Commodore Phillip Connard
Minimising clutter
Vice Commodore Bruce Fraser Rear Commodore Will Sharp
Technical hints and tips to help improve your sailing from eight time Victorian Champion and ex Australian Pacer Champion, PETER KEMP
Secretary Silke Weber Treasurer Charmaine Smith
Committee Paul Hardie - Peter Sharp Thomas Ruether - Connor Gallagher Susan Sharp - Geoff Perkins Sarah McKinna
Learn to Sail team Peter Sharp - Paul Hardie - Dan Redman Thomas Ruether - Lachlan Sharp Ian McHugh - Bruce Fraser - Peter Kemp Phillip Connard - Conor Gallagher
HEN FITTING OUT MY PACER, I tried to bring the important sail controls back to be within reach of the skipper’s hiking position while avoiding having too many fittings in the boat. The Ronstan swivel cleat (RF5) gives you adjustment on either tack and it also allows you to run the control rope up either side by swapping the sheave and cleat. I tried adding a second sheave (available as a spare) and second cleat and then running a second rope through the one fitting. Even though the two ropes do touch, they still run freely and it works well. This way I have my vang and main downhaul on one fitting, and my main outhaul and spinnaker pole height
The Ronstan RF5 Swivel Cleat on another fitting. Four of the most important controls are now within easy reach with just two fittings.
Contact Us! Email: silke@beaumarisyc.com Post: PO Box 16, Black Rock Vic 3193 Phone: 03 9589 6222 beaumarisyc.com facebook.com/beaumarisyc youtube.com/beaumarisyc twitter.com/beaumarisyc Past issues of The Reef: issuu.com/beaumarisyc
The Reef Editor Will Sharp Email: will@beaumarisyc.com Phone: (03) 8819 0672
Contributors Nicole Jenvey, Bruce Fraser, Phillip Connard, Brian Doig, Susie Groves, Peter Kemp, Dan Redman, Peter Sharp, Mun Chin, Lachlan Sharp
Front Cover Minnow 988 Sparkle - Lauren Kemp Beaumaris, VIC (Photo: W. Sharp, 15 February 2015)
Cams vs. Clams - choosing cleats HERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE between a CLAM cleat and a CAM cleat. A clam cleat is a singlepiece cleat which has a grooved 'v' to hold the rope. They are cheap, compact, and require almost no maintenance however can be hard to uncleat under tension because the rope needs to be pulled back free of the grooves before it will release. Clam cleats come in a wide variety of designs and formats to suit most applications. Cam cleats have jaws which rotate to hold the rope. They are much more expensive but can be uncleated quite easily even when under very heavy loads. They are very useful for applications where the sheet or line is often under tension and needs regular adjustment. Cam cleats have small springs inside them which need to be checked periodically for corrosion. If the spring breaks, the cleat will be unlikely to hold. A good wash with fresh water after use will keep them in good order.
The humble clam cleat: cheap, simple and unbreakable. Also hard work under load.
The cam cleat. Easy to use but more expensive than a clam cleat and can occasionally fail. Much, much easer to use in a breeze.