18 6:1 on a 16?

I've been wanting to upgrade to a 6:1 and found one used locally on Criaigs list. Is for a 18. I bought it (top and bottom main blocks for 150.00) maybe a bit high for used? but cheaper than 300+ for a new one. though I'd like the low profile.

Anyway - came today and I installed it. I was surprised to see the pulleys are larger in diameter - but it installed just fine. Any reason why this isn't a good idea? Tried it out in light winds we had tonight and worked nicely. At this point I have the 6 pulley wheels - then goes back to a single aft on the boom, then down to the main wheel and cleat. (does the extra pulley wheel in back then mean I'm using a 7:1 ?

hoping this is compatible. Seemed fine. sure didn't take much effort to haul it all the way in.

sounds like an older set of seaway blocks.... pictures?

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In the early 1980's I replaced my 5:1 Seaway Blocks with 6:1 Harken Blocks. The Harken Blocks are large. I believe they make them smaller now. My Harken Blocks have "Harken" imprinted on the sides and I believe my old Seaway Blocks have "Seaway" imprinted in them as well.
It sounds like Rojoyinc has Harken Blocks and a single Seaway Block, and he configured it incorrectly; so that's why he wound up with a 7:1. He tried it out in light winds and found it easier to sheet in, so no harm done - maybe! The real test is how quickly does the line feed through the blocks in mediun to high winds when you're about to capsize. The Quick Save in a panic situation.... Also, is your main sheed now too short?
Rojoyinc may have stumbled onto something good, but I believe he needs to try it sailing downwind and also on a reach in medium to heavy winds and release the main quickly.
Most men shouldn't have any difficulty sheeting in a 6:1 on a Hobie 16, but some women might find the "Rojoyinc 7:1 Configuration" beneficial.
Pictures and test results PLEASE!
Richard

that stunk - I logged in - enter a Lengthy reply and whdn I clicked submit - it says "you need to login" DOH - lost my post - so this is a test before I enter it again.

Lets try that again = (

Excellent winds today - the kind that I ALWAYS flip the boat in, but today! NOPE - and I think my new mods are part of the reason. At first they looked funny on the boat because they're a bit larger. Now that I'm use to them, they look great and when I see the original setup on my other older boat - they'll prolly look weird (cheezy) we'll see. I let me son in law use the older one so we can race.

Each crossing of the lake today had me on edge where I usually could flip - some really strong gusts at times that were even a bit freightful. (my definition of hobie cat sailing is moments of boredom nestled between minutes of SHEER TERROR! ) = ) Hobie - let me know if you want to use that. = )

Anyway - NORMALLY with the old setup I'd be reef down so tight that when I started to flip- I'd try and release the main sheet and either couldn't do it on time or just ran into problems. Other times when I did release it before flipping - the raised hull would SLAM hard into the water and if anyone was out on the trap - I'd dunk em - knock them off or find them pissed and dragging behind the boat. = ) (once that tipped me over)

So anyway - the difference... when I felt the winds build or a gust - I'd release the cleat and due to less tension - 1. the hull didn't SLAM down and 2 I could hold the sheet and make subtle adjustments in and out without my arms turning white and shaking. I mean sailing shouldn't be like tug a war with a horse right? I do like the excersize I get - and I totally find cat sailing a SPORT and not a "hobby or boat ride" since I've gotten into it this summer. It is work and takes fast thinking and lots of muscles that we otherwise probably never use. At 52 - leaning back out over the water at aft tramp - is a fun way to get some crunches in.

Anyway it was a total joy to use today... I'm so thrilled, at first I was really leery - I also had large 2" quick releases on the old blocks so I could swap booms/sails easily or bring mine in easily. Though I rarely used them and just cover the tramp and sail for the night to keep UV off. I wanted to keep the quick releases on - but I feared that I'm loosing around 2" of extra down haul back there. Always I'm wondering the difference. Anyone want to measure the stock block? How much distance between boom and aft track? I may measure my old boat and the new setup to compare for curiousity. It's really nice to release the cleat from maximum down haul back there and not have it pop! At first I wondered if it was a dumb move, but after today - I'm thrilled. It performed so well.... and I didn't flip the boat today. I think uncleating the main as the winds pick up and holding it for slight in and out adjustments is the way to go and much better than my old 16 stock setup which had to be cleated because my arms would start shaking from holding it.

Which reminds me- anyone else out there use their feet as extra hands? I find I use my aft foot just on top of the main sheet where it comes out of the cleat of the lower block. This way if I need to release the cleat - or if it accidentially catches - and I'm about to tip - my foot can help release the main sheet from the cleat. I kept using my foot today and thought I'd ask if this is common practice.

Anyway I recommend this mod. Oh - someone asked (and I answer in my old post that didn't save) - this is a HARKEN 6:1 Looks like the 16's 6:1 except it's not the low profile design of the 16. IT's also a little bigger (each pulley is a little larger). This is 6:1 but I let my aft boom (Stock) pulley on as well - and I use that to pull the line back away from the blocks before it enters the main block wheel and cleat. This way NONE of the line touches other line, no friction. So I think this gives me 7:1 ? I presume.

I'll shoot pics later this week - I don't have any of my camera's home this weekend.

I saw that on your other thread. Looks like a lot of room to lose. I just remove the mainsheet blocks with the boom and sail as one big lump, so I don't mind having them attached 'permanently' to the boom.

Last weekend was my first use of the Aussie halyard. I'm not exactly in love with it yet and it slipped the first few times so I ended up gaining mast rake as I hit rough water. I'd have gone crazy if I'd had a high-profile block system like yours. I ended up block-to-block several times as it was. Even with my usual unaggressive mast rake (new shrouds at the very top of the 10-hole adjusters) I wouldn't have two extra inches for those shackles in heavy wind.


Sure! I use my heel to lock in the traveler line if I take it up while on a reach. The sheets I can just release with a snap of the line, though.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages

Sorry I dunno what a aussie halyard is. I searched - saw some metal rings - but still have no clue.

Are you referring to a aussie JIB halyard? I think I saw that this is via google search. Looks like pulley up on the jib rather than down at the mast cleat... to tension the jib easier? Less tension in the jib (line/wire/forstay thing).
Seems like that might allow the mast to move fore/aft a bit easier than normal stock jib tensioning?

If you gained mast rake in rough water - yes, I can imagine that happening if you're talking jib halyard. As the pulleys would allow the mast to move easier and thus rake more easily.

I'll shoot a shot of them and measure their distance. I find I often max them (pulley to pulley but typically I don't find I really need/want more. Often loosening them a bit because I feel I slowed a bit by over sheeting. Which is easy to do since it doesn't take much pull to achieve max sheet.

I can release the sheets with a snap but when about to tip over - it's nice to know that the foot is there in case the main sheet cleat catches a little bit. since I so far require a wave runner to re-upright my boat - tipping isn't ever a good idea. Last time a neighbor came out to save the day. And when tipped - my hulls seem to take on water fast. Will try and silicone the pylons

Exactly (BTW I don't know of any Aussie halyard reference other than the jib). The full halyard tension (aka forestay tension while sailing) is only present up to the mast, and then there's a reduced tension coming down the mast. However even with the greater mechanical advantage the line that is used is very slippery compared to the standard halyard line. But that's really a topic for a different thread. The point here is that when that halyard was slipping, the mast rake changed and ergo the boom clearance and block clearance changed. Never had that happen with the original system.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages