Installation of the Sheetlines

Parts:

SS Machine Screws and Nuts - 4-40 works, stock item

Eye Bolt (3)- #144 Midwest

Eye Bolt (3)- #140 Midwest

Single Pulley - #250 Midwest

Single Deck Pulley - #253 Midwest

Dual Pulley - #254 Midwest

1/16" bungee line - local fabric store

Spectra Line - 80#

Some of the above parts have

been mentioned and not installed

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Tools:

Sharp Punch

Drill

        Charge up your radio gear batteries

Now that the ballast is in the hull you may like to build a simple servicing rack for the System Board. Working in the hull is easy but when the deck goes on removal is why this system was built.

Turning Block Shaft

An aluminum arrow head dummy point insert was forced into the arrow shaft to reinforce the wall where the pressure would be. Then it was drilled for a 4-40 machine screw. Pretend a mounting of the shaft so you can trim the shaft to fit snugly in the retainer with the drilled hole directly at the bracket holes in the chassis. When you have sized the length you may want to sleeve the bow end just a bit to give add support to the dual pulley mounting screw.

At the bow end and at a right angle to the mount the shaft was drilled to receive the long eyebolt you mounted the double pulley block to earlier in another section. This should be about 3.5 to 4 inches from the bow. Install the block with nuts on both sides and Loctite. Assemble the shaft to the two angle mounts as shown. Please note the head of the screw is on the starboard side. A stubby eyebolt was used to mount the port side bracket to the chassis. This eyebolt will be the anchor (or feed to and anchor) for the bungee line.

An arrow shaft was used here because it was in stock. Wood is okay but heavier and a CF tube would be okay if it had a thick wall. You see what needs to done so work it out.

Time out for a Radio Check

This is a good time to get closer with the radio. Go to the Radio Equipment page to fire up the radio and the winch. When you are done return here.

Install the Winch Line

Returning from the Radio Equipment page mentioned above. It is expected the winch is set for counter-clockwise rotation of the drum from the full sheet out position...stick up.

What we are about to do now is to set the maximum full sheet out position of the winch line and the close haul spooling on the drum and in the boat. You can work with the length of the winch line through programming of the TX. Not to complicate your life but you want this and the installation is easy if not the explanation.

The winch line is cut by sizing it from the drum, to the bow and to way past the rear of the chassis. Pass this line from the inside-out and through the drum of the hole provided. Tie a figure eight know with an over hand finish to lock the line inside. Thread the line through the lower spindle of the bow dual turning block and drape it over the side of the starboard hull at the sheer.

Turn on the radio TX and then the power switch. You know what you are supposed to hear. Place the winch stick full up (if it is not already there). When you know the winch is at full sheet out, stop.

 install the drum with the line direction forward with no wraps.

Hold the end of the line hanging over the boat to provide tension on the line to the drum. Start sheeting in the line with the TX (moving it down). This line will not get to the small axle. Carefully slip off the drum so the wraps of line will not change and rotate the drum counter-clockwise so the wraps will move down the spiral to the axis. When you get there watch till you are almost two wraps on the small diameter...slip the drum on the drive as close to this as you can. The wrap at the axle should not be over lapping and should look like this photo.

Mark the line with a pen about an inch from the turning block. Create a bowline loop for the collector with the knotted end near the mark. This does not need to be precise but not crowding the block either. Sheet out the winch holding tension on the line. The drum will look like this.

I wanted you to see how this TX works. We are going to make the line longer by programming channel 3 from 100% to max at 140%. Enter TX programming and page to EPA and then select channel 3. Now increase to 140 with the momentary switch. As you do this the drum will turn till it look like this. How about that!

This will be the Delta set up because we want greater selections throughout the entire range of sheeting. Speed is not important. Just for you to check sheet the line in and the spool will wind the line down onto the axle like you set it. Sheet it back out and tape the line to the hull for now.

Bungee Line: 1/16" braided elastic was used for the bungee. One end was fed through the upper spindle at the bow, through the block on the outrigger and taped near the winch line loop. From the bow feed through the stubby eyebolt and taped as shown. That is your look. The bungee at the loop was tensioned forward and the winch line there pulled aft to tighten up the system and check the lines. None were touching. Cool!

At the end coming from the outrigger block create a small loop in the bungee. Place a medium CL line connector the line collector and hook the bungee to it. You can tie the bungee to the collector but this will make it easier to change later in the year. An overhand knot was used to anchor the bungee to the stubby eyebolt with just a slight amount of tension on the line. Later, and with some thought, a jam cleat will terminate the bungee near the aft end of the chassis where it will be easy to reach.

For cleanup electrical tape was placed over the axle nut for the shaft base and the soldering tabs on the back of the winch motor. Why not?

Jib Trim Servo Arm

A new approach to the is being taken. The deck block is just too difficult and detailed for most to deal with using regular tools. This will be monitored to make sure it gives us reliability.

A 35mm heavy duty arm was used, which is longer then needed. The second hole down was used to prevent the block from spinning around. The hole was drilled so the small side of the shackle on the block would pass through. Install the block and that is all there is to that.

The 100 ounce torque servo produces about 150 degrees of travel and way more than needed. The vertical position was used for the neutral trim position on the TX knob. The 6EX has up/down arrows where the know replaced the gear switch. It is easy to see. When we get into the pre-tune phase adjustments will be made and the servo set to only that travel that will actually be used. This will make it easier on the water to select the trim you want and not over do it.

Sheetline Protections

Despite board design with loose sheetlines in minds stuff happens. The rudder tiller extension in on the port side away from the mainsheet line and the jib trim is outboard of the winch motor. The catch always is running to winch to full sheet out and there is no pressure on the booms to move. The lines go straight down.

What comes to the eye are three things, winch gears, motor solder tabs and looped wires and a nut on the sheetline shaft at the base. Pooling of the main sheetline just forward of the outrigger will be tested later when the line is attached to the collector. It will be hard for the jib sheetline to reach the gear but...

Tape was used for the motor area, as you can see. The same for the shaft. A plastic cup was used to fashion a shield of the gears and secured inside the winch mount. The gears were spray with AeroPlate before it was covered up.

It was noticed the RX is vulnerable to water from the hatch area and will be sealed later in the radio section. Moving the bungee to a jam cleat aft for easy removal of slack from stretch has not been worked out yet.

The System Board is now complete and functioning. The lines to the booms will be attached after the deck goes on.

You can move on to the  EC to install the rudder and linkage.