RC 44 Showdown

Tomorrow starts racing in Dubai and all the marbles are on the table. Team Aqua is leading the season but the Artemis is only 3 points back. Team Aqua are the home town favorites as the owner resides in Dubai, however, the majority of the crew live in the US. The match racing begins tomorrow followed by the fleet racing next week. This has been a 6 regatta series so there is a bit on the line. Team Aqua has been a Rig Pro customer from the start of their program. From our Newport shop we supply all of the running rigging for this highly successful team. 

http://www.rc44.com/en/index.php

 

New Dyneema Fiber Announced at METS

We all know that Dyneema is an amazing material, being both strong and low in stretch. For those of us who are really, and I mean REALLY interested in rope, there is more to Dyneema than you may think. The standard grade of Dyneema for many years was SK 75. This was very low in stretch, strong, but had a problem with creep. Creep is long term/ non recoverable elongation and can be a problem in some applications. A few years ago DSM (the makers of Dyneema) introduced SK 78, which had about half the creep of SK 75. This was a great improvement, but still not good enough to compete with Vectran and Kevlar in sailmaking and long length rigging applications. This week at METS in Amsterdam, DSM had announced their newest grade, SK 90. The advantages here are a 12-15% increase in strength and a 15-20% increase in modulus over SK 75. The fact of creep still remains an issue for Dyneema, but initial stretch will be greatly reduced. It will be interesting to see how this fiber reacts for pre stretching as SK 75 does. At this point I know that most US rope makers will have the fiber by the end of the year and many European producers are already working with it. It turns out that SK 90 was heavily used by Alinghi in the last Cup, so the product is well tested.

Below is the press release from DSM

Dyneema® SK90 raises performance standards for yacht racing

Amsterdam,NL,17-Nov-2009

Today, at the METS exhibition, customers of DSM Dyneema launch products made with Dyneema® SK90, an even stronger fiber grade pushing the boundaries of light weight and extreme strength. Dyneema® SK90 enables sailing teams to streamline rigging performance. Ropes designed with higher modulus (resistance to stretch) Dyneema® SK90 offers increased direct control and less energy absorption allowing a precise trim control and an efficient rigging experience. In addition, the lighter weight of the grade helps reduce the load above the waterline, an overriding goal of professional sailors. The technically advanced fiber, proven in world class competition, was designed for extreme performance, tested by world leading manufacturers and approved by top-notch sailing teams. Ropes made with Dyneema® SK90 are proven in demanding sailing environments such as the Americas Cup where team Alinghi managed to successfully defend their title and the Dutch sailors Marceline & Lobke who won a medal in the 470 class during the Olympic Games in China. “DSM’s innovations helped us to get great results,” says Lobke Berkhout, Olympic Sailing Athlete. “Dyneema® SK90 offered peace-of-mind performance during the last Olympic games.” “We are honored to provide professional sailing teams with the latest technology available to help them to perform at their very best during the most challenging sailing events in the world,” says Marcel Alberts, Marketing Manager Sports, DSM Dyneema. “We look forward to meet and exceed the future demands of today’s top sailing teams and support them in their most challenging sporting events.”

Goombay Smash wins in Miami!

Goombay won the 8 boat event with 8 points to spare. Barking Mad, also a Rig Pro customer and defending World champion finished 3rd. Both boats feature PBO jib halyards and all other running rigging supplied by Rig Pro. We have quite a few years of experience in this class and have the rigging figured out. We also stock other Farr 40 items such as vangs, vang springs, turnbuckle studs, sheaves and pins, and hydraulic pump parts. Call for your pre Key West needs.

401-683-6966

Farr 40 Anniversary Regatta

Today kicks off the winter sailing season in the US. The Farr 40s are sailing in Miami and in a few weeks the Melges 32s will be in Ft Lauderdale. NE 10-15 and 79 degrees sounds pretty good from here! Good luck  to Rig Pro customers Goombay Smash, Barking Mad, Plenty, and Defiant.

