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| Home >> Technical >> Harken Main sheet cleet upgrade/downgrade |
Just locked mine in position. Good suggestion. The reason I don’t use the setup at present is twofold. Firstly it’s necessary to be aware of strong gusts in advance , and uncleat, in order to immediately respond to their effects without resorting to more luffing/heeling than is desirable.
Secondly, when sailing off the wind and sitting more upright or leaning inboard, a solid upward pull is necessary to sheet in and this is hampered by the extra friction created by the cleat/fairlead.
No doubt I shall go back to using it when conditions and fading fitness demand. It has never caused me to capsize to leeward at all but the sheet did jump out of the cleat once when I had been less than careful about ensuring it was properly secured whilst beating. This made me very wet all over and quite frustrated about the need for swimming.
Overall it can be quite a satisfying device to use upwind provided that the reduced speed of response to strong gusts can be tolerated.
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29/11/2018 19:45:00
Posts: 0
Hi All
We have tidied up the images on the website now.
I hope this makes things clearer.
Kind regards
RS Customer Support
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26/11/2018 11:02:00
Posts: 0
Many thanks RS Customer Support for the detailed photo - that's much clearer than the Harken instruction pdf that Ian kindly posted a link to. I'll take another look next weekend.
Thanks again
Neil
Neil
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09/10/2018 09:28:00
Neil
Posts: 34
Hi,
The H2135 Ratchet supplied with the RS Aero does have the ability to lock its base post in position.
Lock the pin @ 90 degrees to the direction of the mainsheet. This will mean the ratchet will follow the mainsheet cleat jaws and lean in towards them.
Hope this helps.
RS Customer Support
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08/10/2018 15:50:00
Posts: 0
Hi Neil
No, sorry, I don't have the mainsheet upgrade swivel cleat fitted to my Aero - I've always found that a mainsheet cleat causes too many capsizes!
I based my comment on previous experience of the Harken 57mm Carbo-Ratchet (H2135) on my RS200, confirmed by comparing the part code on the RS website (H2135) with the spec on the Harken website. According to all the part numbers, the ratchet supplied with the mainsheet upgrade and the standard ratchet supplied with the boat should both be the H2135 and should therefore both have the swivel lock.
Sorry, had I seen your message earlier today, I would have checked the one on my boat. I will try to remember to do so next weekend. Maybe someone at RS could check/comment?
Cheers
Ian
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07/10/2018 20:49:00
Jean-Luc
Posts: 3
Hi Ian
Thanks for your reply and the link to the pdf.
Do you have a retro fit "RS centre jammer" on 1655? if so please could post a photo as on mine (1743) which I added the item below to I can see no locking lever. May be I'm just blind & stupid or both and fitted the retro fit wrong.
RS tech support please could you post here if you can lock the block inline with the jammer on item 9 on this page
http://www.rssailingstore.com/Catalogue/RS-Parts/RS-Aero/Mainsheet-Upgrade
Thanks
Neil
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07/10/2018 18:38:00
Neil
Posts: 34
Hi
In answer to two queries in this thread, about the block being able to swivel independently of the cleat ...
You should be able to lock the swivel head of the block, so it remains in line with the cleat. See https://www.harken.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Product_Support/PDF/M1005.pdf for details - "3-Way Cam-Lock" on page 3.
If you're running the sheet from the ratchet in light airs (i.e. bypassing the cleat), you should be able to stop the cleat arm swinging with a piece of elastic tied to the traveller fairlead. I don't think that would contravene the Class Rules!
Cheers
Ian
Ian Pickard
RS Aero 1655
Bowmoor SC
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04/10/2018 15:28:00
Jean-Luc
Posts: 3
Hi Rob
I find it useful in stronger winds as it as you say it give you a rest and while cleated you have a hand free for adjusting kicker/outhaul/cunningham.
The problem is in lighter winds the block can end up at 90 degrees to the cleat as they swivel independently (a master piece of poor design) and so you can't sheet out easily. So when the wind is light I tend use the sheet straight from the block with out it going through the cleat.The down side is the cleat then gets in the way. Doing this I have had the traveller hook round the block. and the main sheet get tangled around it.
On the whole for me the usefulness in stronger winds out weighs the hassles of lighter winds, but if you are younger/fitter/stronger I guess this might not be teh case.
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04/10/2018 08:41:00
Neil
Posts: 34
Am thinking of upgrading to the Mainsheet cleat upgrade - mainly to give me a bit of rest / breathing space at key times! - what are the views of the group? Worth doing?
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03/10/2018 09:58:00
rob robinson
Posts: 4
Thank you Customer Support that's very helpful as I may go back to using no cleat in lighter winds.
Asking following question here rather than phoning you as answer may be of use to others:-
Have you any thoughts on keeping the block and cleat lined up, so they swivel as one unit?.
The cleat base swivels very easily, but the block is able to swivel independently of the base (around the blocks centre pin, the block to base fitting swivelling around the base pin, and the pin in the base swivelling in the base). So in use the block often does not line up with the cleat.
Thanks Neil
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22/02/2018 10:09:00
Neil
Posts: 34
Hi.
I think our exploded diagram may need editing slightly to make things a bit clearer.
Accurate terminology may help the explanation. There are two types of Shoe that slide in and lock. One fits to the bottom of the ratchet (a) and one that fits to the bottom of the Cleate Base (b)
A standard boat is supplied with a ratchet and Shoe a. The Cleat Base is supplied with Shoe b prefitted. Upon purchase of the cleat base you remove the ratchet from Shoe a and attach onto the Cleat Base. Job done.
To go back to just the ratchet remove it from the Cleat Base and fit it to Shoe a.
We will endeavour to tidy up the exploded diagrams to make this clearer.
Kind regards
RS Customer Support
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21/02/2018 06:56:00
Posts: 0
Good question. Is part number 7 different from the similar looking bit supplied as of the part number 9 kit
I've also just upgraded to this centre jammer and have found that although the cleat swivels very nicely the block does not which is very disappointing for £140. It may be that I have fitted it wrongly as the instructions did not seem to match the parts supplied and the parts looked different from the pictures of part 9 in the catalogue.
Has anyone else done this upgrade and got the block and cleat to swivel together so they line up as I keep getting the block at 90 degrees to the cleat in lighter winds.
thanks
Neil
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20/02/2018 13:24:00
Neil
Posts: 34
Hi
I have the Harken Main sheet cleat upgrade, and am looking to put it back to the non cleat version. Having looked at it and on the upgrade pictures on the RS store I assume I need to buy the Retro-fit part number 7?
http://www.rssailingstore.com/Catalogue/RS-Parts/RS-Aero/Mainsheet-Upgrade
Just clarifying please.
Thanks
Tom
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13/02/2018 14:10:00
MrBlonde
Posts: 3
