What do you call this thing?

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Aug 27, 2011
90
Hunter 336 Scotland


There are two of these on the mast, one of which as you can see is broken. The mainsail reefing lines run through them. I have searched the internet but have been unable to find replacements.
Can anyone tell me what they are called so I can search again or suggest an alternative piece of equipment to do the job.
 
Feb 8, 2007
141
Catalina 36 MKII Pensacola Beach, FL
It's probably just a "fairlead", although this one may have bene made for this specific location on your mast.

Search "fairlead" and see if you find something close.
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Reefing Eyes

That is probably a Z-Spar mast and replacement (what I call) reefing eyes should be available from them from France. Or, you can try U.S. Spars here:
http://www.usspars.com/boat-information/?vendor=Hunter&model=Hunter+19#section-display
There is a way to avaid that damage. It is caused by reefing improperly. The correct method is to have the halyard pre-marked at each reef level ad than to drop the halyard to that point and then tension the reefing lines. The reefing block should not rest on the eye when properly reefed.
Good luck!
 
Aug 27, 2011
90
Hunter 336 Scotland
Re: Reefing Eyes

I've tried the z-spars site but couldn't track them down from any online products list. I've searched for fairleads but have not come up with anything similar. I will try sending them a photograph and see if they can help.
My excuse is that they were badly weakened when I got the boat.
I haven't been aware of the blocks being up against them but nevertheless they need replaced.
 
Jun 25, 2012
942
hunter 356 Kemah,the Republic of Texas
neilmcc said:
There are two of these on the mast, one of which as you can see is broken. The mainsail reefing lines run through them. I have searched the internet but have been unable to find replacements.
Can anyone tell me what they are called so I can search again or suggest an alternative piece of equipment to do the job.
It's called a mainsail hook other names in the same area Cunningham hook , reefing hook , tack hook . Try SBO store site using those terms.
 

TLW

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Jan 15, 2013
271
Oday 31 Whitehall, MI
The hardware pieces themselves are called "Reefing Hooks." They are commonly available and normally used on the mast just above the boom at the gooseneck. Sometimes they are attached to the gooseneck, itself. Their purpose is to provide a quick attachment point for the luff reefing cringle - the halyard is loosened, the cringle attached, and the halyard tightened. This is old-school, eliminating a reefing line on the luff. Many would still prefer them, however.

In your case someone has placed them below the boom to serve as a fairlead, of sorts, for the internal reefing lines-probably as part of leading them to the cockpit. In order to use them this way they have been bent which has caused the failure of the two broken ones.

I would ignore, or remove them, and create a system that makes sense to you and accomplishes what you want to accomplish.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
uuuhhh.. I think those are (were) full hoops that someone tried to use as fairleads.. ?? Those probably should be replaced with proper blocks.. ??
 

maxrdr

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Dec 19, 2011
19
Hunter 310 Lake Oolagah, Oolagah, OK
I am in line with Kloudie and those suggesting fairlead hoops, as I have a pair on my boat that are used with my reefing system. However,my guess at how they were broken is that they were used as a step and they were only meant to be a guide. My two cents this morning
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Not That...

The hardware pieces themselves are called "Reefing Hooks." They are commonly available and normally used on the mast just above the boom at the gooseneck. Sometimes they are attached to the gooseneck, itself. Their purpose is to provide a quick attachment point for the luff reefing cringle - the halyard is loosened, the cringle attached, and the halyard tightened. This is old-school, eliminating a reefing line on the luff. Many would still prefer them, however.

In your case someone has placed them below the boom to serve as a fairlead, of sorts, for the internal reefing lines-probably as part of leading them to the cockpit. In order to use them this way they have been bent which has caused the failure of the two broken ones.

I would ignore, or remove them, and create a system that makes sense to you and accomplishes what you want to accomplish.
They are not that. They are actually a specialized lead for single line reefing that pulls the reef cringle forward and down as the reef block mounted at the cringle is lowered.
 

