What-cha-mi-call-its

[Bolo]

We've owned our Ericson 32 MKIII (1987) for just one season. Before we bought "Vesper" we owned a Hunter 285. There are two design features that we never had on our Hunter. One I've seen on other boats and the other I've never seen or noticed anywhere. So I'm hoping that someone can let me in on what they are call and the purpose they serve.

Both are at the bow and the first are a pair of hooks that are welded to the port side of the anchor roller. I've seen this feature on other boats. (See the attached photo). Obviously something "hooks" onto these hooks but what? Because there are two and that they are side by side is also curious.

The second is on the roller furler for the genoa. It's sort of a triangular shape made from about 1/4" metal rod with a steel wire running from center to the furler. (Again, see the attached photo.) In my photo there is a blue line which is there to keep the furler from spinning after I took the sail off for the winter. It's not there during the season, of course.

Can't wait to see those answers rolling in!

Bob

 

[treilley]

My E35-III also has the hooks. Maybe for a baby stay? The other part, I believe, is used to guide the luff of the headsail into the foil track.

 

[Sean Engle]

Deck Gear...

Yeah, the 'triangle' is a guide for running up your headsail when you're loading it.

The other two hooks - I think (Guy will have to chime in on this as I am strictly an um, fair-weather-love-my-roller furl-kind-of-guy) for the tack of your headsails - two so you can be putting one up while the other comes down...for you racing types, etc...

Do you have a spinnaker track on your deck?

//sse

 

[Bolo]

How do I use it?

Yeah, the 'triangle' is a guide for running up your headsail when you're loading it.

The other two hooks - I think (Guy will have to chime in on this as I am strictly an um, fair-weather-love-my-roller furl-kind-of-guy) for the tack of your headsails - two so you can be putting one up while the other comes down...for you racing types, etc...

Do you have a spinnaker track on your deck?

//sse

Sean - As to the triangular shape, a guide for running up the headsail? How is it used? Yes, I do have spinnaker tracks and have used an a-sail that came with the boat but used it with a "tacker" on the rolled up head sail.

Bob

 

[Loren Beach]

"Hook 'em, Horns!"

The polished SS triangle is part of the Harken furling package and is called a "Pre Feeder." I believe that it became an option on later vesions of their furling system.
I bought a new Harken Mk 2 system in '95 and it was not standard, as I remember.

If you are loading the headsail on without help to feed the luff tape into the foil, you would first lead the luff tape thru that triangle to allign it and help it glide smoothly into the bottom of the foil while you pull up the halyard.
That's the theory, anyway.

It always seems to help to have another person doing the feeding, and also spraying the luff tape with Teflon (MacLube brand) spray while it is being fed...

I think that the welded-on ss hooks are just your basic tack hooks for holding the tack fitting on a headsail. Note that most of the Harken systems have provision for removing the lower drum and using the remain "head foil" system for hoisting any jib with a luff tape.

Plan B: As a new boat purchaser, were you to opt not to have furling (and save several grand on that new Ericson) you would use the tack fitting for its intended purpose, as well as then hanking on your standard jibs.

When the builder was setting up a jig for welding up these bow fittings, it saved more time and questions just to have the SS hooks standard on all bow fittings, even knowing that many customers would probably opt for furling anyway. As usual, fabricating / instructional time was likely more costly than the little bit of extra for the SS rod.

Tack hooks were also standard on my '88 Olson 34, and the first owner actually equipped it with a Head Foil system, even though there is no evidence he ever raced the boat.

That's my take on it.
Cheers,
Loren in PDX

 

[Sean Engle]

The polished SS triangle is part of the Harken furling package and is called a "Pre Feeder." I believe that it became an option on later vesions of their furling system.
I bought a new Harken Mk 2 system in '95 and it was not standard, as I remember.

If you are loading the headsail on without help to feed the luff tape into the foil, you would first lead the luff tape thru that triangle to allign it and help it glide smoothly into the bottom of the foil while you pull up the halyard.
That's the theory, anyway.

It always seems to help to have another person doing the feeding, and also spraying the luff tape with Teflon (MacLube brand) spray while it is being fed...

I think that the welded-on ss hooks are just your basic tack hooks for holding the tack fitting on a headsail. Note that most of the Harken systems have provision for removing the lower drum and using the remain "head foil" system for hoisting any jib with a luff tape.

Plan B: As a new boat purchaser, were you to opt not to have furling (and save several grand on that new Ericson) you would use the tack fitting for its intended purpose, as well as then hanking on your standard jibs.

When the builder was setting up a jig for welding up these bow fittings, it saved more time and questions just to have the SS hooks standard on all bow fittings, even knowing that many customers would probably opt for furling anyway. As usual, fabricating / instructional time was likely more costly than the little bit of extra for the SS rod.

Tack hooks were also standard on my '88 Olson 34, and the first owner actually equipped it with a Head Foil system, even though there is no evidence he ever raced the boat.

That's my take on it.
Cheers,
Loren in PDX

See? Now, that's what I meant to say!

//sse

 

[Bolo]

The polished SS triangle is part of the Harken furling package and is called a "Pre Feeder." I believe that it became an option on later vesions of their furling system.
I bought a new Harken Mk 2 system in '95 and it was not standard, as I remember.

If you are loading the headsail on without help to feed the luff tape into the foil, you would first lead the luff tape thru that triangle to allign it and help it glide smoothly into the bottom of the foil while you pull up the halyard.
That's the theory, anyway.

It always seems to help to have another person doing the feeding, and also spraying the luff tape with Teflon (MacLube brand) spray while it is being fed...

