Recently purchased a 1977 sunfish and when sailing it for the first time I found a block/pulley tied to the upper boom (See photos for closeup & location below...)
Just wondering if anybody could suggest how it would be used? Unless somebody has a good reason for it to be there I plan to cut it off....
Note that this is the TOP boom, and not one of the main sheet pulleys on the bottom boom....
Yah, it's just tied to the boom with a loop that can slide, so I can't see how it would be used to move the boom around or lift it well at all.... (I just tied a hankster 2 when raising the boom/sail....)
It was a real head scratcher for me, but I figured with the age of the hull/boat it might be something from before my time...possibly used to lift it for storage or something....
Yah, it's just tied to the boom with a loop that can slide, so I can't see how it would be used to move the boom around or lift it well at all.... (I just tied a hankster 2 when raising the boom/sail....)
It was a real head scratcher for me, but I figured with the age of the hull/boat it might be something from before my time...possibly used to lift it for storage or something....
Start with a clove hitch near the mast's top, run the halyard through that "errant" upper block, then through the normal mast cap/block, and a youngster—or a challenged—sailor will have 'way less trouble getting the sail off the deck. (My guess, FWIW).