Unknown part on my 18.5

[abouttime]

Found an a simple object on my recently acquired 18.5. It is a short piece of cable with a loop on each end and a shackle on each end. The cable is about 7 inches long measured from the end of one loop to the other. I am not sure what it is supposed to be used for or when it is supposed to be used. Asking the previous owner is not likely to be productive as he passed away a number of years ago and possibly never actually sailed the boat. Hopefully someone out there can explain the hows and whys of this device.

I tried to attach a photo but my phone is saving photos in an HEIC format that I have to convert to jpg and for some reason I am unable to attach the the jpg.

Thank you for any info you can provide.

 

[Marmalade]

Two ideas:
1) pennant for using a headsail with a short luff/hoist, particularly if you have a rolling furler.
2) Spinnaker Peeling Strop... but 7in seems kind of long, and can't imagine a 18.5 needing one... kind of a bigger boat thing.

Probably #1 is my guess

 

[jssailem]

my phone is saving photos in an HEIC format that I have to convert to jpg and for some reason I am unable to attach the the jpg.

Are you using an iPhone?

All about HEIC format. Everything about iPhone New Format HEIC & How to Convert

Use “Settings/Camera/Format” to switch the iPhone to use JPG format.

There is a 2 megabyte limit on photo size and forum is limited to 10 photos per message.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Make sure you include @Crazy Dave Condon

I use to sell the 18.5 wing bulb keel sailboat as a former dealer

 

[shemandr]

It may be a pennant for the mainsheet hardware. Some sailors move cleat up or down to their taste.

 

[Cape Charles]

Possibly for the mast-raising pole?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The 18.5 did not come with a mast raise system. The very first mast raise system as factory standard equipment was designed by me which was the 23.5.

The owner’s manual does not have much but looking close at the photos could be a jib pennant used to raise the jib off the deck

 

[abouttime]

Some replies.
- There is no rolling furler. Jib is hanked on.
- No spinnaker or any rigging for one.
- Changed format for photo. On my iPhone, the setting for Camera Capture was changed from High Efficiency to Most Compatible.
- Cropped picture to 1.4 Meg.
-When and why is the jib raised above the deck?

Thanks for all the suggestions and info.

 

[jssailem]

When and why is the jib raised above the deck?

When you want to get more visibility under the sail. When you want to limit chafe on the sail as it "sweeps" across the deck and any hardware that may be located there i.e. dinghy, jerry cans of fuel, life lines, pulpits etc.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Thanks for the photo. @jssailem properly identified and explained why. I believe it was part of the gear from the factory as I was a dealer. Production ceased in 1990 or 1991