keiran searle AUS
New Member
can someone please tell me what is the best rachet 4 racing and what is the difference between them all ? 
what is the best rachet 4 racing whats the difference between them all ?
- Thread starter keiran searle AUS
- Start date
Personally i prefer the Fredriksen (not sure of spelling)
Havent got one on my boat but did a 'boat-swap' for a club race a while ago and he had one, found it much better compared to the ronstan one, seemed to have more feel for the rope with just as much if not more holding power
Havent got one on my boat but did a 'boat-swap' for a club race a while ago and he had one, found it much better compared to the ronstan one, seemed to have more feel for the rope with just as much if not more holding power
1silverlaser
New Member
Harken,
no question @ all
no question @ all
1silverlaser
New Member
Tom said:
they are a little "pricey" but mine has never gotten stolen...
well i dont keep my laser @ a club,and i usually take the block off and put it in my blade bag-maybe thats why
even though it costs a little bit more it will last forever, like you said
advice to keiran searle: get a harken
Joe S.
ChrisSmith
New Member
As long as you chose one with manual ratchet control, you can't really go wrong. Auto-ratchets may or may not work great, but the manual control removes the doubt.
fishingmickey
Member
Hello fellow Laserites,
I've got a couple of boats and three different kind of blocks, one I believe is the origanl Holt (black selector switch, operates vertically) and it is shot.... The manuel racheting switch likes to disengage itself not sure if it is gravity and a worn out switch or what, I recently replaced it a couple of months back with the "new" Ronstan/Fredrickson rachet block, RF62100 sumptin. I had ordered the Fredrickson out of the 2003 APS catalog and that was what they sent me. I debated about sending it back, but gave it a try instead it looked very similar to the Fredrickson that was pictured in the catalog. My other Laser has a Harkin block (H019, Red lever switch) I think it works decent but the new Ronstan/Fredrickson is definately better in holding power and feel. That's my 2 cents worth..,
FishingMickey
150068/150087
I've got a couple of boats and three different kind of blocks, one I believe is the origanl Holt (black selector switch, operates vertically) and it is shot.... The manuel racheting switch likes to disengage itself not sure if it is gravity and a worn out switch or what, I recently replaced it a couple of months back with the "new" Ronstan/Fredrickson rachet block, RF62100 sumptin. I had ordered the Fredrickson out of the 2003 APS catalog and that was what they sent me. I debated about sending it back, but gave it a try instead it looked very similar to the Fredrickson that was pictured in the catalog. My other Laser has a Harkin block (H019, Red lever switch) I think it works decent but the new Ronstan/Fredrickson is definately better in holding power and feel. That's my 2 cents worth..,
FishingMickey
150068/150087
R
Ross B
Guest
well if you take good care of your gear, then it shouldent rip!
Bischofftep
New Member
Hey all:
Okay, here my self-taught nature is failing me. What is the difference between an auto ratchet and manual? Why would you ever turn the ratchet off? In the (very used) Laser I sail I appear to have (based on pictures in the APS online shop) an old Frederiksen. It "clicks" (ratchets, I assume) when I pull on the sheet, and simply lets the rope slide back through when I let pressure off. (There is some rubber inside the pulley which apparently is supposed to create some friction but doesn't offer much at all.) It doesn't appear to have an "on/off" switch...
What am I missing? Or should I simply get a new Frederiksen/Harken, install it, and re-learn how to run the sheet?
Okay, here my self-taught nature is failing me. What is the difference between an auto ratchet and manual? Why would you ever turn the ratchet off? In the (very used) Laser I sail I appear to have (based on pictures in the APS online shop) an old Frederiksen. It "clicks" (ratchets, I assume) when I pull on the sheet, and simply lets the rope slide back through when I let pressure off. (There is some rubber inside the pulley which apparently is supposed to create some friction but doesn't offer much at all.) It doesn't appear to have an "on/off" switch...
What am I missing? Or should I simply get a new Frederiksen/Harken, install it, and re-learn how to run the sheet?
David
New Member
Bischofftep said:Hey all:
Okay, here my self-taught nature is failing me. What is the difference between an auto ratchet and manual? Why would you ever turn the ratchet off? In the (very used) Laser I sail I appear to have (based on pictures in the APS online shop) an old Frederiksen. It "clicks" (ratchets, I assume) when I pull on the sheet, and simply lets the rope slide back through when I let pressure off. (There is some rubber inside the pulley which apparently is supposed to create some friction but doesn't offer much at all.) It doesn't appear to have an "on/off" switch...
What am I missing? Or should I simply get a new Frederiksen/Harken, install it, and re-learn how to run the sheet?
some blocks have sensors in them that automaticaly engage the ratchet function. this is useful in shifty winds, and for people that are very lazy...however sometimes it isn't very good at guessing when to engage it or not.
The reason to take off the ratchet is for light winds, when sheeting out it is a lot easier without the ratchet on when there is not enough sail force to pull the sheet out.
I havent tried many blocks....
I still have an old harken on my boat from about 10-15 years ago, and it works fine
yachtie2k4
New Member
I have the ronstan smart block, but haven't used it on my laser yet, but will use it this coming season, it was off my old boat. you can change the force when the ratchet engages and i think it is when the force of when you pull the sheet on pulls up on the ratchet & that is how the ratchet engages. I was using my harken one for last season, & that is a good block, but the ronstan one has a sort of groove so it doesn't damage the sheet, unlike the harken one. when i used my smart block on my old boat, it worked excellently, it is the best block i have used on all the boats that i have sailed on.
