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Styles of Genoa lead cars/blocks

Emerald

Moderator
At long last, the sheaves in my genoa lead blocks are starting to fail. I have noticed a style change in the way the blocks and cars are attached. There is what I perceive as an older free standing type block on a spring base versus a low profile block that is attached to the car so it can flop side to side but not twist quite like the spring base type. I guess I'm looking for feedback on how the new styles work versus what I've got. Here are what the two things I am thinking of look like:

spring base:

http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant...&Product_Code=GAH3040US&Category_Code=GARGENT

and sideways flip flopping base:

http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant...ROD&Product_Code=GAHLLC1&Category_Code=GARLOW
 

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treilley

Sustaining Partner
The spring base unit may be more likely to hit the cabin sides and cause damage. I would go with the low lead block. Garhauer lists one on their website that is a little more expensive but has a 3000lb working load. It can be specced in either 1 or 1 1/4 in track.
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
I just purchased a set of Garhauer genoa track blocks when I was at the Newport Boat Show. I got the 40-40 blocks, spring base with stainless steel slides not the aluminum like shown in the catalog. The 40-40's are the style with little holes drilled around the perimeter of the sheave itself. They are very nice and the price was right, $130 for two. When I asked the 40-40 was one of the strongest they made.

The genoa tracks on my E38 are slightly recessed in the deck so that the beefier aluminum shoe on the other spare Schaefer cars I own would not fit. I had to have stainless. The old Schaefer genoa block sheaves had chunks cracking out of them and they were not ball bearing like the new Garhauer's.

I didn't like the low-lead style for two reasons: The genoa sheets on my E38, due to the block placement on the tracks, already rub slightly on the dodger frame on the port side on the way back to the winch. A low lead car would make this even worse. Also I didn't like the way the low-lead car articulated. It didn't look like it would be a fair lead in all situations. In my case I already had spring base blocks and they work very well. The springs in the old Schaefers and the Garhauers are both quite strong and there is now way they would contact the deck or cabin house.

Just my two cents, YRMV!

Hey, found a pic. Boat jewelery!

RT
 

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Bob Grenier

Member II
My concern with the flip block is...if the track is not in line with the winch, as the block is moved closer to that winch, you won't have a fair lead to the winch because the block can't swivel at all.
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
Harken

David - If you go to the Harken site they have specs for boats by model. They gives sheet loads, etc. They also have an interactive program for recommended hardware, theirs of course, but you can get the specs for the recommended items.

This is one of the reasons their stuff costs more.
 

Emerald

Moderator
Hi Tom,

I remembered Compuspec after my post, but thank you. It's a great resource, and I had almost completely forgotten about it. The load calculator and resulting data sheet is pretty neat. It looks like for a 40 knot blow, something with a SWL of 3000 lbs instead of 2000 lbs should be right. They have:

#3 Genoa @ 30 Knots: 1460.8 lbs 662.6 kg
#3 Genoa @ 35 Knots: 1988.2 lbs 901.8 kg
#3 Genoa @ 40 Knots: 2597.0 lbs 1178.0 kg

What's odd is that the block that comes up when I go through the hardware selection seems undersized:

249 Small Boat Genoa Car
Description Small Boat
Sheave dia. (in) 2 1/2
Length (in) 4 3/8
Weight (oz) 18
Car width (in) 2 3/16
Max. working load (lb) 1250
Breaking load (lb) 2500
Fits track 2720

So, I think I'll err on caution and go with a block rated for 3000 lbs. I'll probably never need it, but I do aspire to exiting the Chesapeake and doing some coastal cruising. Bigger seems to be the right direction for a minimal cost difference. If I was offshore getting my butt kicked, the $30-40 savings would seem pretty silly :rolleyes:
 
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rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Never been a big Harken fan and the 249 seems hideously overpriced compared to the Garhauer. The 40-40's in the pic above are mostly metal, I think the ball bearings are Torlon which is plastic but the rest is good ole' heavy duty metal. I understand Harken on race boats, they make nice lightweight stuff but for cruising boats the heavy metal Garhauer is my favorite. RT
 

Mike.Gritten

Member III
I'm going with Rob on this one. Garhauer rocks on our boat. For some reason we installed our spinnaker sheets and tack pennant with Harken blocks 2 summers back - they constantly require rinsing with fresh water to keep the bearings free and rolling and just don't "feel" right even though they are spec'd correctly. In contrast, our new Garhauer mainsheet, boom and mast hardware has been bulletproof and seems to be almost overkill for the task at hand - I like overkill on my boat!
 

Emerald

Moderator
I should have clarified that I only referenced the Harken block as an example of mismatch between the load calculation sheet and what Compuspec came up with. I've upgraded several of my other blocks and organizers with Garhauer over the past few years and have really liked them. My real question is just which Garhauer style to buy. I think I am leaning to something along the lines of the 40-40 mentioned above with stand up spring base. I'm still a bit curious though as to the prevalence of low lead style blocks from all large manufacturers. Why the popularity over a conventional bullet block on a spring base? Anyone sail with each type and speak to why one over the other?

Thanks for all the input.
 
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Mindscape

Member III
Genoa Blocks

I have a set of Garhauer LLC-3 (low lead blocks) on my outside genoa tracks and a set of Harken 1997's on my inside tracks. I went to this style on the thought that I might want to run multiple sheets thru them while changing head sails when racing. Well that has never happened and I don't race any longer. I do find this style block easy to use and to run the sheets thru, even in heavy weather, or when it's cold. I rerun the sheets as I move from the outer to inner tracks or vice versa. I don't see that much difference between the harken or garhauer's, except for the pin release, that allows the car to slide on the track, the harken is much nicer to use, but does allow the block to be left in the unlocked position. The spring loaded pull on the garhauer is tough to use in comparison. The garhauer's were much cheaper, got them at a Strictly Sail show, while I found the Harkens on Ebay. I feel like both are more substantial and better made than the original spring style blocks. I also prefer the ball bearings in the blocks I have now to the now ball bearing original blocks. Since I sail on the Great Lakes I don't run into the rinsing problem mentioned in an earlier post. I feel like having permanent blocks that are easy and nice to use on both the inner and outer tracks was a nice improvement over the single set that came with the boat.
 
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