I think I'll go put some tape on my spreader tips today, keep them from slipping upwards! Ouch!!

is "slipping" common or even possible without some impact?

i had one spreader slip down (on my TheMightyHobie18) after a capsize (or demasting, or lowering the mast on the beach) and was able to smack it back into the right spot. but it needed a good amount of force.

I don't think it's common but it might have been hit by a flying body part on an earlier capsize. Either way, I'm taping mine today!

can someone post the pic of the spreaders being out of whack? it can have phil's gooberness over it, I don't care.

these work great with a line from luff track through the center of the block to the other side and a pigtail from the tang.

I have no count on how many blocks I have ruined with the spi halyard. Oversize or steel is a good move.

That's what I put on two years ago, no problems since, but I sail mostly in fresh water.

I think the salt water might be an issue with the original Ronstan plastic blocks, salt and sand eating into it and causing problems? Or is there just too much room between the sheeve and the wheel and the halyard gets in there?

Last season I have seen all of them explode, no matter the make or type.
Just something to check a lot, it always fails at the worst times though,
like that time I had to take the spi down and the halyard slid of the block and jammed!

Was the boat whose spreader slipped the same boat that had to be laid over on its side to fix the spin block? Could the spreader have been displace during that tip-over?

The spin block failure happened when the skinny halyard jammed between the sheave and the housing. I don't think the block "blew up".

When I chartered my boat to Mischa for the 2007 T500, he put the tiniest little harken bullet block as the spin turning block on the mast. I was like "holy crap you trust that thing?!"

Its still going strong. Same one. I check it everytime I rig up the boat and its still as good as the day he put it on there.

I have put those on 5 boats and they all haven't have a problem. I guess if you decide to taper the halyard down to 1/16 line or some siliness like that then there might be a problem.

There are plenty of knots with a good enough nip to hold in dyneema. As a class, lanyard knots might retain their shape under load better than button knots, but I'm partial to the form of a 2-strand 8-part button. That's what I put in my soft shackles.

Regards,
Eric

Pic, or do you know which model?

its the tiniest little metal bodied blocks that harken makes I believe.

this small?

Is this the one?

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/scpdinw1.ShowProd?B4RPMEB9Y98P5S


Dang, we are hijacking what was a really good thread.

that looks like it.

Also note that during the T500, I had to install a second inline cleat on the front beam to keep the halyard from slipping - and the head of my chute blew up - but the block is still ok.

We broke two or three of those on the Tornado when sailing with 200kgs crew weight (we also broke cleats and other stuff).

I think this little baby was what finally held together but things are getting a little fuzzy: http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/scpdinw1.ShowProd?409Z56LC3VXJE

Wouters suggestion is probably best if your halyard fits:
http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/scpdinw1.ShowProd?B4RPMEB9Y9AN94

I like this one because you can thread the line through the center of the block and will then keep it in a nice alignment

Tad,

Do you have a picture of the second cleat? How its arranged? I'm having a problem with my spin halyard at the moment.