Do we need to raise standards?

I'd say no. I have a fair bit of experienced fettling bikes boats and widsurfers, and always on a tight budget. Some components are boat/class specific (to a greater or lesser extent, e.g. an Enterprise mast won't fit a Merlin Rocket and sails are always class specific) but a ratchet block will work in several different roles (main and kite sheets on my Spice for example) and may well be the same component used as a Topper mainsheet block. The problems can arise when you get to Single Manufacturer One Designs (SMODs) RS boats being a prime example and the Laser being the ultimate. However, even there there is a degree of flexibility (well perhaps not the Laser) to change blocks and fittings but you can't use a different sailmaker or mast if you want to race. It is often cheaper to buy a complete bike especially if you can live with last year's model, having recently bought a new bike for my son at less than half RRP I have first hand experience. This doesn't really happen with boats though.

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 17 Jan 17 at 9:31am

Originally posted by 2547 Originally posted by Chris 249 One thing that strikes me is that the cycling manufacturers build kit to unofficial standards that makes everything much easier and more fun in many ways - if you replace a derailleur it just goes into a threaded hole the same size as the old one You must be kidding; so does your 11 speed Shimano work with Campagnolo 9 speed shifters ... or 10 speed SRAM? Bikes are riddled with incompatibility ... don't even get me started on BB90, BB30, BBright when we had perfectly good English threaded BBs for years ... Bikes are a nightmare and as time goes on there become more and more difficult for the hole mechanic ... bikes are going the way of cars ...

Originally posted by davidyacht Originally posted by A2Z Maybe once upon a time. I've had two Harlem ratchets fail. Ronstan for me. Yep those Harlem ratchets ain't so good. I am a fan of Ronstan Autoratchets lots of holding power

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Edited by A2Z - 15 Jan 17 at 4:49pm

Is there still active sailing at Welsh Harp? I haven't been there in years, there were windsurf events there. Back to the standards thing the simple route to imperial US stuff is not to buy it I've often wondered where the infatuation with Harken came from, the name seemed to be all over every boat when I first got involved, pesonally I'd favour Allen these days if I was fitting something our from scratch. So what's Stan&Ron's excuse where do they sit? Imperial or Metric.
Windsurfing for all its faults was at least Metric for the most part, powerboxes became pretty standard for a while and U/J's used the same thread M10 and mast diameters were uniform even if bend characteristics were not, so most extensions fitted most masts. We still have US finboxes even today for boards that are too thin to take a power or tuttlebox, no I'm sorry, poor comparison I'm sure if windsurfing had necessitated a stupid overpriced bent bit of stainless plate thing with holes in it, the holes would have always been the same diameter and pins from one would fit another especially if it came from the same manufacturer unlike R friggng S.

And here's the final annoyance since I'm in full rant, there's never any identifyer on the blessed things so you have no idea what standard they are, if ever something needs to go and be replaced by a cool device it's those damn things. What they're even called is anathema, chain plates ffs, there's not a chain in site and nothing that even looks like one.

Edited by iGRF - 13 Jan 17 at 10:31am