This season i needed to replace some ropes/cords and decided to give the latest material dyneema a try. It's supposed to be indestructible.
Well, two(2) days ago , on Saturday - the 10th of June, i was rigging my Maui Sails TR-4 10-oh race sail on a 520 mast with a Chinook mast extension. I thought i had placed the cord into the cleat well and i saw it slip back %^&* Okay, let's try that again. This time i gave it more down-haul and clamped the line in the cleat. Darn it, i saw it move again %^&*()
Wrote about this on the StarBoard/SB and MauiSails/MS forums. Barry Spanier of MS replied saying clam cleats wear out !!! I had absolutely NO idea about this $%^&*() One fellow wrote that he had never had ANY issue with North clam cleats. Well, this is a direct competitor to Maui Sails :-)
I looked it up and the CL250 retails for about $16. Another search showed that windance had em, butt not much available in this area... For now I will try my spare mast extension which is an Xtreme Proline. Then see if i can get that part elsewhere or e-bay. {found one @ auventfou and reserved it !!}
On the SB forum a fellow commented that it is was the line {and here, redsurfbus did as well}... I have "older" nylon line and "spare" dyneema - i can do experiments with the 10-oh.
Man, even the little dependable things give out after time :-(
found an interesting post on iwindsurf ==> http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22369
Update: Tried my "older" Xtreme Proline mast base (which also has a dyneema cord) with the Maui Sails TR-4 10-oh sail AND there was NO slippage. So, is it the cable wearing out or the CL250 clam cleat ??
Once again, time {and experiments} will tell $%^&U* and yes, i will continue this subject until satisfied !!
23JUN2011 picked up the CL250 clamcleat for $10 from auventfou - made in England. Does not look that different than the current one. Was a real PITA removing old one and putting "new" one. Winds 20 to 40 kph tomorrow - perhaps time to test it out in the rain ??
24JUN2011 did manage to go out, butt winds and waves were overwhelming for my limited w/s experience. Was rigged with an 8.5 rather than the 10-oh - still over, butt in any case, the down-haul line did NOT slip. Still need to test the same line with the 10-oh. And to be sure - on more than one occasion. Could always try rigging it in the back yard ...
28JUN2011 - no slippage with the 7-oh.
29JUN2011 - no slippage with the 8.5 on rigging nor use and i was ripping.
btw i was surprised when i picked up the CL250, they were mounting an MS Pursuit on a Unifiber mast. Customer was returning a broken Unifiber mast - under warranty :-( The young girl who now works @ auventfou informed me that Unifiber makes all kinds of masts ie constant curve, flex top and hard top. So, that is why they have that interesting chart !!! They know whose business to steal !!
11JUL2011 - still NO slippage to date since changing the clip, butt i have NOT rigged the 10-oh yet. Have an issue with my back since i moved the neighbour's table :-( Perhaps will rig it in the back yard in order to complete this post.
25AUG2011 - again - still NO slippage and again have still NOT rigged that 10-oh. Again, will hafta do that in the backyard then %^&*(
02SEPT2011 - finally went out with the 10-oh. There was NO slippage and i did rig twice. Since it was NOT windy, i took the occasion to correctly rig the sail, apply Sailkote for cams, etc.
This DOES suggest that the CL250 clam-cleat for $10 solved the slippage issue.
Would changing the cord have done the same thing ??
That solution would also cost $1 per foot of dyneema and thus only slightly less expensive - both negligible costs !! I used to make my cords about 6 feet. Now I am considering 8 feet !!!
Well, two(2) days ago , on Saturday - the 10th of June, i was rigging my Maui Sails TR-4 10-oh race sail on a 520 mast with a Chinook mast extension. I thought i had placed the cord into the cleat well and i saw it slip back %^&* Okay, let's try that again. This time i gave it more down-haul and clamped the line in the cleat. Darn it, i saw it move again %^&*()
Wrote about this on the StarBoard/SB and MauiSails/MS forums. Barry Spanier of MS replied saying clam cleats wear out !!! I had absolutely NO idea about this $%^&*() One fellow wrote that he had never had ANY issue with North clam cleats. Well, this is a direct competitor to Maui Sails :-)
I looked it up and the CL250 retails for about $16. Another search showed that windance had em, butt not much available in this area... For now I will try my spare mast extension which is an Xtreme Proline. Then see if i can get that part elsewhere or e-bay. {found one @ auventfou and reserved it !!}
On the SB forum a fellow commented that it is was the line {and here, redsurfbus did as well}... I have "older" nylon line and "spare" dyneema - i can do experiments with the 10-oh.
Man, even the little dependable things give out after time :-(
found an interesting post on iwindsurf ==> http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22369
Update: Tried my "older" Xtreme Proline mast base (which also has a dyneema cord) with the Maui Sails TR-4 10-oh sail AND there was NO slippage. So, is it the cable wearing out or the CL250 clam cleat ??
Once again, time {and experiments} will tell $%^&U* and yes, i will continue this subject until satisfied !!
23JUN2011 picked up the CL250 clamcleat for $10 from auventfou - made in England. Does not look that different than the current one. Was a real PITA removing old one and putting "new" one. Winds 20 to 40 kph tomorrow - perhaps time to test it out in the rain ??
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24JUN2011 did manage to go out, butt winds and waves were overwhelming for my limited w/s experience. Was rigged with an 8.5 rather than the 10-oh - still over, butt in any case, the down-haul line did NOT slip. Still need to test the same line with the 10-oh. And to be sure - on more than one occasion. Could always try rigging it in the back yard ...
28JUN2011 - no slippage with the 7-oh.
29JUN2011 - no slippage with the 8.5 on rigging nor use and i was ripping.
btw i was surprised when i picked up the CL250, they were mounting an MS Pursuit on a Unifiber mast. Customer was returning a broken Unifiber mast - under warranty :-( The young girl who now works @ auventfou informed me that Unifiber makes all kinds of masts ie constant curve, flex top and hard top. So, that is why they have that interesting chart !!! They know whose business to steal !!
11JUL2011 - still NO slippage to date since changing the clip, butt i have NOT rigged the 10-oh yet. Have an issue with my back since i moved the neighbour's table :-( Perhaps will rig it in the back yard in order to complete this post.
25AUG2011 - again - still NO slippage and again have still NOT rigged that 10-oh. Again, will hafta do that in the backyard then %^&*(
02SEPT2011 - finally went out with the 10-oh. There was NO slippage and i did rig twice. Since it was NOT windy, i took the occasion to correctly rig the sail, apply Sailkote for cams, etc.
This DOES suggest that the CL250 clam-cleat for $10 solved the slippage issue.
Would changing the cord have done the same thing ??
That solution would also cost $1 per foot of dyneema and thus only slightly less expensive - both negligible costs !! I used to make my cords about 6 feet. Now I am considering 8 feet !!!
Marlow Formuline outlasts dyneema about 3-1. I go through about 4 sets of downhaul per year, since changing to marlow it nearly lasts a full year, never had it snap just replaced before, but the dyneema has snapped and needed replacing every 30 or so sessions. It is a bit more slippery as well and means the sail downhauls a lot easier, even race sails take a lot les effort. Keep your eye out for it.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is: Marlow Formuline IS 12 strand tightly braided Dyneema !!! In other words, it is just a brand of dyneema - as per http://www.marlowropes.com/
ReplyDelete