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euphroe blocks

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  • 17 Jan 2015 02:28
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    Reply # 3202600 on 3195431
    Anonymous member

    Hi Roger and Shemaya (et al),

    Reporting in with total lack of first-hand euphroe experience. But, since you're in the planning stage, this might be an alternative to consider?

    We've used multi-part, single sheets (lots of blocks, one line) for their simplicity. That's worked out very well, but gives us no real control of the leech shape in higher winds. Have to resort to other, not so simple tricks to bring keep high wind twist under control.

    Which has me thinking...

    How about adding induced friction to lower blocks (those affixed near deck level)? One could choose to let them run free, or induce friction to hold position.

    I'm thinking of DIY blocks with a star-drag (like a fishing reel's drag) to add and adjust friction on the sheave. A range of 'clutch' type mechanisms could be employed, or a thin, saddled washer.

    If we get around to them we'll post a report (have hopes for our current project, but time constraints may defer this wrinkle).

    All the best with your project!

    Dave Z
  • 13 Jan 2015 21:39
    Quote
    Reply # 3196591 on 3195431
    Anonymous member

    Asmat,

    I think that whether or not euphroes are a hazard depends on the layout of the boat. One of the reasons the euphroes and double sheets arrangement has been good for my boat is that the way things work out, it puts the mainsail euphroes passing back and forth across the top of the cabin, and the mizzen euphroes either behind or outside of the cockpit. So the cockpit itself is free of hazard. The running spanlines and the sheets for both sails are all led into the cockpit, without filling up the space for moving around, but still close to hand. I'm not sure I'd want a euphroe that passed directly across a regularly inhabited space – they thunk the cabintop now and then, pretty hard.

    A friend mentioned this issue while I was working out the new rig – I had thoughts of making little neoprene jackets for the euphroes, as padding…

    Roger, glad if it's a help! Wouldn't it be a treat, rigging without metal – sure would be fun to hear about, if you go for doing the whole thing that way. I think it's very possible, but I do like the sheaves with modern bearings for making some jobs easier. I have a modern single block lashed to the lower end of each of the mainsail euphroes, to make the load on the main sheets easier to manage. And a three-part block and tackle for the mainsail halyard has been even more important.

    Cheers!
    Shemaya
  • 13 Jan 2015 21:05
    Quote
    Reply # 3196565 on 3195431
    Deleted user
    Hello Thank you for the real world replys, I don't have any experience of junk rigs in general, nor do I have access to one where I live ( anybody on or near the isle of Skye ? ) so lots of reading and peoples own experiences help greatly. Thanks Roger
  • 13 Jan 2015 10:50
    Quote
    Reply # 3196082 on 3195431
    Anonymous member

    This is interesting: I'm thinking of using double sheets on my foresail - my centreboard case forces the mainmast of my (paper) schooner rig forward, leaving an insufficient gap between the sails for a single sheet.

    PJR suggests splitting double sheets into a sheet and running spanline, both controlled from the cockpit. (Fig. 4.52, p75). 

    Van Loan thinks euphroes are dangerous: risk of head injury, but Hasler and McLeod advocate using them without any such misgivings. They do helpfully suggest elsewhere that the crew are expected to duck. 
  • 13 Jan 2015 00:19
    Quote
    Reply # 3195515 on 3195431
    Anonymous member

    Hi Roger,

    I'm using euphroes with the newly converted rig on my boat. But only for the big central ones – regular modern blocks anywhere that an individual block goes. The rig is also done with double sheets. We got in about three weeks of sea trials this past fall, after completing the new rig.

    My experience was that reefing was just as fast, but then required adjustment of the spanline that runs back and forth between the euphroe and the sheetlets, to prevent excessive sail twist from developing. An article will be coming out about this project, in the next JRA newsletter. Overall I like the euphroe arrangement, so far.

    The advantage of the multipart euphroes is that the sheet doesn't have to be so long, and the spanline can be tinkered with in order to adjust sail shape – the disadvantage, it seems to me at this point, is the fussing with the spanline. But it's also interesting, and satisfying, using those nifty chunks of wood – at this point, I would do it again. But then, I've just begun as a junk rig sailor, so others may have more time-tested experience on the question.

    Cheers,
    Shemaya
  • 12 Jan 2015 22:20
    Quote
    Message # 3195431
    Deleted user
    Hello, I have been reading " the Chinese sailing rig " by Derek van loan" where he mentions that the blocks make reefing difficult, but didn'texplain why. Does anybody use these blocks, and had any problems ? My current thinking is based on a building a basic simple junk rig avoiding metal as much as possible. Thanks
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