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If you are thing this might the wrong way around, you would normally be right. Instead of keeping the mass of metal saddles, rings and whatever else, we decided to follow the Colin Chapman approach of “Simplify and then add lightness”. Our approach was to take advantage of having the wings off and put spectra rope loops through the wings and splice the blocks in place. Removes a whole load of needless metal work and while the splicing is a bit fiddly it simplifies the whole layout. Does mean we will have to put the wings back on in a way that we can get them back off again!
We threaded spectra loops through the existing holes, with Double Overhand Stopper knot inside the rack. We then spliced a closed loop through the block. We used 2.5mm spectra so there is plenty of strength in the system.
These are only take ups for the continuous Cunningham and Vang controls, but at least we will be able to pull them on from anywhere around the boat. We are only going to put these controls onto a continuous system. The outhaul we are going to move onto the boom.
Lots of splicing later we have one single block either side for the Cunningham at the base & front of the racks, two at the front outer of the rack and two double blocks at the back of the rack. We also put the take up elastic through the rack wall as well. We will probably plug the remaining holes in the racks with aluminium rivets.
The racks needed a good clean with metal polish and we painted over the oxidised aluminium were the racks where damaged.
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