My J30 was missing its Cunningham when I took delivery last month from the former owner. He claims that he never had a use for the Cunningham since he was mostly a light air cruiser type. Does anyone have any recommendations on building up and installing a Cunningham assembly? Pictures would be a big help too.

After I installed my TackTicks on a mast bracket, I replaced my cunningham with smaller blocks and line so it runs between the bracket and the mast. It is made from a Harken Dual Bullet Block 084 (1-1/8" Dia) and Harken 2658A Carbo dual Fiddle with Becket. I use approximately 10 feet of 5/16" New England Ropes Staset. I spliced an eye in the end attached to the Becket. A length of Staset is attached to the top of the 084 bullet block with an eye splice and tied with a bowline to a standard 304 stainless cunningham hook. This is where I set the maximum length of the cunningham so there is sufficient distance between the upper and lower block for cunningham adjustment.

There is a sheet stopper on the line as it exits the cam cleat on the fiddle block. The fiddle block is attached with a shackle on the bracket at the base of the mast where my boom kicker base is fixed.

I'll get some pictures next weekend and post them.

Having learned the 'rope tricks' once needed to sail a Laser, but we dispensed with the cunningham hook and now just splice or tie and an eye which is lead throught the cunningham cringle (or strap) on the sail and back to the reef hook. This gives you an additional 2:1 purchase, so you can get away with 4:1 for the primary purchase.

for short handed sailing we added yet another block to base of mast for the cunningham and led it back to cockpit right next to the outhaul line and the vang. talk about cluttering the deck, but it does make it easy in windy weather. Of course all this easy control on the main led to having to recut it after two seasons. Actually now that I think about it two of the three come back, but I haven't really made up my mind which of the lines are best back there. some years I have rigged the control line for the vang at the boom instead of at the base of the mast. I may flip flop it back to the boom next season. I wonder if anyone has logic on the best way to contol the vang with a boomkicker.

vic

+1 (we also use 40mm carbo fiddles for 4:1)

Here are the pictures of the cunningham showing the mast attachement and the sail attachment hook.