Easy Block Failure Alert

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Grizz

Grizz

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Jan 13, 2006
179
Hunter 28.5 Park Ridge, IL
Today Ma Nature was blowin' 35+ out of the north, pushin' 10-12+ footers on Lake Michigan onto the shores of Chicago; quite the display but not the day you want the harbor to call and say "your boom broke free, nothing appears damaged and we secured it temporarily". I raced in before dark, took the tender out to the can (only the 5th passenger of the day) and found the Easy Block mainsheet system laying in the cockpit. The picture shows how the upper block had parted from the boom bail. A bit un-nerving to think it happened in the harbor, un-attended, after an entire season of full range wind speeds. It's a 20 year old system that worked well with 3/6:1 coarse/fine adjustments, but gave no hint that it was about to give it up. Guess I know what I want Santa to drop down the chimney with this Christmas. I guess the lesson learned is be vigilant, inspect your equipment and assume nothing. And be thankful when you avoid a big problem.
 

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s sauer

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Jun 4, 2004
844
Hunter 28.5 Tolchester, MD
Coarse & Fine Adustment

That mainsheet system is one of the things I love most about the 28.5. Hope your replacement block(s) still provide that option. Seems like an unusual place for a break; I'm going to look over ours and see what condition it's in. I still use an old fashioned topping lift and some tension on the mainsheet to hold the boom statineary with the boat in the slip. I would have expected an equipment breakdown like yours when close hauled in heavy air; at least it didn't break at the bottom block and thrash the heck out of your cabintop.
 
Warren Milberg

Warren Milberg

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Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
For S. Sauer, et al

I, too, really like the OEM main sheet system on the H28.5 and hope it lasts forever. But like you, I'll take a closer look at the whole thing when I'm at the boat next (the bay currently has gale force winds....). I also have a simple topping lift consisting of a line tied at the mast head, back down to the aft end of the boom, thru a cheek block to a horn cleat on the boom. I've found that even when I tighten up the mainsheet, pull the traveller all the way to port (or starboard) the boom can still swing a bit when motoring or in the slip. If the boom, with furled main, is cnetered over my deployed bimini, it may chafe it. So I took a short piece of 3/8 in line, with a snap shackle at each end, and connect one end to the boom bale and the other end to the toe rail. I loop the toe rail end thru the shackle with a rolling hitch so I can shorten or lengthen it easily. When so connected, this line takes the strain off the mainsheet and topping lift while keeping the boom immobile. I always leave the boat in the slip with this line connected to ensure the boom stays put. It also works as a "poor man's preventer" when going downwind to prevent accidental jibes. You may want to give this a try.
 
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