Mounting a Harken 240 Mount on Super Porpoise

[BrainCorrel]

Hey Sailors,

I would like to mount a Harken 240 Base Bullseye w/Swivel on the front outer lip edge of my Super Porpoise tub. I would mount it on a flat area if there were one available. Here are the options I am considering. The limited area on the outer lip will force one screw to hang over the lip of the boat.

1. Carve out a piece of wood or something? to fit the lip edge put some holes through it and screw it in.

2. Find a Nylon bushing to act as a standoff for the 1 screw hanging over the edge.

3. Go with a block and swivel base that mounts to the vertical side of the Tub where a cleat currently mounts.

4. Make an L bracket that attaches to the side of the tub and provides a flat platform to mount the Swivel.

Please suggest any kind of design or materials.

Also, I am not sure if the extra fiberglass in the corner will hold the base down. Will I need to add a backing block?

Thanks in Advance for your answers

 

[Wayne]

I like the bracket idea.

My concept is secured on both the deck and the bulkhead.

Rise above the deck just the thickness of the bottom side nuts.

Trim the screws accordingly.

Probably need to put a port in the cockpit bulkhead to install the bracket's nuts and washers.

Won't hurt that the swivel base hangs over the bracket just a tad to protect you from the mounting bracket's corners.

... wouldn't you know it, Crayon CAD put my bracket a little off-center.

Well, you get the idea.

Another thought is a wood block like you suggested, but I don't like it as much as an aluminum bracket.

Your "L" bracket is the most simple, though..., probably best of all.

 

[BrainCorrel]

Thanks for the quick response.

The guy that sold me the swivel, also sold me some screws to sink into the edge of the tub. I like the bolting idea better, but will need to find out where to stick in another (my third) port.

 

[BrainCorrel]

Wayne,

The modified pictures just popped up in my view. Wow that helps a lot. I like the bracket that is offset toward the tub. This will help keep my swivel base away from the dagger board.

Thank you

BrainCorrel

 

[Wayne]

The guy that sold me the swivel, also sold me some screws to sink into the edge of the tub. I like the bolting idea better, but will need to find out where to stick in another (my third) port.

I'd put it in the front wall of the cockpit, off-set to avoid the daggerboard trunk so you can add a catbag for storage.

 

[minas man]

I was faced with the same problem last year and had already bought the same hardware that you have, not wanting to dill holes only to change my mind later I held off until I found the perfect solution offered by harken 57 mm Carbo Block with Cam #2615 $15 on ebay. I only had to mount an eye strap to deck and put a backing plate of polyethylene . I use plastic kitchen cutting boards for backings and shims as they come in different thicknesses and can be worked like wood with all the same tools and plastic is stable and does not require finish. I pick them up at yard sales or you can buy new in various thicknesses.
The cam cleat is adjustable up and down and the carbo ratchet block is adjustable also and because it is spring mounted I do not have to worry about damage when turning the fish over and whole bock assembly can be removed with one pin if needed. The one modification that I made to the unit was removing the fair lead from the cam cleat,so all pressure on the sheet was on the block.
Hope this helps

 

[minas man]

57 mm Carbo Block with Cam # 2615. mounted on my 79 Sunfish

 

[BrainCorrel]

Great Idea using a plastic cutting board for a backing plate. Did you end up using bolts or screwing into the cutting board material?
I also, like the idea of having it flexible. When the ratchet block assembly is forward, will the assembly bend or swing out of the way of the dagger board, when the board being lifted?

Wayne,
I decided to do some Crayola CAD myself. Here is the idea I had for the harken Big Block 141. Has anyone done this before?


Brain Correl

 

[Wayne]

Great Idea using a plastic cutting board for a backing plate.

I decided to do some Crayola CAD myself. Here is the idea I had for the harken Big Block 141. Has anyone done this before?

I like stainless steel fender washers as backing in this instance.

Looks good so long as your boom block angle doesn't drag the mainsheet over the cockpit lip.

.

 

[minas man]

Brian I used 1/4 inch bolts with nuts for the Harken eye strap with plastic backing plate. This setup is flexable in all directions and can swivel. I experience no conflict with centerboard but I see that could be a problem with your set up as splash lip is next to centerboard case. You don't want your line or block interfering with the centerboard so you might want to check where the boom block is located and then go through all the points of sail from close hauled to running and your position in the cockpit holding sheet. If boom block is aft of deck block it might give you the clearance you require.
><>Don<><

 

[minas man]

This is the cutting board plastic used to mount mainsheet cleat on my Snark. Screws are used to attach the plastic together at joints. Just showing pictures to help you visualize for your application possibilities. .

