hunter 23.5 ?s

[VT Fitz]

Find the extra $$$ for Spinlocks; Wait on Tiller

... I have a lead on some used Harken swivel jam cleats to replace the fixed jib sheet cleats .....What a PITA they are I have to 're-sheet about every 45 seconds ...... with these crazy Co. winds .

They are not as nice as the Spinlock 810 's , but will do . I will spend the extra cash on a new laminated tiller . Sailing with the stock tiller feels steering a pipe .....

Gary,

I realize that money is tight for us all, but if the difference is even as much as $25/cleat, it would be way worth it to get the Spinlocks. You would NOT regret the extra $$. I looked at those Harkens myself, and they are not what you really want. I sent you a PM with some links to eBay auctions for Spinlocks. Be patient & I bet you can get a great deal.

As far as the tiller goes, the boat will steer just fine with the stock "pipe." The jib sheet is much more important, IMHO. The PO of Grasshopper took some thin line & carefully wrapped it around the last 6" or so of the tiller, then varnished it into place. It was a very inexpensive way to change the "pipe" feel. (Yes, I am missing the black plug at the end of the tiller. Found a vendor to replace it, but the shipping was stupidly expensive.)

My 2 cents...

 

[RocklockI]

Thanks for the advise on the Spinlocks ! I bought a pair , they look sweet .
But I dont understand the 3 way adjustments ? Is this for line size or locking adjustments ?

Gary

 

[VT Fitz]

Say what?

But I dont understand the 3 way adjustments ? Is this for line size or locking adjustments ?

Gary,

Not really sure what you are referring to.

 

[RocklockI]

Gary,

Not really sure what you are referring to.

Well they say that they are 3 way adjustable ,what does that mean ?

Gary

 

[VT Fitz]

Release mechanism force

Well they say that they are 3 way adjustable ,what does that mean ?

I went to the website to see exactly the context of the phrase & believe I figured it out. I think it refers to how much force you need to open and shut the release spring. As noted earlier, you release it by a towel-snapping like motion. You can adjust how hard you need to do that. There is a slide switch mechanism right above where the line comes out & there are three settings: left, center & right. Don't know which way makes it easier, but that would be fairly easy to figure out by testing. There must be a users and/or installation manual that would tell you too.

I have have the older version of this hardware, and it doesn't have that feature.

 

[RocklockI]

I went to the website to see exactly the context of the phrase & believe I figured it out. I think it refers to how much force you need to open and shut the release spring. As noted earlier, you release it by a towel-snapping like motion. You can adjust how hard you need to do that. There is a slide switch mechanism right above where the line comes out & there are three settings: left, center & right. Don't know which way makes it easier, but that would be fairly easy to figure out by testing. There must be a users and/or installation manual that would tell you too.

I have have the older version of this hardware, and it doesn't have that feature.

These came in minimal packaging and no instrutions all . I kinda thought maybe the adjustments were to adjust for line size ....?

Gary

 

[RocklockI]

VT Fitz , I have mounted the spinlocks ! Just like the pics you showed ,thank you .
This spring has brought many challenges to get her up to speed .

Good pals have been very helpfull . We constructed an aluminum plate to go on the mast top . It will support the mast top light ,wind vane ,and antena .

Gary

 

[VT Fitz]

Jealous!

Gary

I'm jealous you already are getting moving on the sailing season. I just walked around Grasshopper yesterday afternoon thinking about the spring projects I had in mind last fall, but there's still melting snow around her & I'm too preoccupied with other matters to get started myself... :cry:

Good luck & fair wind!

Kevin

 

[Bill Jones]

You can purchase your bimini directly from a company called Ameriseam. They sent me material samples so I could match my mainsail cover. Very cooperative.

 

[BrianW]

Gary, you may want to get comments from other 23.5's on this. I have an H-26, the big sister to your H23.5. My bimini frame sits on the top of the comming. I eventually want to install stern rail seats, but would have to get a new bimini that would mount on the "outside". Part of my existing bimimi would be in the way of the future stern rail seats. If you get your bimini first, you may want to take into account the location of your future stern rail seats before ordering your bimini. Any comments from other H23.5 owners could confirm if this is a factor. BrianW

 

[RocklockI]

The stern rails will be next years project as the funds just are not there now . Ive got to trace down the bow nav lights and see why they aren't working .

Gary

 

[DJN51]

Gary,Before you install Spinlocks,Check out Rick Webb,s Mod.He raised his off deck with a spacer.I did same keeps lines off deck,also covers old holes.

 

[RocklockI]

Well the spinlocks are aready installed ,I filled in the holes with caulk .
Also we found the short on the foward red/green nav. lights . It is in the bow rail ,we'll drag new wires in as we pull out the old ones .

My jib just got back from the sailmaker I had a strip of UV material stitched on ,so no more sock on the front .

What I'd like to locate is a pair of front "windsheilds" as mine are cracked and leak ! For now I'm just going to tape them over with a waterproof tape ,maybe rigging tape ?

