Rope Clutch Fitting

trevy_kins · Mar 16, 2011

Scott - look at the clutches and winches on my coachroof under photo
section "Mystic Rose" These are thru-bolted with backing washers and
are subject to considerable loads without any issues. Cheers, Trevor
V2915

________________________________

From: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of johnsons185
Sent: March 16, 2011 6:31 PM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Rope Clutch Fitting

Hi All,

Im looking to rig our spinneaker better this year, by running the lines
to the cockpit. what i need to know is would the vega coach roof be
strong enough to take a twin rope clutch adjacent to the hatch. i would
use one for the halyard and the other for the uphaul and have a preset
downhaul so should'nt need to run that back to the cockpit.

any ideas or photos would be welcome

scott
vega 891

tim_klynn · Mar 16, 2011

The previous owner of my boat installed a spinlock triple clutch on the coach roof for the
main halyard, boom vang and reef line. It's worked out great. No problems on the coach roof except for some slight deformation under the clutch where I think the foam core compressed a bit. He used starboard for a backing plate on the inside of the cabin roof.

I am going to add another winch and clutch on the port side to match for the spinnaker halyard and genoa halyard. When I install these, I am going to drill the mounting holes oversize, fill the holes with epoxy and then redrill to form "tubes" that will prevent the compression of the coach roof.

I have been going back on forth on how to back up the clutches/deck organizers/winches.
The starboard has worked fine, but I've been thinking about backing them with some 1/4" stainless plate that is tapped to receive the mounting screws, but getting everything to line up and fact that the coach roof is not flat may make me go to plan B.

My latest plan B is to make up some fiberglass or epoxy laminated backing plates with washers and nuts molded into them and formed to fit the coach roof. If I made the gel coat match the coach roof, they could look pretty inconspicuous. Unfortunately, this sounds like a lot of work and sailing season is almost here, so I'll probably go the starboard/stainless washers and acorn nut route..... -Tim

n6ric · Mar 16, 2011

Trevor,
I was wondering why you have the cluches and winches on wooden blocks. They look great, but is there a specific function that provides? Thanks,
Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692

j.hunter9999 · Mar 17, 2011

Trevor - Do you have a design for your mast bail? It looks more like a ring.
If not, could you possibly get some close up photos?

Thanks,
Jack

trevy_kins · Mar 17, 2011

Ric - I didn't do the work - but it appears they were set up on blocks
to raise them above the wood-covered coaming just forward of the main
hatch so the lines lead back fair without rubbing on the coaming. Trev

________________________________

From: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Ric
Sent: March 17, 2011 1:19 AM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Rope Clutch Fitting

Trevor,
I was wondering why you have the cluches and winches on wooden blocks.
They look great, but is there a specific function that provides? Thanks,
Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692

trevy_kins · Mar 17, 2011

Sorry Mate - it came with the boat. It is not a ring. It only goes
around the aft 2/3 of the base of the mast. I wish I had a better
photo. Trevor

________________________________

From: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of j.hunter9999
Sent: March 17, 2011 7:19 AM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Rope Clutch Fitting

Trevor - Do you have a design for your mast bail? It looks more like a
ring. Did you happen to sketch anything up? Or, do you recall who might
have made it? Or, did it come with the boat?

Thanks,
Jack

trevy_kins · Mar 17, 2011

Jack - next time I'm up at the boat I will try to take some pics. It is fairly straightforward arrangement that any decent rigger could design for you. Trevor

From: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of j.hunter9999
Sent: March 17, 2011 7:21 AM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Rope Clutch Fitting

Trevor - Do you have a design for your mast bail? It looks more like a ring.
If not, could you possibly get some close up photos?

Thanks,
Jack

tiempo2010 · Mar 17, 2011

The best solution is a plate mounted under the mast, angled up along the
edges with regularly spaced holes. This puts no undue force on the mast or
cabin top. They can be purchased from mast suppliers.

tiempo2010 · Mar 17, 2011

The best solution is a plate mounted under the mast, angled up along the
edges with regularly spaced holes. This puts no undue force on the mast or
cabin top. They can be purchased from mast suppliers.

trevy_kins · Mar 17, 2011

Brian - I suppose that would be simpler but the blocks would likely
chafe and chatter against the deck

Trevor

tiempo2010 · Mar 17, 2011

It is stronger than a bale. Attaching them to the cabintop is a bad idea as
the forces can be large. The plate under the mast works well and the
halyards should not ever be slack enough to cause the block to fall on the
deck. The same goes for some other lines like the tackle on a solid vang.
Another solution is a stainless affair that is solidly attached to the mast
near the deck with a row of blocks installed in it. I have posted some pics
in a folder called Mast Base - block ideas in the group that show this.

tiempo2010 · Mar 17, 2011

In addition to the idea pics I posted I have just posted a pic of the base
of my mast - not a Vega - showing the arrangement for halyards. There are 2
exit blocks inset into the aft side of the mast near the deck and 2
externally mounted blocks, one each side. These were on the boat when I
purchased it and are original. A very strong arrangement and one of the
better ways to do this. The halyards will be replaced with new soon after I
add the clutches to the cabin top to replace the old stoppers that were
original.

tim_klynn · Mar 18, 2011

You could probably do that. The epoxy method also supports the inside surfaces of the skins and bonds each skin to each other.
Here's a link that explains the technique a little better:Hardware Installation on DeckMy lines aft run either through a cheek block attached to the side of the mast near the base or through blocks attached to a plate with holes in it under the mast. It is easy to keep tension on the blocks so they don't hit the deck much. -Tim

trevy_kins · Mar 18, 2011

Jack --

Here is a photo of a very similar arrangement to the one on Mystic Rose.
The radial pattern avoids fouling between lines/blocks and the height of
bail keeps everything off the deck and allows lines to lead back without
chafing grooves in the forward edge of the doghouse. The strength of
this arrangement is more than adequate for the loads on a small boat
like the Vega. You also do not need to detach the blocks when laying
the mast down for the winter. Everything stays with the mast.

http://www.mikeaston.ca/resources/MastCollar1.jpg

Trevor

trevy_kins · Mar 18, 2011

Hmmmm . . . I detect some blocks lying on the decks in those photos?

Trevor

tiempo2010 · Mar 18, 2011

Trevor

That looks like a solid arrangement and I'm sure it is strong enough.

tiempo2010 · Mar 18, 2011

The halyards are lying on the decks as there are no clutched mounted yet.
Too busy working on other boats to get to mine for now.

j.hunter9999 · Mar 20, 2011

That's really interesting. I'm sure I could have something like that made locally. I guess I have my next little project.

Thanks for posting!