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Posted by Dave White --Previous Message--
on 5/3/2006, 7:35 am, in reply to "Jib fairlead position - old 'ball"
162.39.53.3
We have changed that system somewhat since that phot was taken but here is how we were told to find the location. The basic point to start is measureing from the center line of the mast and come out 11 inches and back 11 inches. That will be the place to put the fairlead to begin with. We had to install a small piece of wood to hold a track that ran fore and aft and we had a 6 inch long track on that that a pop car slide along. We could adjust the fore and aft position a couple of inches but found that we only had to move it one click in either direction for any adjustment we made. We also placed a second track 1 inch outside of the first track and when the wind got heavy we relocated the fairlead onto that track and opened the slot a bit. Again we didn't do it that much but thenm again we aren't the most competetive group either. The 11 inches out and 11 inches back is considered the standard place to start but you should have some sort of controlable fairlead to work with from that point. Pat showed us a different system that we used this past summer and had a greater ability to point without loosing boat speed. He has a strut that runs from his centerboard trunk to the top side face near the front of the well. Again this strut is sort of a standard thing and we have incorperated them into the building of our boats. He has a track that runs on this strut and on the track he has a block that floats and is controld to allow the block to float higher or lower depending on what you want to do. The trick is the adjsutment cleat is on the car that ride on the track. The car is controlled by the skipper. When beating the track is pulled to towards the center of the boat and when you fall off the car is allowed to slide to the leeward side acting like a barber hauler. When you head back up wind you pull the car back to it's original position and all is ready for the windward beat. The key point is the location of that strut but again it works off the idea that when in position the sheet goes through that point 11 x 11 from the mast even if the fairlead is located down inside the cockpit the sheet still passes through that point, or somewhere close to it. Hope that helps.
: Dave or anyone else....I noticed in
: one of the photos of Dave's high
: school boats that a mounting block
: for the jib fairlead was placed on
: the brace that goes from the mast
: block to the cockpit side. I have
: an old fireball with the narrow jib
: that I'm redecking and plan on
: having a non-adjustable fairlead
: located in the same place. Since
: the jib is so narrow placement is
: rather critical - any
: recommendations are appreciated in
: terms of how far from the centerline
: to place fairlead mounting block
: along that brace.
:
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