[C320-list] Asymmetrical rigging

[Denny Browne]

I attach my spinnaker blocks to the stanchion bases just ahead of the deck
cleats. There's an inexpensive fitting at West Marine that allows you to
attach a block with a snap or regular shackle. I forget what it's called,
but it wraps around the stanchion and has a hole at each end. When the holes
come together on the front of the stanchion, they're tightened with a couple
of small screws and you slip the shackle or snap shackle through them. My
boat came with the furling line terminal block attached to one of these. I
was worried about whether it was strong enough, but a rigger told me I'd be
surprised at how strong it is. I've had no problem. The stanchion base is
plenty strong AT THE BASE because it's through bolted and the load is in
sheer. This leaves the deck cleats clear for dock lines without scurrying
around to get the spinnaker gear out of the way.

A better way is to put a folding padeye in the position either right ahead
of or right behind that stanchion. If you put it behind, and use a single
block with a becket, you can attach a piece of bungie cord to the becket and
suspend it from the horizontal bar on the stern pulpit to keep it from
chipping the deck. The bungie should be long enough to stop the block just
short of the deck, so it doesn't influence the lead on the loaded sheet.

A cheek block for this application may cause the spinnaker sheet to chafe on
the top cheek when the line articulates with the sail. The ideal block is
one with a swivel and a trunion so it can move any direction the sheet pulls
it without chafing or torquing the shackle. I've used snatch blocks for this
application in the past, but a far less expensive single block with snap
shackle and becket (http://garhauermarine.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=17
$50.51 at Garhauer) is more than adequate. The snatch block comes in handy
for the afterguy turing block if you use separate sheets and guys on a
symmetrical spinnaker. No such need for an A-sail.
 
DENNY BROWNE
A Cappella #935
Redondo Beach
 
-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Irving Grunes
Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 7:52 AM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Asymmetrical rigging

So far we only lead the sheet around the aft cleat ant then to the winch.
There is a certain amount of friction but it works without a block.
We fly the asym so seldom it works for us, otherwise you need a block right
on top of the cleat or mount a cheek block on the deck.

Irv Grunes
Isle of wight #851

On Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 10:44 AM, Barbara Uhlman
<uhlman at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

>
> We too are interested in how others rig their asymmetricals.
>
> Barb & Bob
> "Whisper" #1158
>
> --- On Fri, 7/24/09, james_delong <james_delong at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
> > From: james_delong <james_delong at bellsouth.net>
> > Subject: [C320-list] Asymmetrical rigging
> > To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
> > Date: Friday, July 24, 2009, 9:28 AM
> > Question on rigging the sheets for
> > the asymmetrical spinnaker....
> >
> > To attached the sheet to the stern cleat of the boat, I
> > have a two foot length of line with an eye on one end and a
> > 3 inch block on the other.  The eye is attached to the
> > stern cleat.  The spinnaker sheet is led through the
> > block at the end of the two foot line, then to a block
> > forward a bit on the deck that creates the proper angle to
> > the winch.
> >
> > So for so good...Everything works great when the chute is
> > flying and the sheet is under load.  However, when the
> > sheet goes slack, the block drops and hits the boat.
> > When this is violent the block has knocked small chunks of
> > gel coat off the edge of the deck.
> >
> > Is this the preferred way to rig the sheets?  Trust
> > someone has a better idea!
> >
> > Thanks,  Jim #453
> >
>