Re: P-15: Headknocker vs Fiddleblock

TillyLucy@aol.com
Sat, 2 Oct 1999 00:09:43 EDT


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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The part in question is the Ronstan RF5 "Pivoting Base Block with C-Cleat".
It's West Marine part # 545046 and costs $31.99. I actually use it for the
jib halyard, but it would work just as well for the main halyard. The
advantage to this arrangment, in my opinion, is that it allows you to control
the halyard from the cockpit without any penalty in setup time as a result of
having to feed lines through turning blocks, rope clutches, etc.. The turning
block and cleat are mounted on the mast and stay rigged, whether the mast is
up or down. Francesca and I have been making good use of this arrangment,
sailing up to the dock at Redwood City (a downwind approach) under jib only
and dropping the jib, while seated in the cockpit, about a boatlength off the
dock and gliding to a stop. I don't know if anyone else noticed our
accomplishment, but I was impressed.

Dave Kautz
P-15 #1632 Tilly Lucy
Palo Alto, CA

In a message dated 9/30/99 7:05:55 PM Pacific Daylight Time, hlg@pacbell.net
writes:

>
> Incidentally, Dave Kautz is using the same Ronstan part as a main halyard
> turning block and cleat. It is mounted on his mast and can be cleated and
> uncleated from the cockpit.
>
> Harry Gordon
> P14 #234, Manatee
> Mountain View, CA