Allen ratchet block for mainsheet

I recently installed a new Allen 60mm ratchet block on my Sunfish. the Allen Pro-Ratchet 60 (A2160WAVE) is a selectable ratchet, 60mm size, with Allen’s new wave sheave.

The NEW wave ratchet offers 20 to 40%* more grip without adding any additional wear to the rope.

The most effective way to increase friction is to add sharp edges to the ratchet sheave, but this quickly deteriorates and wears away the rope. So, after working alongside leading rope manufacturers the Allen design team came up with a simple solution which improves grip without chewing away at your expensive rope.

The Wave Ratchet sheave has an offset V style grip, made from a hard-wearing recycled plastic nylon, which does not have sharp edges that will eat into the rope. Instead, by adjusting the V formation in the sheave to be slightly offset, the ratchet now grips the rope at additional points around the sheave, resulting in more grip. However, the new Wave Ratchet not only improves grip but as a result of the design it also allows for a less ‘jumpy’ feel when easing the sheets.

I’ve posted previously on my Sunfish mainsheet controls upgrades (ratchet block, spring, etc.), now I’ve now just opted to try this new ratchet block.

I moved the Harken 2135 over to our Minifish.

here is a pic of both blocks – the Allen 60mm and the Harken 57mm 2135.

I used the zip-tie trick to compress the stand-up spring again, such a simple and clever trick makes install of the mainsheet block so much easier.

Tillerman over at Proper Course (and now blogging about his RS Aero at Aerobian) a while back posted a snapshot from his RS Aero instructions that details this zip tie trick quite well:

going out of business: APS 30% off sale

in a bit of sad news, Annapolis Performance Sailing has announced that they will be permanently closing and will be liquidating all of their in-stock inventory.

It is with much sadness that we are announcing the permanent closing of APS.  Unfortunately, we are unable to bear the burden of the losses caused by the COVID-19 crisis. We want to first and foremost thank you, our customers, for your continued support throughout our 29 years of business. We hope you will take advantage of our liquidation sale through the following weeks.

on the bright side, if you’re looking for any new sailing apparel, now would be a good time to get them on sale.

the downside, no way to try on any items and no returns…. but if you know your size(s), grab some sailing gear before it’s all gone.

[for the record, I have links all over my blog to items from APS… I’ll slowly try to get rid of these links, or update them to another sailing supply vendor]

10% off Harken supplies at APS

for a limited time (Feb 25 to March 10, 2019), Annapolis Performance Sailing (APS) is offering a 10% off sale on Harken blocks, cleats, shackles, eyestraps & fairleads.

I use the Harken 2135 57mm carbo ratchet block for my mainsheet control on my Sunfish – it was a BIG upgrade over what I was using previously, and a HUGE improvement over the old hook that came standard on older Sunfish sailboats.  I also use the H071 stand-up spring and the HSB2 spring cup.

see this blog post that outlines all of the parts I use for a sunfish mainsheet controls upgrade.

with 10% off, now is a pretty good time to update your old gear or improve to a newer system.

ins & outs of ratchet blocks

here is another really cool video by Harken to visually demonstrate how their ratchet blocks work to reduce the load that your hands see for holding lines that are trimmed often (so your mainsheet on a Sunfish, and spinnakers or jibs & other lines on other sailboats).

they use a load cell (or load indicator) on the line going to his hand to show the load reduction that occurs with a ratchet block.  a key note: the load required to trim (or pull your sail in) is the same as without the ratchet system, but the load required to ease or hold the line is reduced (quite a bit) due to the ratchet block mechanism (a combination of the “stopped” sheave and the grooves that increase friction).

Sunfish sailors often use one of the following blocks for their mainsheet control:

• Harken 2135 (ratchet block)
• Harken 2625  (ratchamatic block)

I’ve traditionally used the 2135 (shown here on my mainsheet controls upgrade post), as it is usually cheaper, and the switch is usually easy enough to reach if I wanted to release the ratchet mechanism to allow the line to run freely.

Harken blocks: ratchet vs. ratchamatic

Harken has put together a nice video that explains the difference between a ratchet block and a ratchamatic block.

the main difference is that the ratchamatic blocks are load-sensing and have a “ratchet that instantly engages when a predetermined load is reached. When unloaded, the ratchet pawl seamlessly disengages to allow the sheet to run out instantly during mark roundings and jibes. The Ratchamatic allows lightly-loaded sheets to run freely in both directions for fingertip control” (source: Harken Q&A)

Sunfish sailors often use one of the following blocks for their mainsheet control:

• Harken 2135 (ratchet block)
• Harken 2625  (ratchamatic block)

I’ve traditionally used the 2135 (shown here on my mainsheet controls upgrade post), as it is usually cheaper, and the switch is usually easy enough to reach if I wanted to release the ratchet mechanism to allow the line to run freely. for a Sunfish sailor looking to race, the 2625 might be a better option as it will let the mainsheet out easier when your time spent changing tacks could make the difference in a race.

h/t: @harken

10% off orders at APS

APS has a quick promotion going on right now for Sunfish sailors – 10% off on orders over $100, from now until August 15, 2017.

Sunfish parts can be found here.  might be the perfect time to upgrade your Sunfish lines package, and maybe get a Harken ratchet block and the other various parts for your mainsheet block upgrade.