Cleating sail controls

[Meryl Todd]

I have a dinghy with the original Fico single ended control lines.

The intention is to update with double ended systems for vang, outhaul, and cunningham. What options are there are cleat location?

[Scott Olsen]

There are 3 main approaches adopted – cleats on the foredeck, side-tanks and thwart.

Foredeck is the most common amongst the current top boats – 3 on either side, angled at about 45 degrees, and positioned just in front of the cockpit. (Secure with stainless bolts right thru the framing timber). Make sure you incorporate rope guides on the ‘mast-side’ – an extra fitting that clips into the standard Ronstan fitting. Then run a length of shock-cord from side of thwart to the shroud (on each side of the boat) and tie the end of each of the control lines to this shock-cord so you can easily grab them when needed

The alternatives are to take the ropes down to a triple block somewhere at the bottom of the centre-board case and have the them come up to cleats on the side tanks or thwart.

[Meryl Todd]

Thanks for your response. I will take the suggestion and go with foredeck location using Ronstan small cleats.

[Scott Olsen]

By the way – Rontan cleats come in multiple sizes. Some people use a medium size one for the vang, and smaller for the outhaul and downhaul. Personal preference really. Also – the Ronstan basic cleat has special moudings on the botton to allow you to ‘clip-on’ up to 3 optional extras – an angled spacer that changes the angle of the cleat (useful); the metal front guide (essential) and a plastic guide that sits over the top (useful). It’s a real pain in the backside to find out about these after you’ve fitted the basic cleat. (Fitting these cleats is one of the worst jobs around as you try to locate the nut ‘blind’ with your hand thru the front inspection ports !

[heymacaulay]

On the subject of fitting cleats to the foredeck:

As Andrew said, 18 months back, it CAN be a pain in the butt.

Reaching in through the Inspection Port is heaps easier if:

1. You can remove the port and give yourself a bigger hole to reach through, and

2. Put the boat on its side on the grass, against a fence or something. That way you are not trying to bend down and reach back up – You are just kneeling or standing beside and reaching in and around.

Regards all,

Willy . . .

[leonardo84d]

I am interested in positioning the sail controls on the side deck as per option 2 in the construction manual. I looked at the close up of John Dick in the Photo Gallery and the layout of controls and positioning of pulley blocks looks clean and efficient.

Has anyone else got John Dick’s system? If so can you advise whether it is better than the standard controls mounted on the deck and on the mast as per the photograph. What are the pros and cons from the experienced sailors among the class?

Regards

Nic Gellie

[Author]

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