hjdca wrote:
I just installed the topper upgrade, cheek block, & furler update on my 2015 Tandem Island. All were free, and all went smooth. Some tips:
1. Like previously said, be very careful with the resin bearing balls in the topper. Those are easy to loose.
2. The cheek block is harder to place on the tandem island because of the support pole for the Aka and the other stuff that is on the back side of the Aka. You also need to check your tramp straps and make sure you put it in a spot that does not interfere with them. I ended up putting the cheek black a few inches to the right of the support rod at a slight upward angle, so, I could still fold the support rod for storage and snap it into the holder on the Aka.
Trying the upgrades today. Loading everything up now. Will report back later on the results. 8-12 mph winds today.
I tried this upgrades yesterday, Memorial day at Marina Del Rey. We went out to Venice pier and offshore a bit. We saw a huge shark next to us not far from Venice pier and my girlfriend freaked out. That was fun ! The winds were about 10 mph, so, it was perfect for the Spinnaker coming in from the breakwater. Unfortunately, the new Topper does not totally solve the problem, but, there are some advantages. The rear halyard line still interferes with the long batten in the sail by about 3 inches or so, but, with the right maneuvering, you can get the sail under the batten, but, if speed is a concern, forgetaboutit, you still need the main sail partially furled to maneuver quickly. I also think with the new height, you might be able to furl your main less than usual -- TBC. In addition, with the cheek block, you can tighten up the halyard, so, that it resists tangling during furling. Honestly, I had a lot of problems with the Spinnaker yesterday.... I tangled up the sail while attaching the sail to the lines and I had to straighten it out on the water.... The sail frustrates me a lot and is a real pain, but, when it hooks up riding high , it really moves the boat. sigh...