Can you help me fix this block?

[welwas]

Thanks in advance if you can help me. I know I can just buy a new block, but I try to repair everything first. I acquired this block (see attached pics) in its current condition. The becket is fine, but I need a swivel at the other end and I don't know what's missing or how to fix it. I checked the Garhauer website, but no luck. I've also sent them an email, but haven't heard back yet. I plan to use it for a spin sheet turning block on a San Juan 23, no huge loads

 

[Marty Gingras]

Pretty sure you need shackle and a pin (sorta like a clevis pin) with a shallow head and hole for the shackle. Harken calls the pin a 'head post'. Getting the pin into position might require partial disassembly of the block. If you don't want to disassemble it, you may be able to fake it with a bolt.

 

[Grande Mastere Dreade]

you need to put a pin in there , somehow.. and it has to have a round base in order to swivel

 

[Dehydrated]

Thanks in advance if you can help me. I know I can just buy a new block, but I try to repair everything first. I acquired this block (see attached pics) in its current condition. The becket is fine, but I need a swivel at the other end and I don't know what's missing or how to fix it. I checked the Garhauer website, but no luck. I've also sent them an email, but haven't heard back yet. I plan to use it for a spin sheet turning block on a San Juan 23, no huge loads

View attachment 540869 View attachment 540870 View attachment 540871 View attachment 540872

It is a turning block so it only needs one attachment to the boat and that is given by the pin at the bottom and with a shackle will allow it to pivot -or am I missing something?

 

[allweather]

Sprenger sells those pins individually for their blocks. Once one unscrews the shackle the pin drops out and you could use that.
Come in different sizes, so you have to check if there is a fit.

SPRENGER Swivel for 8 mm Blocks only 10,95 € buy | SVB

Swivel for 8 mm blocks from SPRENGER.

www.svb24.com

 

[ryley]

why are you using a double block as a turning block for a spinnaker sheet? Because you have it? Nothing wrong with that.

 

[alifish]

Ryley - - I use a dbl block for aft turning blocks, light and heavy sheets. WTF is wrong with that?

 

[welwas]

Pretty sure you need shackle and a pin (sorta like a clevis pin) with a shallow head and hole for the shackle. Harken calls the pin a 'head post'. Getting the pin into position might require partial disassembly of the block. If you don't want to disassemble it, you may be able to fake it with a bolt.

I see what you are saying. I was hoping I could fix it without disassembly. I know I can drill out the rivet, but I don't have the equipment to replace a big rivet like that. I wonder how did the old pin/clevis come out?

 

[welwas]

you need to put a pin in there , somehow.. and it has to have a round base in order to swivel

Thanks for the info and pic.

 

[welwas]

It is a turning block so it only needs one attachment to the boat and that is given by the pin at the bottom and with a shackle will allow it to pivot -or am I missing something?

It is my understanding that the becket is an anchor for a rope or lashing rope and not an attachment point for the block itself. Plus there is no swivel on the becket.

 

[welwas]

why are you using a double block as a turning block for a spinnaker sheet? Because you have it? Nothing wrong with that.

Light air sheets and heavy air sheets without taking out the old sheet to change it over to the new one.

 

[welwas]

Ryley - - I use a dbl block for aft turning blocks, light and heavy sheets. WTF is wrong with that?

Ding, ding, ding. That's it! Lots of people do it like that around there. Turn the block over and shackle the block to the toe rail in the back of the boat. Then lash the block to the life line with bungy cord using the becket so it stands up and stays off the deck.

 

[welwas]

Sprenger sells those pins individually for their blocks. Once one unscrews the shackle the pin drops out and you could use that.
Come in different sizes, so you have to check if there is a fit.

SPRENGER Swivel for 8 mm Blocks only 10,95 € buy | SVB

Swivel for 8 mm blocks from SPRENGER.

www.svb24.com

Thanks for the link. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[welwas]

I heard back from Garhauer today and they said they no longer have parts for that type of block so I'm on my own with this quest. We only have another month or so in our sailing season here so I have done a real Mickey Mouse repair on the block today, but maybe it will work. I took a threaded eye/rod from an old turnbuckle and cut it off short so it would fit and put a nut on the thread. Then I buggered up the threads at the end so the nut can't spin off. I also ground off the points on the nut so the whole unit will spin. It swivels, but it's not pretty. If it doesn't work, no big deal. If it breaks, I'll drill out the rivet and try to fit a proper clevis pin on it over the winter. To me, it seems like such a high quality piece of equipment, it should be repaired and used again rather than being thrown away.



I just obtained a couple of small soft shackles to have on hand. That would have probably worked too in a bind.

 

[Marty Gingras]

Good fix.

W/regard to what happened to your old pin, sometimes it's a rivet instead of a pin per se. Rivets go away.

If you wanted to partially disassemble your block, you'd (as you mentioned) drill out the rivet but then replace it with a bolt. It can be quite tidy that way.

 

[IStream]

That's a proper end-of-season hack that you can fix properly in 2-10 years.

 

[Raz'r]

Good fix.

W/regard to what happened to your old pin, sometimes it's a rivet instead of a pin per se. Rivets go away.

If you wanted to partially disassemble your block, you'd (as you mentioned) drill out the rivet but then replace it with a bolt. It can be quite tidy that way.

Yep, if you decide you mcgyver needs something new, drill the river, replace the river with a bolt and a nylock

 

[ryley]

Ryley - - I use a dbl block for aft turning blocks, light and heavy sheets. WTF is wrong with that?

WTF is wrong with that? My apologies dear sir for offending you so deeply. Of course there's nothing wrong with that. Some of us have figured out that rather than put extra weight by having a double block (which kind of defeats the purpose of running light air sheets, through a smaller pulley) that you can actually run two sheets through the single while you're swapping out. Leave them, don't leave them, we've done this for years going from A-sail to code, works just fine. But like I said, there's nothing wrong with what you're doing.

@welwas that threaded turnbuckle is probably the best you'll do. I think a normal bolt wouldn't have the needed strength, but that looks like it could be a multi-season solution.

Also, there's a reason Garhauer doesn't have that replacement part anymore - has to do with the likely reason yours is missing in the first place.

 

[welwas]

Thanks everyone for the excellent info.

Ryley - "you can actually run two sheets through the single while you're swapping out" that's a great idea too. I'm learning a lot from this thread.

Here's the final installation. It will probably get tested over the weekend.

 

[phill_nz]

-maybe a rolling hitch rather than a tumbled clove and half hitches