Westerly Owners Association

Greetings all,

I would like to ask the forum for opinions on the kicking strap rigging on my 1974 Centaur. My boat, which I purchased two months ago, is equipped with in-mast furling. All the lines for the system are lead aft on top of the coachroof. I haven't sailed the boat yet, in fact I haven't sailed in over 25 years so please excuse me if I use the wrong terminology. I am currently removing the headliner in the saloon for replacement and will have access to all the bolts that mount the deck gear (organizers, winches, clutches, etc) so I plan to overhaul the system. For some reason all the gear is mounted on wooden pads that aren't teak and are all rotten. I'm no expert but it certainly doesn't appear to be 'best practice' from what I can see. Anyway my question revolves around my kicking strap (see picture). The line exits a block up top on the boom and then travels diagonally down to the coach roof where it rubs against the wooden splash deflector (is that what it's called?)...in fact it uses a hole drilled in the splash deflector to change direction. It's then lead aft along the coach roof to a cam cleat. This doesn't seem intuitive to me. All the other pictures on the internet show the kicking strap line exiting a block at the mast base and then usually changing direction through a deck organizer, then proceeding aft to a cam cleat. Should I change this or leave it be? It seems like with the current system every time I tack I would have to loosen the line to the kicking strap!? In fact, is it possible that someone has reinstalled this system upside down, I.e. the blocks are reversed?

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Regards, Jason

Hello Jason,
Yes it certainly looks like that and it certainly looks very much a Heath Robinson design. When you go from a starboard tack to a port tack the kicking strap will tighten and vica versa and, a lot of friction will be generated rubbing over and through the teak woodwork (I've safely avoided showing my ignorance about their correct terminology!) I tried blowing the picture up to view it in more detail around the mast base to see what the setup is, but it isn't all that clear.
I'd certainly change it round and feed it back to the cockpit through wheels and pulleys. It will be a lot easier to adjust.
Mike

Normally it starts at the Base of the mast then goes round the block on the boom back to the block at the mast base a couple of times before leaving at the mast base and leading back via turning blocks along the cabin top to a clutch on the coach roof by the cockpit. Your setup does some of this but my first thought was theories are there to hold the boom central when not sailing.

Looks like its been installed up side down there is a free pully on the deck organiser port side which looks a prime candidate.

Unc

Following on from Uncle Alberts reply, which points to your problem solving, can you get a better photos of the blocks at the foot of the mast, and the port side deck organiser?

Reverse the block/tackle on the boom to mast foot, then run the halyard to the (possible, but needs to be seen) port double block, then back to the jam-cleat on the port outer. You may find it has better leads if you change the halyards to the turning blocks and the two jam cleats.

Thank you all for the replies. They were all useful. I am now convinced, as per your suggestions, that the blocks are reversed and the system was likely put back together incorrectly after someone in the past re-stepped the mast. The previous owners didn't sail her...they just used the boat as a floating summer house!

Regards, -jason