Orientation of cunningham and outhaul cleats

wjejr

wjejr

Active Member
Hello fellow Sunfishers.

I am upgrading my boat to have an adjustable cunningham and outhaul, and I have a couple of questions regarding placement of the cleats.

I am going to place the cunningham cleat forward of the mainsheet turning block on the boom. My thought was that I would orient it at a 6:00 o'clock position which will put it in line with the blocks on the boom. The theory is I can more easily reach it from both tacks if it is in the middle. Is that standard practice?

I was going to mount the outhaul cleat aft of the the mainsheet turning block at 6 o'clock, but when i rigged the boat, I noticed that the mainsheet is close enough to the boom that it will rub on the cleat. That doesn't seem right. So I could:
  1. Mount it on the starboard side
  2. Mount it on the port side
  3. Mount it at 6:00 and don't worry about the mainsheet.
  4. Mount it forward of the turning block.
For racing purposes, I would think mounting the cleat on the starboard side would be better. Coming into the mark you will normally be on starboard tack, and as you pass the mark to port, you can adjust your outhaul for the downwind run.

For all of you out there that have these cleats, what do you think would work best?
 
The outhaul cleat is on starboard side of the boom at 64inches from the front of cleat to where the front end cap meets the aluminum spar. This is approximately where the boom block is on the spar.

The locate cunningham cleat on bottom of the boom at 41 inches from the front of cleat to where the front end cap meets the aluminum spar.

These measurements are approximate. I recommend you lay it out on your spar and make sure they will not interfere with the sail when you tighten/loosen the outhaul.

From Derek Jackson
cleat positions for outhaul and cunningham | SailingForums.com
 
Sailflow said:
The outhaul cleat is on starboard side of the boom at 64inches from the front of cleat to where the front end cap meets the aluminum spar. This is approximately where the boom block is on the spar.

The locate cunningham cleat on bottom of the boom at 41 inches from the front of cleat to where the front end cap meets the aluminum spar.

These measurements are approximate. I recommend you lay it out on your spar and make sure they will not interfere with the sail when you tighten/loosen the outhaul.

From Derek Jackson
cleat positions for outhaul and cunningham | SailingForums.com
Click to expand...

Hi Derek,

Thanks. I finally got around to measuring on the boom. As you predicted the 64" mark is just a little forward of the main boom block, so I am thinking I will just move it forward of that. The 41" mark seems way forward, so I will probably position that cleat back a bit.

Thanks.
 
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