What is this gear ?

[arch007]

I got this item and can anyone help identify it ?

[HopCar]

Cable tensioner?

[Orion Jim]

It’s a “highfield” lever. Looks like a C S Johnson stamp on the side. A better photo would help identify the makers mark.

[jimbunyard]

Running backstay release/clamp.

[chrisr]

it's a highfield lever. used for tensioning things like running backstays, halyards etc on smaller boats

but perhaps you already knew that as the photo is labelled "Highfield lever 1.jpg (1 of 2)" ?

cheers,

[Don C L]

Does your boat have a forestay fitting on the mast and deck? It's a quick release for a removable stay.
https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-...-c-25-rigging/

[arch007]

Thanks to everyone and especially don who found the exact same item.

I thought it looked somewhat like a highfield but not exactly.

Thanks again.

[Alan Mighty]

John Somerville Highfield (1871-1945) was granted UK patent GB426,957 for his lever in 1936 (application dated October 1933).

Highfield was an electrical engineer who made significant contributions to the design of electrical supply networks, especially in England and with high-voltage direct current. He loved sailing and was rear-commodore 1924-1935 of the Royal Thames Yacht Club. In 1930, Highfield made and installed a lever, to set and release a predetermined tension in a running backstay, on his 15 metre yacht Dorina, for which he of course employed a professional skipper. Highfield held several patents, including two for tensioning yacht rigging.

I agree with those who prefer to use generic terms such as forestay release lever and reserve 'Highfield lever' for running backstay release levers of the style invented by Highfield.

I've used a genuine Highfield lever and I found it quite uncomfortable to use. Harsh in the hand and requiring quite some grunt to release and then re-tension.

I suspect strongly that we might best attribute forestay release levers to John Holden Illingworth (1903-1980), a British yacht designer.

Illingworth improved on the Highfield-designed lever (which he found inadequate) and used his improved design as forestay release levers in at least two of his offshore racing yachts: Myth of Malham (1947) and Maid of Malham (c1937). Illingworth won the first (1945) Sydney-to-Hobart race skippering Rani; the original intention had been to make Sydney-Hobart a cruising rally but Illingworth suggested turning it into a race. Myth won the Fastnet race twice (1947, 1949). I've forgotten what race fame was earned by Maid.

From memory, Illingworth's first forestay release lever, on Maid, was below decks, because the forestay penetrated the deck and was fixed to a bulkhead or framing.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

It’s a “highfield” lever. Looks like a C S Johnson stamp on the side. A better photo would help identify the makers mark.

Indeed.
➥ https://www.csjohnson.com/PDF/2010Jo...ineCatalog.pdf

[Spot]

Does it look like this one is set up to take the bolt and toggle off of a turnbuckle?
My small boat ones just have removable pins to take the shroud or stay's wire and thimble.