DickB
10-07-2003, 10:21 AM
Starting to hang around the wood stove, mind in some sort of low or coasting gear, watching leaves fall, early morning frost on the meadow. Wondering about mainsail block and cleat for the 20' gaff rigged mailsail of 149 sq. ft. The sheet comes from about midway on the boom down to the top of the centerboard to a block. My past experience on a smaller boat was with a contraption of high-tech stainless with a swivel base, a fancy block and an attached cam. It was nice, but it will be out of character and out of personal sensibilites for the new boat. Tell me, please, your thoughts for and against the idea of simply planting a through-bolted s/s plate (hole in plate? or with a welded upright hole for attachment) on the c'board cover board, attaching a simple, plain-jane wood block to that (with a rope strop instead of metal plates on the block?), a small rope thump mat under the block (see? those doilies are useful!) and further abaft (just had to say that word!), a wood jam cleat (1 horn sloped downward, other side short horned). I've bought some 5/8" 3-strand rope to do the job and will make the block and jam cleat.