TLW

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Jan 15, 2013
271
Oday 31 Whitehall, MI
Rick - you are absolutely right. The two posts previous to yours actually jogged my memory and I remember these "loops" from the Z-Spar rigs on our 90s era Hunters. (maybe they still use them) I would still replace them with an alternative, however. Drilling out the stainless steel rivets will be a task, though. Needs to be done either way.
 
Aug 27, 2011
90
Hunter 336 Scotland
Any idea as to what I would replace them with.
I've had no response from z-Spars in France although it's only a few hours since I sent the photograph.
They are riveted on to a curved part of the mast which limits what can easily be fitted to the space. I can deal with the rivets and have the means to rivet new parts in place but would welcome suggestions as to what to replace them with. Would a block or just a through fairlead do the trick?
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
If you can get the replacement parts, I'd just replace them rather than worry about trying to re-engineer the system. This isn't some kind of jury-rig, it's the way the single line reefing system on Hunters of that era were designed, presumably by people who knew what they were doing. As long as you use small enough bullet blocks on the luff reefing rings to pass through those bails, you'll get a nice tight draw on the luff of the sail while reefing, with the tack cringle pulled right down tight to the gooseneck.

The one thing I would recommend is that you drill out those rivets and tap the mast to accept stainless screws instead.
 
Dec 2, 2003
1,637
Hunter 376 Warsash, England --
I Call it a BECKET

Neil,
I call it a Becket. There are two on my mast (H376).
I believe yours to have been broken as a result of incorrect use. All they have to do is to guide each reefing line in both upward and downward directions. They have no function for turning the lines so, in actual fact and when properly used, do no work, bear no loads and add no friction.
See my sketch drawing REEFING.pdf attached.
Regards,
Don Alexander - Moderator; Technical Forum; Legend Owners Association U.K.

See also Z-Spars own drawing.
Also try them at their premises in Hadleigh, Suffolk.
on sales@zsparsuk.com.
I have found them most helpful.

Unit 2, Hadleigh Business Park
Pond Hall Road
Hadleigh
IPSWICH
Suffolk
IP7 5PW
U.K.
Tel: +44 01473 822130
Fax: +44 01473 827354
 

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Jan 24, 2008
293
Alerion Express 28 Oneida Lake, NY
I agree with TLW and think they're called a ram's head, or, at least now, half a ram's head.
 
May 28, 2009
764
Hunter 376 Pensacola, FL
Those are obviously the parts. Since it looks like the manufacturer calls them Mast Eyes, then I guess that's what they're called. :)

I'd say someone in the past overtightened the reefing lines, since one of your eyes is broken and the other is pulled downward. This would be pretty easy to do if you forget to release the vang and mainsheet while trying to reef. When we first got our boat, I'd often struggle with trying to get the clew pulled tight to the boom while reefing. I'd really crank on the reefing line with the winch, pulling the tack ring down tight to the mast eye, but just couldn't get the clew tight. Then I figured out that in order to get a good reef in, the end of the boom had to rise as I took in the reef. Once I figured out I needed to release the vang and mainsheet and allow the boom to lift while reefing, I've been able to get a good tight reef put in ever since. In the time it took me to figure that out though, I popped several of the rivets on the mast eyes, leaving them loose. That's why I recommend drilling them out and using beefy screws instead.
 
Aug 27, 2011
90
Hunter 336 Scotland
Fantastic, thanks for all of the help once again. I will contact z-spars and replace them like for like but with the mast tapped and screws to replace the rivets.
Neil
 

Dave Groshong

SBO Staff
Staff member
Jan 25, 2007
1,864
Catalina 22 Seattle
It looks like US Spars number 1493 reefing hook, $26.53, available here, or through US Spars, same price.
 
Dec 2, 2003
1,637
Hunter 376 Warsash, England --
An Apology

An apology to neilmcc. Though Neil has an H336 of 1996 I haven't found its manual on line, however have just found the H376 Manual on line:-
http://www.marlow-hunter.com/export/Owners-Manuals/ and it shows one more turn in the reefing line - though I don't think it much affects the operation of the 'mast eye'.
See the attached sketch copied from the manual.
The original diagram in my posting above is as the H33 of later years is rigged.
Don A.
 

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