Quote:
Originally Posted by monte
Ok brainiacs, does anyone have a suggestion for a better way to secure the raft than my current setup. We have a knife handy to cut the line but I'm not happy with the current arrangement. It was a bit makeshift 5000 miles ago. What I'd like is some kind of lever clip like I used to have on my beach cat forestay that as you lever it it tensions and then has some kind of secure clip to hold it in place, but I'm not sure what they're called. Any other suggestions for a type of clip that can be tensioned and secured and only released when absolutely necessary would be much appreciated
Attachment 100103
It sits on a stainless bracket so the line just needs to hold it in place. Yes the painter is secured to the bracket! |
I think that what you're referring to is a hyfield lever. Which used to be easily sourced through a company called ABI. Which/who sadly, is defunct. Though if you scrounge, you can still find pre-loved ones. Or make one/have one made, as more or less, they're just simply a long lever attached to a camming mechanism, which tighten things when the lever is engaged. And typically, on shrouds, like inner forstays, where they're most often used. There is a ring which is put onto the stay, when the lever is attached to it, & the ring slides down over both the lever & the stay, together. Thus securing things.
As a bit different look at things, my thoughts on raft stowage are a bit out of the ordinary (no I haven't read the linked article yet). Since it's common, when valises are opened to perform
maintenance, to find
water inside of the case. Which, a fair bit of the time, ruins the raft.
So given that, & the fact that for critical pieces of
equipment, you always seem to "find" space, why not build a
deck locker, with a lid which
seals well, & a couple of built in check valves for drainage. Along with a few stringers in the locker's bottom to keep the raft up above any
water which does get into the locker.
Thus, more or less, it's doubly protected from the elements. And it's in a location where you have at least some chance of holding onto it when things have gone FUBAR, as opposed to having it on, say, the
cabin top.
On a
Monohull, there's typically room for such a thing somewhere in the
cockpit footwell. And it keeps the raft handy, as well as allowing you to both secure it to the vessel, & rig it for release or not, as you see fit.
Plus it makes it easy to secure the raft when in port, simply by throwing a padlock onto the locker.
PS: For any tie downs used to secure it, I'd suggest
Spectra - webbing, & cordage. The webbing having been sewn with UV & heat resistant threat. Heat resistant, as thread can get REAL hot going through a
sewing machine, & that damages
Spectra a lot. And try & avoid stitching things so fast that you get a hot needle, as it'll do in the webbing too.
And as to the
rope, some double braid version, with a polyester cover would be advisable. So that the cover holds knots well, while the Spectra fights off the UV.
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