Furling line outboard of stanchions

[LifesBetterWhenYoureBeating]

Hi,

I have a harken furling system with my furling line lead through stanchion mount blocks (https://www.harken.com/en/shop/mkiv-...n-mount-block/) and I'm wondering if there'd be any reason why they can't be mounted outboard to keep my side deck clear, like in the Outboard Block (https://www.harken.com/en/shop/mkiv-...n-mount-block/) offered by harken?

Best regards,
Guilherme

[psk125]

You might not want the furling line getting caught on anything at a dock or if you were to come alongside another vessel. Setting your Genoa while ripping your furler and forestay off when you or the other boat decided to disengage would not be fun.

[Jim Cate]

Remember that if you go outside you must put a block on every stanchion, whilst if inside one can often skip a few where the curve is shallow. At those prices (from link) this might be a consideration!

Jim

[LifesBetterWhenYoureBeating]

Although the regular blocks (not the ones intended to be mounted outboard) would cause the furling line to be a few centimeters further out than the stanchions, in my case I don't think that'd be a big deal as they wouldn't go past my toerails. But I just realized that if the regular blocks were mounted on the other side of the stanchions the line would not be running on the block's sheave -- it'd be rubbing against the fixed internal part of the block

[Tetepare]

The blocks to do this exist. I did it, though in the end it didn’t really buy me deck space despite the theory. The line, for whatever reason seemed to jam. I reverted to the standard way and added more of those little blocks to eliminate slop in the line.

[bensolomon]

I use these:

Schaefer 3 Series Stanchion Furling Lead Block with Stainless Steel Cage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DH47MA2...ZZ06T0W6DYXCDX

Also, I place a lead all the way aft, then to the winch. Definitely keep the furling line inboard. If there are issues furling in a blow, you don't want to be on the leeward side leaning over the deck trying to untangle or fix something.

The other thing I did was to add a clutch in line on the roe rail to allow furling/reefing the headsail much easier single handed.

Ben

[roverhi]

You need a block designed for outboard running of the line like the second Harken block in your post. The block pictured in the first link won't work with line running outboard.

Have used one of the Harken outboard blocks on each side running my furling lines aft, works a charm. Schaeffer also makes an outboard stanchion block. It requires unreaving the life lines to install on the Stanchion so not as convenient to mount as the Harken block.

[stormalong]

I like these from Shaefer.

https://hardware.schaefermarine.com/...di9j9mircfk254

They keep your furling line close to your stanchions.

But when I bought them they were $25 each. Damn I'm getting old!

[bcboomer]

I've got the Harken setup and it works well. I've never had a problem with it when coming along side a tall piling, the toe rail is wider.

If it got tangled up somehow I can't see the extra inch outboard making it any harder to deal with.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by gsalgado

Hi,

I have a harken furling system with my furling line lead through stanchion mount blocks (https://www.harken.com/en/shop/mkiv-...n-mount-block/) and I'm wondering if there'd be any reason why they can't be mounted outboard to keep my side deck clear, like in the Outboard Block (https://www.harken.com/en/shop/mkiv-...n-mount-block/) offered by harken?

Best regards, Guilherme

You don't say what boat you have or how much side deck area. How much clear area do you need? There will always be tension on the lines/stantions when you are using them so I wouldn't place them too high on the stanchions which would cause more leverage on the stanchion base at the deck. The lines will naturally PULL to the inside of the deck where the foresail is. If you mount them on the outside they would PUSH against the stanchion...that doesn't seem natural for a line to me.

Personally, I have my blocks mounted at deck level where they exert minimal PULL tension on the stanchion bases.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Stu Jackson]

I simply used Johnson bullet fairleads on the outside of my stanchions. Why clutter what is normally a narrow side deck? Never an issue coming alongside anything, inboard of the gunwhale. For the length of my boat, ball bearing blocks for a furling line is overkill anyway.

[Dave Lochner]

We use the Harken Outboard Lead Blocks, the line sits between the gunwale edge and the stanchion and keeps the side deck clear.

https://www.defender.com/product3.js...454&id=1054803

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by MJH

You don't say what boat you have or how much side deck area. How much clear area do you need? There will always be tension on the lines/stantions when you are using them so I wouldn't place them too high on the stanchions which would cause more leverage on the stanchion base at the deck. The lines will naturally PULL to the inside of the deck where the foresail is. If you mount them on the outside they would PUSH against the stanchion...that doesn't seem natural for a line to me.

Personally, I have my blocks mounted at deck level where they exert minimal PULL tension on the stanchion bases.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

If you look at my nom de plume you will see it is an O'Day 40.
Side decks are not particularly wide but not skinny.
The furler line is, of course, close to the bottom of the stanchions.
From what I remember of my high school physics, the pressure on the stanchion is the same whether the furler line is run on the inside or the outside.
The Harken furler lead blocks are designed to be on the outside. Otherwise the line wouldn't run on the blocks.

[DMF Sailing]

It's a different solution, but I like what Jeanneau did with the Sun Odyssey line by leading the furler to a clutch on the coachroof with the rest of the running rigging.

That cleans up the narrowest part of the deck, and you just have to be careful to step over it up in the bow (but you're careful up there anyway.)