The Harken 019 comes standard on all Vanguard Lasers. I've never had a problem with mine. However, everyone at my club has the Frederickson/Ronstan ratchet. (To clarify things, the Frederickson/Ronstan 60mm ratchet block is the same thing. Ronstan has recently bought out Frederickson.) Whenever I sail one of my buddy's boats with a Frederickson/Ronstan on it, I can immediately feel that it holds much better. I plan on replacing mine one of these days.
If only I was made out of money...
If only I was made out of money...
rockingaswake
New Member
i have a harken, it is great. i find i never turn the ratchet off because usually if the wind is light enough that the ratchet holds the boom in, it won't matter how much you let it out, you will need to adjust it another way (shifting weight to leeward or pushing boom out with hand)
Braecrest
Member
Harken, always harken, all I've ever seen/used/liked. I installed mine with the little grey PVC boot from Annapolis Perfromance Sailing instead of the spring, and it makes it impossible to steal.
GeoffS
Member
The boot is a great addition. I switched from a spring to the PVC thingie this year and I have no more trouble with my mainsheet getting caught underneath the block (now if there was only something similar I could put on my feet...)Braecrest said:
FWIW, I also like the Harken 019. It's not got the greatest holding power out there, though (10:1). I had one on my DN iceboat for half a season and when I switched over to the larger Harken 009 (15:1) life got a lot better. On the Laser I don't have any issues with the 019's grip (at least not enough to shell out the cash for the Frederickson). FWIW, a lot of other iceboaters use the Frederickson and claim it's even better than the Harken 009.
Cheers,
Geoff S.
Harken H-009
Harken H-019
49208
Tentmaker
Braecrest said:
Regarding the boot and stealing - they will just slice the boot off if they really want your block. Happened to a friend of mine in Miami.
A little more secure way to keep your block on is to replace the pin/ring ding with a bolt/nut You can even bugger the threads beyond the nut or grind down the head of the bolt. Wouldbe thieves will get frustrated and move to easier targets.
Same applies to the new vang fitting
Hi all,
Another contrary opinion, lol. I use a Harken Ratchamatic, and have used 019 and 009's as well. The Rathamatic is excellent, providing the same (adequate) grip as the 019. In light air, it switches to off (free wheeling) for better feel, etc. At the weather mark, you let it go and whirrrrrr out goes the sheet, in any wind, so i never need to push the boom out, just to get the sheet to run thru. I find it to be very smart, never wrong, etc, as far as to when to ratchet-or-not. I bought a new Carbo version this year that is even adjustable, but haven't installed it, nor ever found a need to adjust.
The 009 has way too much load/friction for light air and must be switched off. It has some quirk, that sometimes necessitates trimming as you try to switch it off (aarrrgghh!). The 019 can be switched off under load, like just before the weather mark, and may even switch itsself off. Many tape the switch in the "on" position.
No one I know uses the Ratchamatic, and I'm sure few on here do. I love it. Some say, both on here and the J24 board, that the Ratcha fails after a time. I dunno about that, but it's a "whatever" as far as I'm concerned, because I love mine (and have them on the J24 chute sheets also).
I'm a GM, so take all this with a grain of salt, but one less thing to do at the weather mark (switch 019 off) or soon after (push boom out) works for me. The first 10 seconds of a run sets the pace/positions etc. and I prefer to go left hard, then decide how I want to finish the run later in the run.
JMHO,
Al Russell 66451
Another contrary opinion, lol. I use a Harken Ratchamatic, and have used 019 and 009's as well. The Rathamatic is excellent, providing the same (adequate) grip as the 019. In light air, it switches to off (free wheeling) for better feel, etc. At the weather mark, you let it go and whirrrrrr out goes the sheet, in any wind, so i never need to push the boom out, just to get the sheet to run thru. I find it to be very smart, never wrong, etc, as far as to when to ratchet-or-not. I bought a new Carbo version this year that is even adjustable, but haven't installed it, nor ever found a need to adjust.
The 009 has way too much load/friction for light air and must be switched off. It has some quirk, that sometimes necessitates trimming as you try to switch it off (aarrrgghh!). The 019 can be switched off under load, like just before the weather mark, and may even switch itsself off. Many tape the switch in the "on" position.
No one I know uses the Ratchamatic, and I'm sure few on here do. I love it. Some say, both on here and the J24 board, that the Ratcha fails after a time. I dunno about that, but it's a "whatever" as far as I'm concerned, because I love mine (and have them on the J24 chute sheets also).
I'm a GM, so take all this with a grain of salt, but one less thing to do at the weather mark (switch 019 off) or soon after (push boom out) works for me. The first 10 seconds of a run sets the pace/positions etc. and I prefer to go left hard, then decide how I want to finish the run later in the run.
JMHO,
Al Russell 66451
keiran searle AUS said:can someone please tell me what is the best rachet 4 racing and what is the difference between them all ?
Hi Keiran,
I have just tried one of the new all composite Holt switchable ratchets on my boat , It was awesome! The sheave has really good grip yet will release when you want to dump (ease) quickly.
I think Hugh Styles has helped with its development! and the GBR 470 sailors used them in Athens.
I prefer it to my old freddie, which is now hiden in my spares box.
It seems to be a lot lighter than other ratchets I've used in the past! My only minor grump is that the on/off switch is a little small.
Not sure where you can buy one? I stole mine from some pommie 49er sailors!
Take a look at the holt website . That may help!!
Cheers TomT
yachtie2k4
New Member
well, mm, dont use the ronstan smart block, after a couple of hours, it had done a bit of chewing of the mainsheet. back to the good old harken block.
keiran searle AUS
New Member
i have herd they also die under strain too