I get the impression that "sheave" (sheeve?) is the proper nautical term for that round, turny, thingimajigger.Thought the pulley was the round part inside the block
Ja, ja, supongo que te refieres a que en español barco... el barco... es masculino. Nunca lo había pensado, hasta ahora... hmm.Then Spanish must really annoy you.![]()
That's the sheave. I think using the term block for a sailboat pulley came down from the days of the wooden, block-like case that contained the sheave. But I will tell you it's one of the first things I learned. All you have to do is peruse ANY Sailboat rigging catalogue and try to find a pulley, All kind of blocks for all purposes will be listed... how many can you name?. Here's a page from garhaurer's catalogue under the chapter heading "BLOCKS" not a pulley in the bunch. Don't get me wrong, you will find pulleys on boats.... the motor be the most obvious. But any mechanical thing like a watermaker or an a.c. pump, perhaps even on a wind vane, there could be pulleys. But never in the rigging,Thought the pulley was the round part inside the block
term block for a sailboat pulley
So, by this definition the wheel at the top of the mast that redirects the force of the halyard is a sheave or pulley wheel and the housing at the top acts as a block, correct?According to Wikipedia:
A pulley is a wheel on an axle or shaft enabling a taut cable or belt passing over the wheel to move and change direction, or transfer power between itself and a shaft. A sheave or pulley wheel is a pulley using an axle supported by a frame or shell (block) to guide a cable or exert force.
... and the thing sitting behind the wheel of the truck is a teamster.thingy holding a pully wheel like at the top of a mast is called a truck.
OMG........... Will actually researched the subject before responding. That's refreshing. Sheave or not, if the device is used in the management of sailboat lines, it's a block. This whole point about trying to justify using the word pulley when discussing sailboat rigging is moot. They are called blocks....when you go to the sailing store to buy some equipment to build a jib downhaul, or upgrade your jib lead system, or rig up a spinnaker halyard system, or etc... You don't ask for a pulley.... you ask for a block, usually a particular kind of block because there are so, so many kinds. Okay, now that that's settled, consider yourselves saltier than you were a few days ago.... heh, heh...and can now represent SBO proudly, knowing the teenage race head clerk at the sailing supply store isn't going to roll his eyes when you walk in to buy some rope pulley things for your new to you boat.The term block comes from the original device used to tighten the shrouds of a sailing ship of yore.
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They were actual blocks of wood with grooves carved along the blocks longitude at right angles to each other and probably greased with fat.
Later, they modified the blocks with holes to allow for greater leverage reduction and to better capture the lanyard being pulled on.
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The sheave or pulley wheel is a much newer addition.
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So the block cheeks are not why it is called a block. It quite literally began as a simple block of wood.
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-Will
At our local WM, you're as likely to get a blank stare from the teenage help if you use terms like "block" or "sheave".Okay, now that that's settled, consider yourselves saltier than you were a few days ago.... heh, heh...and can now represent SBO proudly, knowing the teenage race head clerk at the sailing supply store isn't going to roll his eyes when you walk in to buy some rope pulley things for your new to you boat.![]()
The teamster turns the wheel sticking out of the dashboard, which was the board in front of the driver's seat being pulled by a team of horses. To protect the teamster from the dash, the road crud thrown up by the horses' hooves, a dashboard was positioned to deflect the dash from getting the driver dirty.... and the thing sitting behind the wheel of the truck is a teamster.![]()
We have two WM stores in our area. Both are nowadays staffed well with boat-knowledgeable folk. Over time this does vary some, tho; about a decade ago the larger store had a number of "sales droids" that knew nothin' from nothin'.....At our local WM, you're as likely to get a blank stare from the teenage help if you use terms like "block" or "sheave".![]()