First sail in HDC this season! Video.

[rbh1515]

Summer has finally come to Wisconsin!  My wife and I got out this afternoon.  I sailed and she took a snooze.  Went about 5 miles out in 10-15 knot winds.  It was a very nice sail.  I had the sail cleaned at the end of last season, so it was nice and clean.
Rob
https://youtu.be/JDL8JMnYG_8

[Dogboy]

I'm fairly sure this poster has sold the boat and likely isn't on the forum anymore, but I noticed at 1:16 in his video that the mainsheets were attached to the stainless steel boom gallows poles.  This to me seems like you are putting a huge load on a component not designed to hold it.  I have been looking at picking up a HC, as I loved the ease of my SundayCat, but I will be in bigger waters and want something just a hair larger.  If this works, it seems like a good way to open up the rear cockpit a bit by getting the mainsheet falls up a bit, but I'd fear catastrophic failure with a flying block and an uncontrolled boom.  Am I concerned about nothing, or would this be a reasonable mod?

Thanks!

[Andre]

I didn't comment on this when I first saw it but  I didn't like the idea either. I don't really trust the boom gallows mounting on my PC and HC (same exact boom gallows) even when just using the boarding ladder. On the other hand, I have no idea of how strong or weak the gallows attachments really are, and in the case of my HC how strong the mainsheet block attachments are. I just try to gybe gently!

I do try to keep some control of the mainsheet lines when tacking or gybing since once in a while I've had them snag on the rear dockline cleats, but I've never even thought of changing anything.

Andre

PC  & HC owner

[Al]

The factory changed the mounting.  My HC was built in early 2021, and the block is mounted off of the coaming.

[bruce]

I agree with Andre about load high on the boom gallows stanchions, like when climbing the transom boarding ladder. I do recall Com-Pac advising not to use the boom gallows as a handhold. We have mid-boom sheeting on the PC, so that isn't in the way. How you're suppose to climb the ladder, and crawl around the gallows and sheet tackle on the HC, without grabbing the gallows, is a mystery. As a rest for the boom and the rest of the spars, sail, and rigging when lowered, no problem.

The gallows stanchions have a small base, so don't have much resistance to side loads even with proper backing, but are braced to the coaming fore and aft. The load from the sheet will be mostly to the side, some forward. Mounting the sheet high on the stanchions would be a mistake, IMHO, lower down you probably could get away with it.

Although there may have been variations, it seems that currently Com-Pac uses pressed eye straps on top of the coaming to attach the sheet blocks. I hope they use machine screws, properly backed, but I wouldn't assume that. The eye straps are oriented for the side loading. Strong enough, but not over built. (See 1:36 in the video.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_WxDaLKkA0

Not sure exactly what you want to accomplish, but to experiment you could fashion clamping blocks to temporarily mount the sheet on the gallows stanchions, and slide them up and down to try different heights at moderate load. If you find an angle that works, mounting the sheet blocks further aft on the deck, aft of the coaming, may give you a similar lead. If finding new mounting positions on the deck isn't possible, if you braced the boom gallows to better resist racking, a tall board running between the stanchions securely fastened to both for example, or braces welded in place, you should be able to strengthen the boom gallows structure enough to handle the load.

[Cpy23ecl]

My new eclipse doesn't have proper backing on any of the screws or bolts I've checked.  In fact I recently discovered that 3 of the 4 cockpit locker hinges have the screws stripped and aren't really holding anything at all.  One of a long list of quality issues I've found on the boat.  Very disappointing....

Fred