New Spinlock Gear

Spinlock has just introduced a few new cool products. The first will appeal to sport boat sailors and comes from a tone of testing, something that Spinlock always does well. It is called the Zero Sailing Vest and comes in three sizes. This is a brand new release and I will post a photo when one becomes available. The Zero is a nice addition to Spinlock’s Deckware line of harnesses and kneepads.

The next item is an upgraded XX jaw that should be quite an improvement. The XX has had some difficulty in the past few years holding a composite covered line. The XX jaws are also very quick to become smooth after a few high speed halyard hoists which is quite common on todays race boats. The new XX gripping system is supposed to address both issues. One thing to keep in mind is that the new “Digital jaws” are specifically designed to a composite rope cover and should not be used on a polyester line cover.

The final new items is a re designed and compact load cell. This little unit has a digital readout for real time load testing. There is also software available with the unit that can allow you to graph the loads.

Spinlock has always been a good company to continually try and improve their products and add innovation. We generally stock their complete line of rope clutches and jammers as well as Deckware items.

 

 

Farr 40, Swan 42, Melges 32 Discounts end November 20th!

Call or e mail soon to take extra savings for your winter sailing.

brianfisher@southernspars.com

401-683-6966

LOUPS Feature on Harken Site

Top 14
Ti-Lite and Loop Blocks Q & A

Why are so many people switching to soft attachments?
Racers like soft attachments because they are much, much lighter than shackles and metal attachments. They won’t scratch or ding your deck and they are flexible, which means they align almost perfectly for a fair lead. You can mount them in a wider variety of places like booms and they won’t bang against your boat (or your head!). However, soft attachments require regular attention to ensure they are in good condition. You should only consider using them if you frequently inspect your equipment or have a professionally maintained boat.

What Harken equipment uses soft attachments?
Harken makes Carbo Ti-Lites for small boats and Black Magic® Loop Blocks for larger boats and high-load applications. The Black Magic® Airblock® line has a series of Black Magic® Loop blocks in 57, 75, 100, and 125 mm sizes.

Additionally, Harken makes a line of 98%-efficient TTR blocks with maximum working loads of up to 17,641 lb (8,000 kg) as well as high-load snatch blocks for up to 12 tons (26,460 lb or 12,000 kg). Finally, several traveler and Grand Prix athwartships systems feature soft attachments for control blocks.

Why would I use loops (continuous circular lashings) instead of standard lashings?
Loops offer a quick, clean, and secure attachment with no tying or splicing involved. There are no messy knots that could weaken the line or come loose, and most attachment methods can be done safely without a professional rigger. Professional loop-style lashings are usually extremely strong as well—the Yale Cordage “LOUPS™” sold by Harken are carefully designed with multiple coils of Dyneema and an abrasion- and UV-resistant Spectra cover. They are pre-stretched and steamed so the multiple laps evenly share the load to provide maximum strength.

Patented Harken Loop blocks take advantage of loop-style lashings with an optional dead-end post which lets you use a loop to tie around padeyes and other closed bails. With other blocks, you would have to install the loop by splicing the line around the bail.

Can I use my own soft attachments?
Yes, but any rigging of soft attachments should be done by a very competent rigger who is keenly aware of fiber strengths and their applications. Published Maximum Working Loads assume you are using a soft attachment that is appropriate for the block and the application, that it is tied properly, and that its breaking strength exceeds the breaking strength of the block.

Can I use circular loop lashings with any soft attachment block?
No, loops should only be used with blocks designed for them.

Do I really need to use the secondary lashing on the head of Loop blocks?
Yes. The head lashing is critical for safety as it keeps the block aligned correctly and prevents it from capsizing during intermittent loading. The distance from the sheave to the head lashing ensures the block will not flip the line off the sheave, leaving the sheet to ride on the primary lashing instead of the sheave—this is why you have to be careful with rounder blocks that don’t have prominent heads.

