Forward jibe preventer block

[DGA]

Back for a work day on Island Girl, there is a very well anchored eye on the deck just behind the anchor locker. I don't know what it was used for before me, but I think this will be a good point to run the jibe control line through, I added that Harken block to it. There is a large piece of angle aluminum under the deck in the vee berth, so it's not coming out anytime soon. I will modify the awful bow roller channel and get rid of the steel threaded rod and weld something under it.

 

[terry_thatcher]

That chain plate is where a staysail or in n er jib goes when the3 boat is set up as a cutter. It may not be as strong as you think. Check to see of the bulkhead ism tabbed to the underside of the deck. Mine was not, bit is now. Warren Holybee describes his job doing that in a mconcurrent post.

 

[DGA]

Yes I was thinking it might be for a cutter rig. It has four 1/4" bolts through a really large piece of aluminum angle, like 4", that is full width of the deck, and is bonded in as well. I'm sure the angle is stronger than the 4 bolts in tension.
Speaking of that bulkhead, I felt inside the forward vee berth locker, the laminations ( tabbing) have become unbonded from the plywood bulkhead, at least in the right side, so I will squeeze some epoxy between the laminate and the wood and clamp it together.

Also got the water tanks bleached out, pumped 30 gallons of bleach/ water in and out, they look reasonable now, also got the depth sounder and water speed transponders wired to the binnacle instruments, just need to hook them to 12v now.

 

[Mpdsailing]

It may be a strong point for a jack-line if the mast has no provisions for an inner forestay and running backstays?

 

[DGA]

Yes, could be for that. I have at least three halyards clipped at the base of the mast, not sure if they all go to the top or not. Was considering using the larger one for a cutter forestay onto that strong point and having my 150 Genoa cut into a 110 percent and the small aft part made into a hank on storm jib to use as a cutter, only used after furling the headsail.
Dave.

 

[Warren Holybee]

That eye isn't strong enough for an inner forestay. The backing might be strong enough, but the eye itself could break. Most likely, it was for a foreguy for a spinnaker pole. It should be strong enough for either a preventor or a jackline.

 

[DGA]

For sure, the eye would be the weak link. It's cast or forged, not sure of what. I'll use it for the preventer block and Spinnaker pole for now, when I get the 150 Genoa cut I'll replace that eye with one I will fabricate from stainless.

Keeping the center of pressure.... Storm sail average center aft, is important, I think, for heavy weather, to help stability and the boat to naturally turn into the wind. This is the aero engineer in me thinking this, no actual experience with that, yet. But my Chrysler Pirateer sailing dinghy was the opposite, with the jib up, it naturally turned away from the wind, a very dangerous thing, and you had to never, ever, let your guard down or you were in the water in seconds.