2.27.2010

Simple centerboard control pulleys

Here's our lord and savior and his mom admiring these really nice pulleys that I made to control the centerboards.  I used a british Boxford lathe to turn 3 in. stock delrin into pulleys. I then pressed bronze bearings in their centers to help distribute the loads of the lines. The mother and child are also impressed by the aluminum spacer which will prevent the two control lines from jumping ship onto the other pulley.  Both pulleys are home to a 1/2 x 8 inch 316 Stainless Steel bolt.

centerboard control


Here's a cross sectional view showing the pulleys and lines that control the centerboards.  The lower shot shows a side view in the board down position. ( blue line lowers the boards.....a pull on the red brings them up into the cases.) 

2.21.2010

Flower pots, cardboard hatches and duct tape lines.

In preparation for a visit from expert builder / owner of  http://www.schoonercreek.com/ ; Steve Rander  AND the HARKEN rep,  I've turned 97 cent flower pots into thousand dollar winches.  These simulated winches will be used to study and optimize the sail handling gear locations.  Colored tape will also be used to trace line paths so that a comprehensive "picture" of a working deck can be modeled.  That's when Steve and the Harken rep can start building a frighteningly expensive bill of materials for things like travelers, line guides, deck pulleys,  hatches, etc. etc. ............

a day cleaning up

Here's a shot looking back towards the starboard cockpit area. .......a few things to notice: left side of photo shows the cabin top, right lower shows the storage openings along the aft  structural member, 3/4 record holding gravity bike (68 mph)  and........flower pots????