Can I use any secure knot to lash Loop blocks and Ti-Lites to my boat?
Definitely not. Loop or lashing strengths vary dramatically depending on how they are configured, and the tight bends in most knots weaken lines considerably. Soft attachments must be tied a very competent rigger who is keenly aware of fiber strengths and their applications. Harken sells Yale Cordage LOUPS™ for Black Magic® Loop Blocks which are carefully designed with multiple laps of high strength Dyneema® and an abrasion- and UV-resistant Spectra® cover. They are also pre-stretched and steamed so the multiple laps evenly share to load to provide maximum strength. The line included with Ti-Lite blocks is similarly tailored for rigging applications.

When should soft attachments be replaced?
Weather, chafing, stress, and UV light damage soft attachments over time. Look for signs of wear, abrasion, or discoloration. Yale Cordage LOUPS™ sold through Harken have colored UV-sensitive tracers that fade to indicate significant exposure.

Are there any Ti-Lite Carbo blocks with beckets?
The becket does not come standard as part of the molded block. However, you can make a becket by passing the line through the mouth of the block and making two becket loops. Detailed instructions come with your Ti-Lite.

Can blocks be tied together to make spriddles or fiddles?
We don’t recommend tying blocks together because you are doubling the load on the block closest to the attachment point, but it is possible to configure something very similar to a traditional spriddle or fiddle (fiddles are like spriddles except the smaller sheave has a lower Maximum Working Load). Two blocks can be used in conjunction, but you should not put the entire load on a single block. Instead, make sure the lashing takes all the load by using a common attachment point for two lashings.

Where can I find multi-sheave soft attachment blocks?
The Black Magic line includes 75 and 100 mm straphead spriddles and a 75 mm straphead double. Experienced riggers can also make spriddles from single Ti-Lites or Black Magic® Loop Blocks.

Can I take out the headpost of my normal block and use it as a soft attachment block?
No—this is very dangerous. Blocks with shackle headposts are designed for different load placements. They also may have sharp edges and other wear points that can cut into your soft attachment line.

How can I tell if I have a straphead block or a Loop Block?
Black Magic® Loop Blocks have soft attachments running through the center of the sheave while straphead blocks have webbing attachments fastened to the head. Loop blocks are lighter because they don’t need as much load-bearing material in the head.

Are Loop and straphead blocks interchangeable?
Definitely not. Running a soft attachment through the head of a Loop block instead of the center of the sheave is risky and could result in block failure, even when loads are less than the Maximum Working Load. Loop blocks have less material in the head because the sheave is designed to be the primary load-bearing component.

Doing the reverse—running soft attachments through the center of the sheave of a straphead block—can also cause problems. The edges are not appropriately radiused for this use and could chafe or cut your soft attachment.

Farr 40s prepare for the Anniversary Regatta next week

10 Farr 40s will compete next week in a combination of match racing and fleet racing. This annual event is held in Miami and is generally a warm and breezy regatta. The usual top teams will be in attendance with Rig Pro customers Barking Mad and Goombay Smash hopefully leading the charge.

Miami 07

IRC East Coast Championships begin today

We have several customers competing in the IRC Champs in Annapolis. The Interlodge is the most interesting and staged to win the event barring any mishap. This boat went through a major transformation this summer from being a Med Cup TP 52 and becoming a 52′ IRC rocket. Changes included an entire cordage package featuring Maffioli KP, ZP, and DYCO covers.

http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=225

Another Rig Pro customer is the Melges 32 Celeritas who is training for their winter of class racing. They have a great Blog which may feature some regatta updates.

http://teamceleritas.com/blog/

Good luck to all IRC competitors!

Swan 42 Rigging Deals!

Jib Sheets-10mm Maffioli KP cover, stripped, spliced onto Tylaska J8 shackle $656 for a pair  Add $60 for hobbles

Main Halyard- 8mm Yale Crystaline with Dyneema pigtail at top $403

Spinnaker Halyard-10mm Maffioli PC cover, stripped with T8 spliced on $831

Deal is good through November 20th, and be sure to mention that you saw it on the blog!