RS400 Upgrades

   It depends what bushings you use, but yes, some would add too much friction. I plan to use good quality ones which don't clog the system up.

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laser193713 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 889	Post Options Post Reply Quote laser193713 Report Post Quote Reply Topic: RS400 Upgrades Posted: 03 Apr 17 at 10:06am
	It depends what bushings you use, but yes, some would add too much friction. I plan to use good quality ones which don't clog the system up.

rs41212 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 27 Mar 17 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote rs41212 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 02 Apr 17 at 11:54am
	The alternative to screwing the upper blocks to the side tank is to attach them to the grab rail. This reduces holes in the hull so is more "waterproof". The bushes probably won't effect the sucking action of the elastic when pulling the control line on but you may find you have to feed the control line out when letting it off. Personally I would strongly suggest the grab rail placement as they are really easy to use there even when hiking out hard. Yes they don't look as neat as the bushings but primarily I think the control lines should be easy to use. Are there any other boats nearby with the continuous system fitted that way you could try it out and see whether you like it where that boat has them placed. At the end of the day it is personal preference. On a side note for neatness on my last boat I used the block organiser used by the mast on the aero to mount my blocks to with solid black tie on blocks which did look very neat. And as a plastic injection moulding they were much cheaper than the metal straps.

RS400atC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011	Post Options Post Reply Quote RS400atC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 02 Apr 17 at 8:37am
	It will take a lot of elsatic tension to pull a control line around a 180deg turn through a bush. Some boats were like that years ago. I think if RS could save on the blocks, they would.....

laser193713 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 889	Post Options Post Reply Quote laser193713 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Apr 17 at 10:26pm
	I think I'm going to go with a system of through deck bushes rather than blocks. Having eyed it up briefly today there doesn't seem to much benefit from screwing blocks to the side tank compared with eyes through the thwart. Yes, they are slightly further inboard so you need to reach in a little bit more but I don't think its a big enough difference to really be noticeable. I also think the bushes look neater than the blocks, and are also a lot cheaper. The elastic system can also be mounted entirely to the thwart so no blocks on the side tanks as per the guide on the website. I think this would be a neater solution.

rs41212 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 27 Mar 17 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote rs41212 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Apr 17 at 1:31pm
	There is quite an easy diagram for setting up your continuous control lines found on the class association website here http://www.rs400.org/documents/p1b0d5251c1dbb1fj4khr19q91qff3.pdf The rig tension is not continuous but can be sucked under the thwart with elastic in a similar way. Mine is not but does get wrapped around the toe strap rope to prevent tripping up on it.

ClubRacer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 26 Sep 15 Online Status: Offline Posts: 210	Post Options Post Reply Quote ClubRacer Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Mar 17 at 11:06pm
	In 20+ knots upwind the crew will be playing the jib as hard as the helm plays the main. Without a ratchet you wont be able to let it out in small enough movement to stop it from backing My rule of thumb for ratchets is to always go a block size larger than i would if it wasn't a ratchet. this would be: <6mm rope 30mm block or 40mm ratchet 7-8mm rope 40mm block or 57mm ratchet im currently running 7mm with a 57mm harken auto, as i found even the 8mm was too much friction and 6 is too small on the hands in a blow as for the kite, using 57mm harken autos with 6mm rope for the light stuff and 8mm for the heavy. I've also put a folded over bit of pro-grip on the deck around half way down inline with where the sheets would lay with the sole purpose of stopping them going over the side when not in use someone earlier said about elastic going from shroud fixing point to the toestrap fixing point to tuck ur sheets in to do the same job, I've found putting some 2-3mm string round the toestrap fixing then hooking the elastic onto it means it can double up as a halyard holder to stop them flying away when not in use Edited by ClubRacer - 31 Mar 17 at 11:07pm

andy h Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 13 Mar 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 69	Post Options Post Reply Quote andy h Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Mar 17 at 10:35pm
	Despite having been a bit dismissive of tweaks in an earlier post, as a crew these days I'd certainly second the suggestion of nice small auto-ratchet blocks for jibsheets. You definitely want to be playing the jib if you ever have a puffy two sail reach, and even dumping jib power to open up the slot and allow the main to blade out upwind in extreme weather. Having sailed other people's well-sorted 400s for so long I had actually forgotten how many tweaks there potentially are! RS must have incorporated some of them as standard by now.
	Europe AUS53 & FF 3615 National 12 3344, Europe 397 and Mirror 53962 all gone with regret

RS400atC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Dec 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3011	Post Options Post Reply Quote RS400atC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Mar 17 at 5:02pm
	On ours, the rig tension is not continuous. Very rarely touch it afloat. I have separate elastics, they each have a turning block each end of the thwart. the end of each elastic has a thimble on it with the control line running through it. I have two blocks for the control lines hanging from the grab rail, and two close to the cockpit floor. The elastic picks up between these blocks. The block hanging from the grab rail means the kicker can be cleated both sides by pulling the loop from one side. We have jib ratchets, but my crew is not exactly strong in the arm. Some people have been known to use 2:1 jib sheets. I've not seen that for a while though. The load on the jib sheet can be quite high, so if your style dictates having it out of the cleat a lot, you may want a racthet. But it doesn't need the most subtlety, you can usually just pull it in and cleat it, unlike some boats where that would often oversheet it horribly.

laser193713 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 09 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 889	Post Options Post Reply Quote laser193713 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Mar 17 at 4:33pm
	So the boat I have bought doesn't have continuous control lines. I see the done thing is to run the rig tension through a bushing in the thwart, and the cunningham and kicker through 20mm blocks mounted just behind the thwart. Is the rig tension adjuster also continuous normally? Is there a clever way to get 3 lines all to tighten with the same piece of bungee? I'm going to replace the jib sheets, kite sheets and those 3 control lines straight away. Also the kite sheet ratchet blocks. Am I also right in thinking some people put ratchets on the jib sheets? Is this really needed?

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3401	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Mar 17 at 3:09pm
	Yup, still having fun with mine :)
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