Thread: GIS Rigging, Blocks, Lines, and related

Hi Clint,

1. I'm sometimes a heretic... and cause Mik no end of consternation. Sometimes my heresy is innovative, sometimes just idiosyncratic, and sometimes blindly wrong-headed. In this case, I went up to a 1/2" mainsheet. I really like the comfort factor (plus it was free). Mik has sailed the boat with this line. He can tell you his impresssions. I like it, but don't have the wide range of experience and perspective that he has.

2. I think you're talking about the cow-hitch. We used it for the blocks on both yard and boom. There's a simple How To sketch in the building instructions. Seems to work a treat. I've had no instances of the blocks changing location - which was my concern when I saw the sketch.

I'm also looking for the info on the u-bolt/halyard attachment we used at the masthead... I'll post here if found. Thanks, David, that gives me the impetus to go 3/8" which I think I did on Dana's spars.

Clint

Hi Clint,
Is this what you were looking for?
This link also has a bunch of nice pics of MAM's Goat rigging.
Cheers,
Al

I hope this will help people, it helped me get organized.

I'd like to use a 1/8" line for lashing the sail to the spar along the foot (but the same 5/32" for the corners is fine).

Any thoughts, please send them along.

Cheers,
Clint

Originally Posted by Compass Project

I'm also looking for the info on the u-bolt/halyard attachment we used at the masthead... I'll post here if found. Thanks, David, that gives me the impetus to go 3/8" which I think I did on Dana's spars.

Clint

I think this is the one you are after. will check to see which size is used.



RF2358 |Ronstan Sailboat Hardware UK

Brian

There is a lot of load on a mainsheet when sheeted in going upwind. the thicker the rope the harder it is to pull. It does make a difference. Try winding in a genoa in a rush on a yacht if it has sheets which are too thick.

So, yes its more comfortable to hold but you are going to have to pull much harder - it's the resistance around the blocks.

As an example I happily use Laser Mainsheet which is 7mm polylite



Rooster Sailing: Polilite Mainsheet 7mm for the Laser^®

I would use the thickness spec'd by MIK if I were you.

Brian

Hello Clint,

I am using 5/16 (8 mm) for the main sheet and very luxery ball bearing blocks which make for a very nice sail in light and stronger winds (an adjustable ratchet block for the bottom one attached to bulkhead 3), 3 mm for the lashing the sail along the boom and yard and I believe 5 mm for the corners.

I have used MIK's list for some minor exceptions (for example 6 mm dyneema halyard, because I couldn't get 5 mm easily and a different downhaul system).

Instead of a U-bolt I have a saddle bolted through the mast tip with a block hanging of it (makes for very easy hoisting of the sail).

Best regards,

Joost

Thanks Joost, if you have a picture please post it. Well, I to see what I put on Dana's Goat.

Brian, I dod not make that connection about the loading on a larger line...I would have thought the other way, so thank you.

Hello Clint,

I just checked my pictures and don't seem to have one with the saddle and block up close in the mast.

It is a wide strap saddle with stainless steel spacers under the saddle and on the other side of the mast with stainless steel bolts and nuts (capped ones). A high strength ball bearing block is attached to the saddle with a stainless steel shackle. Some of my rigging pictures are on flickr:

Flickr: joostengelen's Photostream

Strange thing here in the Netherlands is that there is hardly a price difference between decent non ball bearing blocks and ball bearing ones.

Best regards, Joost

As I understand it, it's the relationship between block sheave diameter and line diameter that determines the resistance of the arrangement. The smaller the line in relation to the sheave diameter the less friction and resistance there is. Other than the line rubbing on the block cheeks I suspect that it simply takes more energy to wrap a thicker and therefore stiffer line around a small diameter sheave. So if you use a 1/2" diameter mainsheet then the blocks should be sized up to match the line. This spirals cost upwards quickly since the bigger blocks have load ratings many times what is needed for the GIS. There are however some incredibly soft lines on the market such as Samson Apex which I wonder if they would not run really well even at 1/2 inch.

Well, whatever the case I think 5/16 or 3/8" is fine for this boat. I hope the document helps people confused by all the choices. I have been sailing for a while, not terribly long, but have owned big boats (30' which is huge to me) right down to 8'. It can get confusing all the lines and blocks to choose from...and how to know what is best. I put this together to "kit" out what is needed, so helpfully it is helpful. I wish I can pdf it to make it more accessible.

Cheers,
CLint

Originally Posted by Compass Project

I wish I can pdf it to make it more accessible.

Try PrimoPDF. It's free and works very well.

PDF Converter — #1 Free PDF Creator — PrimoPDF

Good luck, Gordon

Originally Posted by Compass Project

I hope this will help people, it helped me get organized.

I'd like to use a 1/8" line for lashing the sail to the spar along the foot (but the same 5/32" for the corners is fine).

Any thoughts, please send them along.

Cheers,
Clint

This list is a great idea Clint. A similar list for Australia and Europe could be compiled as a number of the Ronstan fittings on the plans have now been discontinued. Finding substitute fittings isn't all that easy to do. Dealing with Ronstan via a chandler here has proved to be a very unsatisfactory process so far. For instance, I've had my rudder fittings on order for 2 months, and no sign of them yet! Looking at the gaps on the shelves at the chandlers suggests to me that problems with Ronstan are endemic, and if my local chandler is right beside a marina and laments the lack of customer service by Ronstan, what hope do I have! It must have something to do with the Frederickson merger, but the Ronstan name seems to be taking quite a beating here.

Come to think of it, it might be worth my while to just place an order for the lot direct from the US and be done with it. Going by the prices you've quoted, I'll probably come out in front!

Originally Posted by woodeneye

Finding substitute fittings isn't all that easy to do. Dealing with Ronstan via a chandler here has proved to be a very unsatisfactory process so far. For instance, I've had my rudder fittings on order for 2 months, and no sign of them yet!

Bruce, my experience of ordering fittings has been pleasantly different from yours. I phoned an order to Anchor Marine in Sandringham, Victoria on Thursday afternoon, received a phone call from them on Friday morning, confirming despatch, and received the goods on Monday morning. About as good a service as I can imagine. Well worth giving them a call on (03) 9598 8077 or going to Anchor Marine.

This was what I ordered. The only thing I didn't bother with was the RF584 mainsheet block on the centrecase, as I already had a suitable Ronstan Ratchet block.

rf59 14.71.
rf280 x2 9.42 18.84.
rf681 14.96.
rf134 x3 3.73 11.19.
rf520 1.86.
rf467 19.95.
rm148 11.15.
rf254 x2 12.21 24.42.
rf239 x2 16.53 33.06.



Total 150.14

Prices are all in Aussie Dollars, and no postage was charged.

Hope this helps with yours and others' quests for suitable fittings.

Gordon