E381 E38 New Rigid Vang and Deck Organizer (Cheek Blocks)

When I purchased my 1981 E38 she came with no boom vang and the topping lift line affixed to the boom. This meant having to always go forward to the boom whenever I raised or wanted to drop the mainsail. Last year I decided to install a new Garhauer rigid vang and upgrade the deck organizers to feed the topping lift and reefing lines back to the cockpit.

At the time I had a triple clutch on the port side that had the Jib Halyard, Port Spinnaker Halyard, and my 1st Reef. The starboard side had a double clutch with the Mainsheet, and 2nd Reef, the Main Halyard went directly to the winch and the Starbaord Spinnaker Halyard was just cleated off. On the deck the port side had three single cheek blocks in a row, the starboard side also had three single cheek blocks and one blanked off check block. My planned line configuration was to bring back on the port side the Jib Halyard, Port Spinnaker Halyard, and both 1st and 2nd Reefs, and the Topping Lift a total of 5 lines. For the starboard side I would bring back the Main Sheet, Main Halyard, Starboard Spinnaker Halyard, and the Boom Vang control.

I carefully considered removing all the check blocks and installing new deck organizers on both sides, but after considering the amount of work to fill the existing holes, repaint non-skid to match, re-drill, over-drill to install the new deck organizers, as well as the issue of the curvature of the deck to attach a long flat deck organizer I decided to just go with new cheek blocks. To address the issue of using the existing cheek block layout and extra lines I needed to bring back to the cockpit I opted to go with upgrading to new Schaefer 7 Series double and single cheek blocks. The double cheek blocks upper sheave setup to carry the more lightly loaded reefing and boom vang control lines. I also installed a new double clutch on the port side of cockpit cabin top to for 1st and 2nd reef lines. The starboard side is proving more challenging as there is less room to play with due to the off center companionway opening, at this time I haven't installed my new starboard side double clutch (a winter project now).

In addition I reversed the saloon hatch cover opening because of the new rigid vang, this was an easy job to do.

Some pictures below of the deck organizers and rigid vang.