Open cleat
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Beginner questions
Forum Discription: Advice for those who are new to sailing
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6058
Printed Date: 07 Aug 25 at 1:46pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Open cleat
Posted By: Okapi
Subject: Open cleat
Date Posted: 20 Oct 09 at 8:25pm
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In ye' days of olde I guess there were no cam cleats only open (horn) cleats. Is it now the case that no one, or not many folk use open cleats for things like Jib sheets on a dinghy? ------------- Although the Okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe. |
Replies:
Posted By: Roy Race
Date Posted: 20 Oct 09 at 8:51pm
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I think the last time anyone used horn cleats for jib sheets was in about 1940. It's safer to be able to release the sheets in a hurry if you're hit by a gust, so just put your hand in your pocket and get some proper modern cam cleats. It'll make the whole experience more enjoyable if your equipment works and your son will be more likely to want to carry on sailing. |
Posted By: Okapi
Date Posted: 20 Oct 09 at 9:00pm
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Thanks Roy, 'spend my way out', has never been an option I am keen to follow, I know and respect where you are coming from though. The plan is to progress to keel boats in the future, I'm more worried about skill more than convenience. ------------- Although the Okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe. |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 10:02am
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Buy cam cleats. If you can't release the jib quickly enough you could well end up capsized and your son could end up cold, wet and frightened. There is nothing to be learned by using horn cleats; very few boats make use of them, even the cvrda use new fangled stuff these days. Get your son familiar with things he is most likely to encounter in the near future. The only reason why securing an open cleat is taught in the RYA syllabus is because it demonstrates how to secure a boat to a mooring. It has no place being used for jib sheets. Get some from ebay!  ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 10:10am
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Horn cleats shouldn't really be in use for sheets even on keel boats either I'd have thought, for pretty much the same reason. Smaller ones will use cam cleats larger ones combinations of winches and clutches, yes?
------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: Graham T
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 10:23am
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I am just starting a restoration project on a 1957 Osprey -
it is in original layout and has bronze horn cleats for most things but not the sheets..... In fact it has no sheet cleats at all, just a huge snubbing winch mounted on the centre of the thwart which will probably cause the crew some pain if they come in from the trapeze too fast! As far as I am aware horn cleats should never be and have never been used for sheets in a dinghy. Get some cam cleats or as they used to just hold the sheets. ------------- Osprey 55 "Tebutinnang" Osprey 1245 "Two Bob Bit" Miracle 1358 "Thumper" |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 11:34am
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Still to be found on Main Halyards, but that's about it.
------------- Ex-Finn GBR533 "Pie Hard" Ex-National 12 3253 "Seawitch" Ex-National 12 2961 "Curved Air" Ex-Mirror 59096 "Voodoo Chile" |
Posted By: Garry
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 4:45pm
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All the bosuns I've sailed have had cam cleats for the jib sheets. Most keelboats now have self tailing winches, I haven't seen a cleat used for sheets in years. Garry ------------- Garry Lark 2252, Contender 298 www.cuckoos.eclipse.co.uk |
Posted By: zailor
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 7:29pm
RS Feva Jib Haliards thats the only boat I have found them on (and owned) ------------- |
Posted By: Okapi
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 7:31pm
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Now a snubbing winch is a good idea, I have room for one on the centreboard casing on the forward thwart. That should keep him busy with a sheet to pull, now I gotta find a small one which hopefully has a reversible ratchet, hopefully it clicks... these X-boxes have not won the day yet! ------------- Although the Okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of the zebra, it is most closely related to the giraffe. |
Posted By: Graham T
Date Posted: 21 Oct 09 at 8:18pm
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It only needs to ratchet one way - you just take a couple
of turns in the right direction and pull.... When you tack just let it go and wrap the new sheet in the same direction. ------------- Osprey 55 "Tebutinnang" Osprey 1245 "Two Bob Bit" Miracle 1358 "Thumper" |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 22 Oct 09 at 12:18pm
| I dont think horn cleats would have EVER been used for sheets in a dinghy. Prior to the availability of cam cleats, sailors would have just held onto a jib sheet. |
Posted By: redback
Date Posted: 22 Oct 09 at 1:21pm
| I believe it was Paul Elvstrom who invented the cam cleat and he used it in the 1948 Olympics sailing the single handed dinghy which was the Firefly. He was the only competitor to use them for the jib sheet and he used a "horn cleat" for the main. Perhaps that's why he won or was it because he was the only sailor to sit over the side of the boat and use toe straps? Doubtless the other competitors sat upright in flannel trousers and a blazer, possibly with a straw hat called a "boater". He was a cad! |
Posted By: redback
Date Posted: 22 Oct 09 at 2:02pm
| I did a long distance race in a vintage dinghy (Pisces). I was expected to raise and lower the spinnaker using a horn cleat. |
Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 27 Oct 09 at 4:25am
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we have horn cleats on our 1/4 tonner for the jib sheets, works fine and is probably faster than cam cleats! enough turns on the winch and you can lock them off with a single wrap round the cleats. If we needed too we would have changed to cam cleats by now, for a dinghy cam cleats will be easier and for a few quid on ebay you can pick up a couple of decent ones so why not change? ------------- |