Re: [J/4X-owners] Digest for j4x-owners-group@googlegroups.com - 9 updates in 1 topic

[Ed S]

Todd, 

Whichever lockoff blocks you use (I wound up with 57 mm Harken), pay close attention to the mounting angle to prevent those blocks from locking when the sheet runs off the winch. I goofed up by millimeters on my port side mounting angle, just enough that every now and then the sheet will grab the cam and lock it. It looks clear visually, but there’s enough movement of the line that the sheet will occasionally grab it and lock. 

Regards,

Ed

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Ed Sitver

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On Jul 29, 2025, at 00:29, j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com wrote:



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• J/42 Mainsheet turning blocks - 9 Updates

J/42 Mainsheet turning blocks

Todd Stevens <Todds...@me.com>: Jul 28 09:58AM -0700 Another measurement I forgot to take before leaving the boat for the summer:   Anyone have the block size and back plate dimensions of the cheek blocks that lead the mainsheet to the winches? I want to buy locking blocks to replace these, to free up the lazy winch for potential alternate spinnaker controls.   Somehow I doubt that I'll be able to match the bolt pattern, but it would be nice.   Sale ends today at West Marine. And I have an embarrassing amount of bonus bucks built up.   Thnx, Todd J/42 S/V Wild

Rod Deyo <roder...@gmail.com>: Jul 28 10:43AM -0700 The turning blocks on hull #61 are Harken 75mm Black Magic foot blocks that have a lockoff lever. They're still available when last checked.   On Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 09:58 'Todd Stevens' via J/4X Owner's Group < > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/3a1194f7-92e2-49a7-9ca7-d4252420b1c6n%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/3a1194f7-92e2-49a7-9ca7-d4252420b1c6n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .   Rod Deyo

Todd Stevens <todds...@me.com>: Jul 28 11:15AM -0700 Well, maybe that was a bit of a dumb question. Based on line size, the best matches seem to be the 72 mm Lewmar, or more likely, a Harken product not listed at West Marine.

Todd Stevens <todds...@me.com>: Jul 28 11:55AM -0700 Thanks Rod. Message went to my spam folder for some reaon.

Todd Stevens <todds...@me.com>: Jul 28 12:48PM -0700 Hmm… Harken offers three choices. Well… five.   “Element” blocks for about $200 a pair. Oh, these are listed under “costal / day cruising” well Pfffft on that. 60mm only.   “ESP cruising” blocks for about $500 a pair. Same working loads as “Element” though. 57mm or 75mm   “Black Magic” for about $1100 a pair. Up to twice the working load. Twice the wallet pain. 57mm or 75mm.   Looks like either the 57mm or the 75mm would be in spec for my 1/2” mainsheet. But will the lockoff on the 75’s grip a 1/2” line? It’s spec’d for 3/4”...   Only the ESP 75mm are on sale today (save $100 on a pair.)   Looks like the “Element” blocks come in left- or right-handed lockoff, but the others don’t. Just flip them over for left-hand use?

Chris Campbell <camp...@ramoak.com>: Jul 28 01:15PM -0700 I replaced the original 75mm blocks on my J/44 with new Black Magic ones. The lockoff can be moved. To install the block you take it apart, install, and reassemble - when you reassemble you can put the lockoff on either side, as you prefer. My mainsheet is 1/2" and the lockoff seems to work pretty well, so far - can't say how much I trust it yet, but it hasn't let go in a few uses.   On Monday, July 28, 2025 at 4:49:02 PM UTC-3 Todd Stevens wrote:

Rod Deyo <roder...@gmail.com>: Jul 28 06:33PM -0700 The lockoff on the 75mm BlackMagic works fine with 11 mm braids for the main halyard.   Rod Deyo   On Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 12:49 'Todd Stevens' via J/4X Owner's Group < > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/7A25D62B-722D-4D25-BFFC-CF935467C729%40me.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/7A25D62B-722D-4D25-BFFC-CF935467C729%40me.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .   Rod Deyo

Rod Deyo <roder...@gmail.com>: Jul 28 06:36PM -0700 Correction - the it works fine with 3/8" and 11 mm braids for the main sheet.   Rod Deyo

Rod Deyo <roder...@gmail.com>: Jul 28 06:51PM -0700 Checked our records instead of guessing. We've used Marlow 10 mm D2 (our current main sheet), Samson 3/8" Warpspeed, and an 1/2" braid (probably Samson XLS) for the main sheet over the years. The 75 mm BlackMagic foot block lockoff arm workd fine with all of them. And yes, you flip the arm for the proper orientation.   Rod Deyo   On Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 12:49 'Todd Stevens' via J/4X Owner's Group < > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/7A25D62B-722D-4D25-BFFC-CF935467C729%40me.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/7A25D62B-722D-4D25-BFFC-CF935467C729%40me.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .   Rod Deyo Rod Deyo

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[Bill Bowers]

Garhauer made us locking blocks with the original Shaeffer bolt pattern. We use the leeward one to lead the preventer to the sheet winch. 

Best

Bill Bowers

J42#3

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[Todd Stevens]

I ordered up the 75 mm Harken ESP’s. On sale, they were the same price as the 57 mm.  Working load halfway between the ESP 57 and the BM 75. Wish I had paid more attention to what was already there. Something you look at a hundred times without really seeing… Pretty sure that everything else on my mainsheet is Harken, anyway. (Then again, mast hardware is definitely Schaeffer.)

I’ve been using the spin downhaul as part of the 2-part preventer, through a cabin-top winch. Which presents certain difficulties when you want to fly a spinnaker! And so many destinations seem to be DDW, I need to start using the pole more, also. 

Port side angles are slightly weird. Lately the genoa sheet seems to be sawing into the edge of the dodger, and I cannot figure out what has changed.  Unless the dodger itself has shifted. Which reminds me, I need to buy a piece of leather, or something harder, to patch that.

Todd