 

[BrainCorrel]

Decided to drop my wife's camera in through the port and see what I could learn about the backing plate on the inside of the tub. I am guessing I need a port, if nothing else but to clean up my foam block job.

If there are any backing blocks on this boat they are covered with glass.

 

[MichFish]

Morning Minas Man,

Your the first person I've found using a harken 57 mm Carbo Block with Cam #2615 on a sunfish. I've wanted to give the same combo a try as it seems to be the perfect setup, but the price has scared me.

I already have the 57mm carbo block, and harken doesn't offer the add on cleat and side plates, so I would have to buy the complete combo. I think I'd spend the money if I knew for sure it would work.

Any problems cleating or uncleating? Does the stand up spring provide enough support for the combo to work properly? I've talked to a lot of people who all have the same opinion,,,,, it seems like it would work ok.

Thanks,

MichFish

 

[minas man]

MichFish I do recreational sailing and the Harken 2615 with the carbo was awesome hardware compared to the bronze hook. The angle of the cam cleat can be adjusted to make cleating off a very intentional act or the opposite can be obtained by raising the cleat. With a quick snap of the line the sheet is clear of the cam. The 57 carbo ratchet is a great block that enables me to sheet in easily in heavy wind and release with gusts and this was not easily accomplished with the bronze hook. I used the Harken Eye strap with Harken heavy spring and this keeps block upright. As mentioned earlier I modified the cam position by turning it upright and removing the fairlead above the cam. This is no big deal just a matter of taking apart and reassembling in the upright position and removing the fairlead. I call this my cruise control and highly recommend this setup.
Price is the other consideration and I was after the 57mm Carbo ratchet when I bought the 2615 on eBay. I had already bid for just a Carbo ratchet and the same seller had the 2615 also so I bid on it too and won them both. I did not know if it would work until I took it apart to do the modification but after one season on the Nova Scotian coast I can say I am well pleased.
Don

 

[MichFish]

Thanks Minas Man,

Looks like APS is going to end up with another one of my checks!

MichFish

 

[BrainCorrel]

An Update, I just tried the pictured arrangement in post eight. It was terrible I just screwed the big block on to one of the existing holes of the cleat and then made another hole. It stayed attached. The problem was that the block did not swivel as the angle of the mainsheet changed relative to the boom. Since the clamp and the pulley rotate together, the block would follow my end of the sheet. It would get jammed when the angle to the lower boom was not inline with my angle. I ended up just holding the rope.

Also, I think I like the feel of the main sheet in my hand. We usually have trouble getting out long enough to worry about fatigue of holding the rope. Also, the winds in our area are very gusty. The block does not allow for this quick adjustment. That said I may try something else just for fun. Who knows maybe someday I will find steady winds and a lake big enough not to have to turn around every 5 minutes.

BrainCorrell

 

[L&VW]

Please suggest any kind of design or materials.

I am making a block arrangement similar to yours but have decided to mount it to the top of the daggerboard. I don't like having something at the edge of the cockpit that could injure someone in the case of misadventure.

My Porpoise daggerboard is made of wood, so this is an easy, but temporary fix, until I decide just what I'm going to do with it—if anything.

 

[minas man]

I am making a block arrangement similar to yours but have decided to mount it to the top of the daggerboard. I don't like having something at the edge of the cockpit that could injure someone in the case of misadventure.

My Porpoise daggerboard is made of wood, so this is an easy, but temporary fix, until I decide just what I'm going to do with it—if anything.

This is not a good idea and interfers with the proper operation of the dagger board and the mainsheet and is just plain dangerous!
Don

 

[L&VW]

The Porpoise design doesn't lend itself to an easy solution to mounting a block.

Ive been using a standard Wilcox-Crittenden block on the daggerboard for about three years. (At the rear-most position possible). It's a little awkward-looking when the daggerboard is raised more than about six inches— —but it does continue to work.

There may be some advantageous angle of the mainsheet from the usual forward-most block on the Porpoise boom—but so far, no problem.

 

[BrainCorrel]

So it has only been 11 years, but I thought I would follow up. I hate seeing stories that don't end. Honestly, I don't even remember doing this, but I do remember that it works much better than before.