Trying to identify this piece on my standing rigging.
- Thread starter Jimbocky
- Start date
Frank Langer
1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
It's a shroud cleat. Also called a flag halyard cleat. If you google it, you'll see various kinds so you can choose what you need.
Frank
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Why is there apparently another piece of wire rigging thru the eye in one end of the cleat? Or is that a lifeline?
That little cleat is often used to tie off a flag halyard.
That little cleat is often used to tie off a flag halyard.
That shouldn't have a lifeline through it. No purpose, not designed for it, no good will come of it.
Shroud cleat, intended for securing a main or flag halyard.
Shroud cleat, intended for securing a main or flag halyard.
Dave G.
1984 E30+ Ludington, MI
By the angles it looks like a lifeline & somebody went through a lot of trouble to feed that through the cleat eye. As Christian said "no good will come of it". ...ditto
Bolo
Sustaining Member
Yes, that made me go, “WHAAATT?!”
tenders
Innocent Bystander
“Aladdin” or shroud cleat.
This one’s nylon, but you get the idea.
www.go2marine.com
This one’s nylon, but you get the idea.
Sea-Dog, Shroud Mounted Halyard Cleat, Nylon w/ Stainless Mounting Pla
Sea-Dog, Shroud Mounted Halyard Cleat, Nylon w/ Stainless Mounting Plate. Use to secure halyards when not in use or as a topping lift cleat.
www.go2marine.com
Pete the Cat
Member III
As Christian suggested, that looks like a shroud cleat that has been put to some very precarious, possibly hazardous, application. If it that is a life line running through it, I would remove it immediately. You will see that the hardware is obviously not robust enough to be holding anything to possibly keep you on board.
We have previously discussed how boat builders regularly upgraded their safety standards as the industry grew a lot thru the 70's. Buyers started asking for more/better safety gear and racing rules started to demand it. (It seems quaint nowadays that at one time a sailboat was required to have one lifeline 18 inches high, and that was a move forward from no requirement at all. There was grumbling because the added stanchions and wiring added weight and also complicated sheeting in sails.
And some griped because it would make racing less manly....
I recall that some sailboat builders in the 70's would seize the lifeline to an upper shroud wire, since shroud chainplates were commonly rigged to the edge of the hull anyway. This eliminated one ($) SS stanchion.
Thru the 70s EY would use very detailed tooling for the deck and have mounting points for stanchion bases and pulpit bases, and IIRC there might not be a mounting boss in the deck surface for a midship stanchion on some models.
Noticed in your photo's: one shows a boat with early 80's Navtec turnbuckles, and lots of those were recalled due to failing w/o warning. I wonder if those were replaced? Second photo seems to show "closed" body turnbuckles, normally used on lifelines only. Not advised for standing rigging, but if I'm wrong someone can correct me.
And some griped because it would make racing less manly....
I recall that some sailboat builders in the 70's would seize the lifeline to an upper shroud wire, since shroud chainplates were commonly rigged to the edge of the hull anyway. This eliminated one ($) SS stanchion.
Thru the 70s EY would use very detailed tooling for the deck and have mounting points for stanchion bases and pulpit bases, and IIRC there might not be a mounting boss in the deck surface for a midship stanchion on some models.
Noticed in your photo's: one shows a boat with early 80's Navtec turnbuckles, and lots of those were recalled due to failing w/o warning. I wonder if those were replaced? Second photo seems to show "closed" body turnbuckles, normally used on lifelines only. Not advised for standing rigging, but if I'm wrong someone can correct me.
Would running the lifeline inside stays help? Somebody no doubt tried that already.
In any case, I don't think chafe is an issue here, stainless to stainless. After all, the lifelines already run through a stainless eye in the stanchions. The chafe forces are varied depending on which tack, whether somebody is yanking the lifeline and so on. Usually, when not sailing, the condition is at rest.
When there's no solution, I like to say there's no problem.
In any case, I don't think chafe is an issue here, stainless to stainless. After all, the lifelines already run through a stainless eye in the stanchions. The chafe forces are varied depending on which tack, whether somebody is yanking the lifeline and so on. Usually, when not sailing, the condition is at rest.
When there's no solution, I like to say there's no problem.
Parrothead
Member III
My take:
This is not a factory installation but rather a dealer or previous owner solution to meet certain offshore racing rules regarding lifeline support spacing. Such supports are stanchions and pulpits but regardless, certain racing rules require a maximum span of 87" between supports. At the sailboat manufacturers we were told 7 feet in the 70's so not much has changed. If you measure between the two stanchions on either side of the shrouds you'll find they are greater than 7 feet apart so to meet the rule additional support beyond the factory stanchion spacing was necessary.
Note that this is for certain racing rules, not all and not usually seen on daysailors, weekenders or coastal cruisers and it is not the only method used.
Google "Offshore Racing Rules Stanchion Spacing" for greater detail.
This is not a factory installation but rather a dealer or previous owner solution to meet certain offshore racing rules regarding lifeline support spacing. Such supports are stanchions and pulpits but regardless, certain racing rules require a maximum span of 87" between supports. At the sailboat manufacturers we were told 7 feet in the 70's so not much has changed. If you measure between the two stanchions on either side of the shrouds you'll find they are greater than 7 feet apart so to meet the rule additional support beyond the factory stanchion spacing was necessary.
Note that this is for certain racing rules, not all and not usually seen on daysailors, weekenders or coastal cruisers and it is not the only method used.
Google "Offshore Racing Rules Stanchion Spacing" for greater detail.
As I recall on my E27 the lifelines ran close to the upper shrouds but did not touch. I remember installing a set of white plastic shroud covers (slit 4' tubing from WM) a size larger than the wire rope that closed the gap with lifelines and kept them from rubbing. It also kept my jib clean. That era of stanchions comes in straight and two choices of angles bent inward. You can buy them at Catalina Direct as replacements for an C27. Sorry, I don't remember which ones I bought when I replaced mine but it is good to know that the choices exist. You can see that in the second picture, the forward stanchion is straight and the one close to the upper shroud is angled a bit.
OK! After looking at some old pictures, I nixed the shroud covers on the shroud and snipped off a 3" piece of it to put on the lifeline where it rubs. The shroud covers collected moisture and moss was growing into the wire rope. Note also that my lifelines were run outside of the upper shrouds. In the other picture, it looks like my aft stanchion had a slight angle inward and i remember thinking I should have replaced it with a straight! Oh well. Hope this helps. I owned an sailed this boat for 18 years. What a great boat! I miss her to this day.
I understand! While we only owned our former Niagara 26 for a paltry decade, at times we do miss it. Way back in those years I got to crew on an Ericson 27 for some races and really liked how it was quick enough, and had an unexpected amount of room inside. Very pretty design, too.
bsangs
Old Newbie
We just replaced all our lifelines with uncoated stainless steel this offseason. For fun, I took apart some of the old coated lines, just to take a look inside. What a mess they were. I know uncoated is the recommended way to go with lifelines, and now I know why.