Quarter Turning Blocks

[UNCIVILIZED]

Here's one that even Beavis & Butthead would have trouble screwing up. Especially if you buy the low friction ring with the spectra already attached. Such as this, & they come in all sizes --> soft links-antal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVR30-owOlY

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

That cabin's bigger than my bedroom!

Yeah! I can just hear everyone screaming "where are the hand holds overhead?" and "You'll die if you try to move around in that open space!"

Matt

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Yeah! I can just hear everyone screaming "where are the hand holds overhead?" and "You'll die if you try to move around in that open space!"

Matt

Nope, can't happen if... you have enough nubile & willing bodies to fill the space up. Just don't get these confused with bedroom toys --> https://www.velasailingsupply.com/ro...ing-slr-20-14/
https://www.ropeye.com/downloads/

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Nope, can't happen if... you have enough nubile & willing bodies to fill the space up. Just don't get these confused with bedroom toys --> https://www.velasailingsupply.com/ro...ing-slr-20-14/

Never heard of Zellamid plastic before. I wonder what the durability and slipperiness is compared to typical aluminum rings.

Matt

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Never heard of Zellamid plastic before. I wonder what the durability and slipperiness is compared to typical aluminum rings.

Matt

I know that they've done some tests on standard low friction rings over on Sailing Anarchy Forums. And if you ask, someone's probably done it on this stuff too. Might ask Thinwater as well, since he seems to keep tabs on many things cordage, as well as what Practical Sailor is up to, testing wise.
My guess is too that any shop which sells both can field this question as well.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

...to get to the broken bail backing plate, I would have to chop up that teak cabinet in the corner...

A man's got to know his own limitations. Don't screw up your boat because you're too cheap to hire a pro.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

A man's got to know his own limitations. Don't screw up your boat because you're too cheap to hire a pro.

Whenever cabinetry needs to be chopped in my boat, I hire the fabled Lallow's yard in Cowes, who built Morning Cloud, and all of Uffa Fox's boats. That's way beyond my skill set.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Here's one that even Beavis & Butthead would have trouble screwing up. Especially if you buy the low friction ring with the spectra already attached. Such as this, & they come in all sizes -->

I have a fair amount of experience with making and using dyneema strops and low friction eyes. The ones I make myself are much better than the Antal ones. I'm on the third generation of my strops, with lacing between the legs to keep them apart, to eliminate the constriction in the throat like you see in the Antal ones, which weakens the strop and tears apart the seizing (here's Evans Starzinger's analysis of the Antal strops: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-170185.html). Here's just one of several threads I started on the subject: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ps-169533.html But the best of all were designed by Seaworthy Lass: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...gs-169764.html. I will make any future strops according to this design, which dispenses with the seizing altogether. In any case, I believe we are slightly beyond the Beavis and Butthead stage


Turning blocks where the angle is great and a lot of rope goes through are not the best application for low friction rings, however. Notwithstanding the name, the friction is far higher than regular sheaves. You can use low friction rings almost anywhere, but turning blocks is one of the few places where they are not optimal!


But blocks can also be put on dyneema strops -- in fact it's easier since you don't have to retain the ring. So one idea I had was to put the turning blocks out on strops of different lengths -- to separate them, so they will have less tendency to get tangled. And maybe use shock cord to hold them away from each other when not under load.

[Stumble]

Dockhead,

Take a look at the Karver KB blocks. They are basically ball bearing friction blocks. Typically they are used in cascades or to build mainsheet systems, but there is no reason you couldn't use them with different control lines. Add a bit of bungee to pull them off the deck when not in use.