Cruising Sailors Forum Archive

Gotta agree with Jon on the "wrong block" idea...

Yes, I have no where near the experience of some of the old salts here... but I had a snatch block just like that explode on me last year in a very similar use... it was a much bigger block, on a much bigger spin on a 51 foot boat... The loads were such that it was just enough to pull the block apart enough that the "snatch latch" (for lack of a better term) failed and the line came flying out. Fortunately I saw it happening and ducked... the winch and the lifeline stanchion took the load, briefly. We quickly turned and doused the sail.

I'd go with what Jon recommends... not a snatch block. Side loads on snatch blocks are not good... and that block looks "locked" in a way that it has a huge side load.

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