Any suggestiions ?

Gary

 

[RocklockI]

Well I heard back from Hunter on a new window , $435 iirc so thats not going to happen soon .

The good news is I took her out for her first sail of the season ! We got her into and out of the water very nicley . Good crew effort all around ! The spinlocks are sweet ,but I havnt devloped the exact right snap on the jib sheets to unlock them , darn those are nice to use . Thanks for that tip VT FITZ !

It was gusty as usual and we got in some fun ,I can't wait to get on some bigger water . Or overnight either , we had to replace some wiring for the bow nav. light so I'm go to go , we rewired the mast head lights and havn't checked them out yet !

Mike my buddy made an aluminum plate to mount everything to ,masthead light ,antena , new weather vane . The old mount had been chewed up with some holes for something some former owner did , we mounted the new plate to old mount .

Gary

 

[JonMulloy]

As I got to thinking about it, when I installed the swivel powercleats, I had to drill/tap all new holes. With the triple rope clutch installation, I could reuse one or two of the old halyard clamcleat holes.

The first picture shows the 3 new holes with the two old holes filled with epoxy.

The next shot shows the complete installation.

The third shows how it is normally rigged.

I'll try to get a snapshot of the triple clutch this week.

VT Fitz
Your jib sheet looks like it might be 1/2 " or so diameter. If so, what model of Spinlock did you install? The biggest diameter I've been able to find is only for 3/8". Thanks

 

[tschager]

Re: Old Schaeffer Triple Rope Clutch

Hi Y'all. Recently bought a '93 23.5 and on the virgin cruise, the mainsail rope clutch lever broke. Does anyone know
1) who made these things on the '93,
2) are there exact replacements available,
3) can just the handle be purchased new or used?,
4) is there another manufacturer's exact replacement (bolt pattern) and
5) will a 3 line rope clutch bolt up OK?
After being out one day, it seems having the centerboard on a rope clutch is a better solution than a clam cleat.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot!

Terry

 

[BrianW]

Hi Terry, I have a '94 H-26, the larger sister to your H-23.5. My H-26 had triple Spinlock rope clutches on the starboard side and doubles on the port side. I left my rope clutch lever "up" and stepped on it, breaking it. I ordered mine from Mauri Pro (link below). A newer model is being sold, but they have spare parts for the older ones. Mauri Pro can help you with the model number. During the replacement, I discovered a crack in one of the adjacent clutch levers, so look closely at the others when you replace the broken one. BrianW

http://www.mauriprosailing.com/

 

[fokker416]

I just put on the fixed spinlocks, love them. Before, I had a lot of trouble reaching from the tiller to the cleats when single handing. I took a different route on mounting them. I had a piece of aluminum made that had holes drilled through that matched the pattern of the old cleats and there are also two threaded holes that match the spinlocks. This way I connected the mounts using the same threaded (and heavy duty) holes in the deck first, then connected the spinlocks to the mounts. I was very hesitant to put new holes in the deck, and I wanted to be able to move back to cleats in case something happened to the cams. I will post photos soon.

I have a question on another mod though. I just bought a quick release shroud connection, shown here http://shop.hunterowners.com/prod.php?14222

This means that my forestay needs to be significantly shorter. Did you guys splice a new connection? What kind? Looks like I need an eye type. I haven't found a threaded eye end to make fine tune adjustments. Is this something I should pay someone to do, or are the kits that we can order good enough?

Adventure is a 1993 23.5, the stay is in good shape with a standard turnbuckle right now. The Lever needs an eye on each end to make the connection and it's too long to simply connect a threaded eye on the terminal end of the stay so simply finding a eye that has a female thread won't work.

Thanks.

 

[isaksp00]

I'm not sure what you mean by a "threaded eye". I would think that the lower end of the shortened shroud "simply" needs an eye swaged on, or otherwise attached, and that eye connects to the quick release with a clevis pin. I recently had to replace my forestay entirely, to repair a broken jib furler foil connector. I used a Hayn eye that you can connect yourself. It was about the same cost as a swaged eye, if you include the cost to have the rigger swage it. Takes some care to install, but it wasn't all that hard. And, so far, the mast is still up!

 

[fokker416]

I'm not sure what you mean by a "threaded eye". I would think that the lower end of the shortened shroud "simply" needs an eye swaged on, or otherwise attached, and that eye connects to the quick release with a clevis pin. I recently had to replace my forestay entirely, to repair a broken jib furler foil connector. I used a Hayn eye that you can connect yourself. It was about the same cost as a swaged eye, if you include the cost to have the rigger swage it. Takes some care to install, but it wasn't all that hard. And, so far, the mast is still up!

Sorry, that wasn't very clear. What I meant was do I need to splice on a threaded terminal end (similar to a turnbuckle) then get an eye that had a female thread on it so that I could make fine tune adjustments. Looks like I don't. I wasn't sure if the adjustment pins on the shroud quick connect would allow me to fine tune my rigging enough.