[C320-list] Frustrated with the Dutchman system

[Peter Clancy]

We removed the Dutchman system from 'AROBAN' a year after we bought her. In theory it's a good system but we found it required constant fiddling and adjusting to operate smoothly. When racing with our mylar mainsail we experienced the battens catching or binding on the lines if they weren't adjusted just right in advance of the maneuver. However, cruisers who become completely familiar with all the nuances of adjusting, tensioning the lines, etc. will probably find the Dutchman system useful.

Peter Clancy
'AROBAN'  C320  #222
Miami, FL
  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Stanley Rogacevicz<mailto:SROGACEV at holycross.edu> 
  To: c320-list at catalina320.com<mailto:c320-list at catalina320.com> 
  Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 12:09 PM
  Subject: Re: [C320-list] Frustrated with the Dutchman system


  Ken,
    Unlike a mainsheet where the number of blocks and forces involved can
  actually 'burn' a twist into the line the topping lift shouldn't have
  much, if any, twist. The only thing I can think of is since the black
  boxes are clamped onto the line, the line must not have any twist -
  anywhere - when they are secured. Because the 2 black boxes are forced
  to line up any twist will be transmitted throughout the line. Just a
  wild guess.
  Stan
  formerly "Christy Leigh'
  c320 #656
  Wickford/Narragansett Bay RI

  >>> "K L" <sfca33 at hotmail.com<mailto:sfca33 at hotmail.com>> 2/19/2007 11:38 AM >>>
  I spent about two hours yesterday trying, unsuccessfully,  to adjust my

  Dutchman system so that there wasn’t any twist in the topping lift.
  Last 
  year I even spent more time, I even took the whole thing apart and laid
  it 
  out on the dock. My experience is that no matter what you do the
  twisting 
  returns. This is very frustrating and makes me want to switch to lazy
  jacks 
  which I had on a C 30.

  My question is this: has anyone changed the block on the Dutchman to
  one 
  that swivels? I keep looking at the twisted line and wondering why it
  didn’t 
  come with a swivel block. Has anyone switched the block and found that
  it 
  helped. Maybe it would just make things worse?

  Thanks for your advice,
  Ken Danko
  Grace, #802

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