popping the clutch

Lars S. Mulford (mulford@bellatlantic.net)
Tue, 09 Mar 1999 14:19:32 -0500


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Eric Johnson wrote:

> Actually, my understanding is that a jam-cleat is a third animal altogether.
> Its basically a standard horned cleat, but one horn forms a "V" with the
> base, so you can jam the line in there for taking the bulk of the load off
> before tieing off the rest of the line. I use them with my halyards, and am
> reasonably happy with them. They're not particularly fast, but they work
> well.

Eric, you are exactly correct in describing what is an actual jam cleat. And I
am about to make it all the more confusing, for I've heard local sailors here
describe clam cleats as "jam cleats".

> So we got:
> Cam cleats (I use these on my sheets)
> Jam cleats (described above)
> clutches (I don't own any)

You got it! Or, for those who sail in Delaware, we have: (tongue in cheek
here)cam cleats (no change there)
rope clutches (also called jam cleats)
jam cleats ( also called rope clutches or clam cleats)
clam cleats (also called jam cleats, therefore also being called rope clutches)

On a more serious note, it is easy to see how things can get confused when you
see that the same item can be referred to as something else in accordance with
region, area, etc.. It actually is a little funny in a way.. Perhaps when we
talk cleats, we need to describe things in more detail... "Hey Eric, you know
where I can get those things for the jib lines, you know, where you shove the
line in there and those two little things that look like they're spring loaded
grab the line and hold it, and then when you want to release the line, you just
pull up on it and it just pops out? Where can I get them?" (g)

> and lets not forget Clam-cleats. Very fast, efficient in the space they use,
> and strong if sized properly for the line. I use these on my reefing lines
> and my boom downhaul (that saves me lots of setup time).

Yep, I had two sets of them on the cabin top of "Always", as I said in my
earlier note. They were cheap, rugged, and easy (read simple) to use.

--
"Sea" ya!

--Lars S. Mulford, President East Coast Potter Association (ECPA) Come visit us at http://members.tripod.com/~SpeedSailor "Forgive, and live. Life is worth the challenge of living." --LSSM