Spinlock XTX Soft Grip Clutch

[markiobe]

These https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en-GB/uk/products/xtx seem like a great idea, much easier on ropes. Does anyone have any first hand experience?

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by markiobe

These https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en-GB/uk/products/xtx seem like a great idea, much easier on ropes. Does anyone have any first hand experience?

You can find some reviews online. People talked about slipping and requiring trying a few lines before they found one that would hold even when within the size specs. I think it was on sailinganarchy.

[Benz]

I've seen them in use. One complaint is that they always have a little "take-up," or slight easing of the line before the fabric sock, that's been bunched up as it were while the halyard is hoisted, tightens up around the rope.
They are easy on line, not point-loading any one spot like a clutch, but there's some chafe between sock and halyard when hoisting--you can't run polyester line through technora sock without some friction.
Note these specify "for medium duty," meaning if you're a racer who takes their halyards to the edge of sensible and beyond, you're better off getting a jammer with a ceramic jaw, and having a hefty halyard-replacement budget.

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by Benz

I've seen them in use. One complaint is that they always have a little "take-up," or slight easing of the line before the fabric sock, that's been bunched up as it were while the halyard is hoisted, tightens up around the rope.

Interesting and possibly an issue for sheets, however no real issue for a halyard, as long as it doesn't drop too far...

Originally Posted by Benz

Note these specify "for medium duty," meaning if you're a racer who takes their halyards to the edge of sensible and beyond, you're better off getting a jammer with a ceramic jaw, and having a hefty halyard-replacement budget.

I've been a racer all my life (although not any more) and a halyard is simply used for pulling a sail up. You may well stress the boat structure through extreme rig tension (a 49er had a multi-block system to crank down on the mast just to get the forestay attached, before you apply any rig tension...) and/or extreme vang tension. Halyards however do nothing but hold the sails up, they have no need for any excessive tension.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by markiobe

Interesting and possibly an issue for sheets, however no real issue for a halyard, as long as it doesn't drop too far...



I've been a racer all my life (although not any more) and a halyard is simply used for pulling a sail up. You may well stress the boat structure through extreme rig tension (a 49er had a multi-block system to crank down on the mast just to get the forestay attached, before you apply any rig tension...) and/or extreme vang tension. Halyards however do nothing but hold the sails up, they have no need for any excessive tension.

The racers who invest in carbon sails disagree: they want some serious luff tension, and complain of the stretch of Dyneema-cored halyards! The really enthusiastic get a lock-bullet, and then the halyard can be lighter, and they need no clutch or jammer.

[markiobe]

Originally Posted by Benz

The racers who invest in carbon sails disagree: they want some serious luff tension, and complain of the stretch of Dyneema-cored halyards! The really enthusiastic get a lock-bullet, and then the halyard can be lighter, and they need no clutch or jammer.

Luff tension is critical I agree as it dramatically changes sail shape but I’d do that with a downhaul/cunningham. Two reasons: 1) you typically have a system with much more mechanical advantage and therefore much more granular adjustment 2) you have a much greater range of adjustment with a separate system. On boats that I’ve sailed, in a blow you’d need a mast about 60cm taller to get sufficient luff tension if you were only using the halyard.

Clearly you need a line that won’t stretch or a clutch that won’t slip but I assume that your point about the Spinlock was that it has a little ‘give’ as it takes up the strain, not that it consistently slips under load?

[Benz]

Originally Posted by markiobe

Luff tension is critical I agree as it dramatically changes sail shape but I’d do that with a downhaul/cunningham. Two reasons: 1) you typically have a system with much more mechanical advantage and therefore much more granular adjustment 2) you have a much greater range of adjustment with a separate system. On boats that I’ve sailed, in a blow you’d need a mast about 60cm taller to get sufficient luff tension if you were only using the halyard.

Clearly you need a line that won’t stretch or a clutch that won’t slip but I assume that your point about the Spinlock was that it has a little ‘give’ as it takes up the strain, not that it consistently slips under load?

Even so. Perhaps once that is accounted for by the downhaul, it's good. I'd certainly rather use a soft clutch than a point-loading jammer; even if the line slips a little, it won't tear up the cover.