats. This size line is also good for the jib sheet. All of the three major cordage manufacturers make line in this size, they are Samson, New England Rope, and Marlow. They come in many colors for color coding your lines for ease of use.
     The second size is 1/4" line. This is a good size line for use as the main sheet. Samson and New England Rope make color coded and solid color line in this size.
     The third size is 5/16" line. This is about the top size line we should look at and only for a main sheet. Samson and New England Rope make color coded and solid color line in this size.
     Now we will look at the lines Samson has to offer. The first is Samson LS and LST a polyester yacht braid that comes in white with a red fleck or white with a color tracer. The tracers are in red, blue, green, and black. The 3/16" line is rated at 1200 lbs. break strength and weights 1.3 lbs. per 100 ft. The 1/4" line is rated 1850 lbs. break strength and weights 2.2 lbs. per 100 ft. Samson also offers another yacht braid XLS in 3/16" and 1/4" line sizes it's break strengths are 1200 lbs. and 2200 lbs. They come in solid colors with a white tracer and the colors are red, blue, green, and black. These lines are of a fair price and will do the job for us nicely.
     Now for what New England Ropes has to offer. They offer us three choices, Sta-Set, Classic, and Spun Classic. Sta-Set is a polyester yacht braid and is available in white with a red fleck or white with a red tracer, blue tracer, or green tracer. The 3/16" line is rated 1200 lbs. break strength and weights 1.5 lbs. per 100 ft. The 3/8" line is rated 2000 lbs. break strength and weights 2.6 lbs. per 100 ft. They also offer a line called Classic and it is a more traditional looking line. It comes in white. The 3/16" line is rated 1200 lbs. break strength and weights 1.2 lbs. per 100 ft. The 1/4" line is rated 2000 lbs. break strength and weights 2.0 lbs. per 100 ft. The last line to look at From New England ropes is their Spun Classic. It is the traditional line in it's look. It comes in white and in the sizes we can use. The 3/16" line is rated at 700 lbs. break strength and weights 1.2 lbs. per 100 ft. The 1/4" line is rated at 1200 lbs. break strength and weights 2.0 lbs. per 100 ft. These lines are of a fair price and all will do the job. A note about Spun Classic, it will stretch more than the yacht braids and work at a higher percentage of it rating.
     Lastly I will mention Marlow. lines. The line I am looking at here is their Pre-stretched 3/16" line. Marlow lines have been used on many small racing cats and small racing sailboats because of it's very low stretch. On our boats this line can be looked at as line for halyards and for the main sheet bridle on tiller option boats. It comes in five colors, white, lime, pink, red, and blue. The 3/16" line is rated at 1323 lbs. break strength. Marlow lines are available through West Marine.

   Cleats
     Last but but no means least are cleats. There are four different types of cleats we can use to secure the running rigging on our boats. I will start this with the best choice and finish with the least acceptable choice.
     The first and best choice for cleats for running rigging on our boats are cam cleats. These cleats allow the line to pass between two spring loaded cams that have teeth molded into them. Thus allowing a line to be trimmed without releasing the tension on that line. A real bonus when under sail. These cleats with an innovation developed by Ronstan called a Fast Track also allows the line to be quickly released from the cleat without allowing the line to be lost. Again a big bonus in any situation where a very quick release of a sheet or halyard is needed. Harken now also offers this innovation for it's line of cam cleats.
     I am going to list the Ronstan cam cleats first here because they where the innovators of this system. For all of the block and line sizes I have mentioned the Ronstan RF5000 carbon fiber C-Cleat with the RF5005 Fast Track Fairlead will work for all our lines with the possible exception of a larger that 5/16" main sheet. Options to these cleats are wedges set at 11 degree increments that may be added to the cleat base. The Harken line of cam cleats that would work are the Harken 365 with a fairlead strap Harken 425 will work. These fairlead straps come in five colors for easy color coding but are not as good as the Harken 328 which is not color coded. Options to these Harken cam cleats are 15 degree wedges for the base and risers for the cleats. Both of these cleating systems are of excellent quality and will work very nicely.
    The second choice in cleats are modern horn cleats and are most commonly made of aluminum and can also be found in bronze and stainless steel. These cleats have great holding power if properly wrapped. They are a little less in cost for the aluminum than cam cleats but they require the release of tension to re-secure. They are also slower to get released in an emergency. But will do the job with some extra work.
    The third choice are traditional horn cleats. These are available mostly in brass and stainless steel. They are much like the modern horn cleat in function and performance but have a more traditional look to them. They would look very nice but would be harder to use do to their shape.
    The last choice are cleats called clamcleats, jamcleats, or V cleats. These are the poorest choice for running rigging on our boats. They come in nylon and aluminum and are harsh on lines. They are also easy to have the secured line come free and be lost. They are the least in cost for good reason.
    As a final mention I will say that line clutches and the like are left to racers. There use would greatly increase cost on a boat that does not need them.

   Next Issue Standing Rigging, Deck Hardware, and Boom Vangs Plus.

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