Low friction ring vs block

[Markhunter1097]

Originally Posted by StuM

Just sayin'

https://www.garhauer.com.au/

Ok got me, online only from McIntyre marine, I need to feel see and measure, just old fashioned I guess

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Markhunter1097

Ok got me, online only from McIntyre marine, I need to feel see and measure, just old fashioned I guess

Don't know where you are based, by Southern Seas Marine are in the CG City Marina complex at Coomera on the Gold Coast. (I bought some bits there last year).

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Markhunter1097

Ok got me, online only from McIntyre marine, I need to feel see and measure, just old fashioned I guess

Garhauer are good in a heavy metal sort of a way. Most stuff is robust, but much heavier than Harken. I have had trouble with Garhauer cam cleats, that hold tenaciously under load, but release the line when tension is removed, (e.g. mainsheet when the mainsail is luffing).

[UNCIVILIZED]

Another option for "building" blocks on the cheap is to buy some nice sheaves, such as made by harken, then add side plates, & a mount for a shackle, and poof, you have a high load, low friction block.

For example, these Harken have a working load of 2.5t & retail at $190, so you should be able to find them for less. And there are plenty of other options here Harken Or you can even buy sheaves which have oilite bearings for about 25% of the price of these.

BTW, the first sheave above is commonly found in many jib sheet leads on boats in the 40-50' range. At least in older racing boats. And Harken's sheaves are first rate, & long lived. I have some of the above in various blocks from the early 80's that work flawlessly.

[Markhunter1097]

So to finish the forum off, I will show the crowd what I ended up doing.
I made new plates for the blocks so that I could attach a beckett, I then spliced a dyneema strop onto a low friction ring, exactly what I was told not to do.
All up cost of $200 the the plates and $150 for rings thimbles and dyneema. So a bit cheaper than buying new blocks.
The old sheaves were just smoothed down on a grinder and reused.

Did it work?
Yep sure did, I was very cautious at first and even tied a safety strop just in case something gave way, it didnt, and 1000 miles later from Tasmania and back in all weather all is good.

Im not an expert on splicing so I ended up with two long bits afterwoods, so I just joined them up and zip tied to the rail to keep the block off the deck.