I think that the welded-on ss hooks are just your basic tack hooks for holding the tack fitting on a headsail. Note that most of the Harken systems have provision for removing the lower drum and using the remain "head foil" system for hoisting any jib with a luff tape.


That's my take on it.
Cheers,
Loren in PDX

Loren - Wow! Getting this kind of information on this site is why I think it's so important to us "new" Ericson owners. Yes, now I can see the "theory" behind the "pre-loader" but, as with most sailors, I use the "I'll do the feeding and spray the lube while you haul up the jib, honey" method of putting on the head sail. But I can see how the pre-feeder might be nice to use if you're doing it solo.

As for the welded hoks, I firgured it might have something to do with sails and I can see your logic, and that of the builders, in welding them on. This past sailing season I was using one of the hook as a guide for the down haul on my a-sail. The bitter end of it was tied off to one of the bow cleats and adjusted from there too. I didn't set it up that way. It came to me like that and I may still run a line back to the cockpit (like my other boat was set up) but we haven't run with the a-sail too much so it's not on the top of my list of things to do. Still works fine as it is.

Thanks for the info!

Bob

 

[CaptnNero]

I've used that pre-feeder triangle a few times solo. It involves more patience than having someone to help, but with the pre-feeder it only takes a few trips between the halyard at the mast and the bow to get the sail mounted. If the halyard wasn't led to the cockpit already it could easily be routed thru a spare block on the cabin top to lead it to the bow during the operation.

 

[footrope]

Crewed racing boats pre-feed also

The questions posed have been answered, but a pre-feeder is very useful on racing boats during headsail changes, or when changing back to the jib after a spinnaker run.

Using it keeps the bowperson's fingers away from the foil area while one or more crewmembers are rapidly hoisting the jib. It lets one person ensure proper feeding of the luff tape or rope by working the alignment of the luff a couple feet away.

In spinnaker flying, for instance, when the winds are up and there is wave action, we did not take time to neatly arrange the luff of the jib before heading aft to get the weight distribution better for speed and to avoid burying the bow in the chop. When hoisting time came, we re-ran the jib through the guide and hoisting went much more smoothly.

PS - furlers were not in use in these instances.

 

[HGSail]

Did Your boat come with a Cruising Spinniker? Maybe the tack for that?

Pat
E29
'73
#224
Holy Guacamole

 

[Seth]

Fwiw

Everyone has given you the goods-to confirm:

The hooks are indeed tack hooks for headsails for boats without furlers. Most folks use a short piece of bungee with a loop on the bottom end (and the top end ties to the headstay), and place the loop over the hook once the headsail tack is on the hook. This way it won't come off the hook by iteself when you lower the halyard.

No real harm in running the cruising kite's tackline through (under) the hooks to lead it aft. Generally you want the tack as low as possible for close reaching, and the deeper the sailing angle, the more you ease the tackline to allow the kite to get out in front of the boat and mainsail..since the main is eassed more and more at deeper angles. For a smoother, lower friction lead, some folks will shackle a snatch block onto one of the open holes in the anchor roller..but your approach is perfectly functional.

The Triangle is indeed called a "pre-feeder" for the headsail luff tape. It provides a better angle so the luff tape will feed into the groove from more below (smaller angle) than aft-reducing the chances of tearing the luff tape.

Enjoy!

S

 

[joerun26]

As long as we're asking .....

I was also wondering about the hooks on the anchor plate - thanks .... Now, as long as we're asking .......Does anyone know what this pad eye on the fore deck of my 35-III is used for ?

 

[NateHanson]

Hmmm . . . Seems a bit small for a babystay. Maybe a spin pole down-haul?

 

[soup1438]

Padeye? In the middle of the foredeck?

I wonder if it could be part of a self-tending jib, even if that doesn't make much sense. That would imply that it predates the roller furling jib.

 

[HGSail]

I'd shoot for the downhaul.

Pat
E29
'73
#224
Holy Guacamole

 

[Guy Stevens]

Pole downhaul.

That is the pole downhaul location.....

The pre-feeders also come in a bearing model. These are stainless steel with chromed bronze rolling ends.... OHHHHHHH SOOOOOO Pretty....

The rams horns for the foresail tack was also billed as being faster and lighter than a snap shackle..... Although I have had my share of sails pop out of the horns on the hoist, meaning we had to lower the sail a bit, then raise it again. Best solution for that problem is a bit of bungy cord that locks the sails in, so a casual movement of the sail can't knock them out of the horn, but they are still easy to get out when you want to get them out...

This is fun anyone else got anything else in the boat box they can't figure out what it is... (Hey no fair throwing in those old Vega parts from that car you tool apart as a kid...)

Guy

 

[NateHanson]

That pole downhaul looks like the perfect spot for a jacklines padeye! If you're not using a sym. spinnaker, you should rechristen the padeye as your dedicated jackline padeye. It'll win you points in the offshore jock circles.

 

[Loren Beach]

If your boat ever had, or was in the early planning stages to have, the spinnaker package installed... this would be where you would shackle on the turning block for the foreguy for your spinnaker pole.

Loren

 

[Seth]

Yup and jacklines, too

Spinn foreguy block anchor spot fer sure...and yes-it is a great place to anchor the fwd ends of jacklines/safety lines!

S

 

[Chris Miller]

It's about this time I generally hear from the back of the boat, "Hey! Get your butt off the pointy end!!! Are you having a picnic up there or what?? Get your s**t done and get on the rail... I'm trying to lay this mark!!"

sorry... had to

Chris


never would have occured to me to put jacklines on that eye instead of the bow cleats--- good idea!