pad eyes/fairleads vs blocks

[buddhadawg]

I am planning on rerouting the jib sheets/furler sheet and main halyard to the cockpit. I have been planning on using blocks for the direction changes, but I am thinking I can use either pad eyes/fairleads. any thoughts on sheet wear thru a padeye/fairlead vs block? this will allow me to use fewer moving parts, which I think is almost always good, and have fewer new holes in deck. thanks again for feedback..bill

[Breaking Waves]

So long all the deflection angles are small, let’s say 10 degrees or less then fairleads are great. If the deflections are say 10 to 30 degrees, then something like a low friction ring is better ( typically a wider bend surface) than the typical fairlead. Deflection angles over like 60 degrees you start to think about moving sheaves, but it depends how much load and how frequently they are adjusted.

[buddhadawg]

thanks sounds like fairlead will be good for the jib furler. ive got a anywhere form prob 10-30 on the jib sheets. where do I find these low friction rings? pad eyes? ive got about a 45 degree turn on the main halyard. thanks and please advise again.. thanks bill

[Breaking Waves]

Low friction rings: low friction rings-antal. I like antal, but several other brands make pretty much exact same. Don’t know where you are, so hard to suggest a specific source.

Main halyards usually are led with blocks/sheaves in order to reduce friction, make it easier to take reefs in and out.... but as always “it depends” but see deck organizers like https://www.harken.com/productcategory.aspx?taxid=1520

[buddhadawg]

thanks, doesn't look like a huge difference between rings and fairleads, am I missing something? what about using a pad eye?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by buddhadawg

thanks, doesn't look like a huge difference between rings and fairleads, am I missing something? what about using a pad eye?

Pad eye = huge friction. They are really only for anchoring things.


Low friction rings work pretty well with Dyneema, but not so well with polyester.



But without knowing what boat and having some pics, we can't help much.

[buddhadawg]

thanks thin water we have a 83 island trader re routing sheets over the salon as opposed to along the weatherdecks. sounds like sheaves should be the answer

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by buddhadawg

thanks, doesn't look like a huge difference between rings and fairleads, am I missing something?

Between fairleads and rings ..... same general shape, but generally the fairleads are in smaller sizes with thus tighter bend which rings come in larger sizes with wider more general bends.

what about using a pad eye?

Usually not a great idea unless there is almost zero deflection with a quite small diameter line.

.............

[buddhadawg]

thanks again, looks like sheaves will be the equipment of choice

[Breaking Waves]

I think you could probably reasonably use fairleads or rings for the furling line, except perhaps if you have a point in the cockpit where it makes a big turn, then use a block just there.

The jib sheet and halyard, yea, sheaves are typically better.

[Tillsbury]

Yes, many boats use fairleads to lead the furling line along the toerail, then a block or low friction ring where it leaves the toerail to go to the winch (or sometimes, to a footblock next to the winch and then to the winch).

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Yes, many boats use fairleads to lead the furling line along the toerail, then a block or low friction ring where it leaves the toerail to go to the winch (or sometimes, to a footblock next to the winch and then to the winch).

One of the fairleads from the furler drum over the cabin top back to the cockpit pulled loose (it was poorly installed with wood screws rather than through-bolted) after 10 years of use. I re-routed the furling line as described in the quote above, using Harken stanchion blocks. This produced an amazing reduction in friction and made it much, much easier to furl the headsail. I wish I had done this 10 years ago. The only downside is that the Harken stanchion blocks are not cheap. We could put the furler line onto a winch but in my view on our boat (others may differ), if that is necessary there is something wrong and it would be a mistake to do so.

When we first bought Marathon, I moved the main halyard back to the cockpit using a block at the base of the mast, through a factory deck organizer and then through a rope clutch. I quickly learned that this added a lot of effort when we installed a new 9.9oz dacron mainsail which is quite heavy. I now do all of the main sail work at the mast - it is much easier, and the furling system requires being there anyway.