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| Home >> Technical >> Extra pulley at gooseneck for kicker |
I'd fitted external blocks on the Goosneck Kicker Sheave, soft attached by three turns of 1.5 - 2 mm Dyneema cored polyester covered rope.
On handover inspection I was surprised to see the 7 mast sheave had worn through on the deepest part over the full half circle that the rope bore on.
The mast was original 2014 vintage, nearly eight years old.
And though not the only rig I have owned and sailed it is the one I've used the most.
The external block was fitted 2016 or 17; so 5 - 6 years ago.
You might want to check your own.
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I had similar happen to my 7 Lower Mast some years ago. Then there weren't replacements available from RS Parts Store.
You may find you can get replacement parts today.
I fitted outside sheaves to my 3 masts.
You don't need an expensive ball bearing block. The gooseneck sheave is plain bearing, and 15 mm diameter. The rope load is after the 16:1 Cascade so is only what you yourself can pull times a factor for the angle between the two rope paths to the block, about 1.5.
Latest Rules seem to limit any 16, 18, mm replacement block size to 20 mm, including this one.
There is plenty of choice of 20 mm plain bearing single sheave soft attach blocks available much cheaper than £25.-
The majority in the £5 - £8 range.
Try Allen direct, or Pinnell & Bax.
Have you tapered the Kicker 2'ry?
If you get the taper point after the gooseneck sheave that makes a huge difference in the friction on the block.
Good Luck
Jonathan
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Thanks Peter. Can't believe I didn't think of that - I love a soft shackle! I even have a few spares kicking around in my kit bag because I'm the kind of lonely guy who makes them in my spare time just for fun!
Cheers!
Dave
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I don't use this extra block myself but I think you could achieve the quick sharing of it between your 3 rigs by using a 'soft shackle'.
Have a spliced loop at one end of the attachment rope and a knot, bobble or 'dog bone' as a stopper at the other end to pass through the loop to secure.
If the loop is minimum size to just enable the stopper through it then it is likely safe.
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I know that it is permitted to attach a pulley at the gooseneck to replace the built in pulley for the kicker.
I noticed yesterday that the plastic pulley in my 7 mast has worn all the way through. Fitting a pulley would be a good solution to this problem.
However, given that I have 3 lower mast sections and each pulley costs c.£25, I'm wondering if there is a practical and (ideally) class legal way to attach the pulley to the mast so that I can switch it over to different lower masts when I change rig.
Any ideas? Or cheap pulley options?!
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