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Old 12-02-2008, 12:05 AM
Robbie.g Robbie.g is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Bay of Islands, NZ
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i agree, static load [i.e. furler halyard] solid bearings are the go for the type of craft you talk about. This is all about bearing area, and movement, i.e small amount of movement under load, amount of material in contact with the sheave pin.
'Dynamic' blocks i.e. blocks moving under considerable load, i'm thinking genoa cars, pole downhauls etc, should be of the 'ball' bearing variety as the idea is to reduce friction under dynamic load.
As your using the cheek blocks to divert the loads of the halyards to the cockpit jammers [low movement under load] then the need to reduce friction under load is in second place to having good bearing area on the pin is in first. The 'ball' bearing blocks used in static load positions, in my experience, leads to the 2 or 3 'ball' actually in contact with the sheaves pin being crushed. Solid sheaves will also generally last longer with minimal [read no] maintainence.
I would also look at the benefits of deck organisers over multiple cheek blocks; fairer leads to jammers, number of holes/fastening through deck.
You'll find that many, if not all, of the deck organisers use solid acetal sheaves, and us 'ball' bearings are used for sorting side loadings resulting from foul leads.

Hope this helps.
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