J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment rope clutches

(getting rid of wire halyards, going with 5/16" rope, also need to ditch the heinous "sheet stoppers")

Lewmar vs. Spinlock

Both offer a smaller & a larger way to handle 5/16" line sizes. In both cases we are advised in the catalogs to avoid the smaller selections as they are sized for boats up to 27'. However, for the small kites & spinnakers of the J/30, have any of you had success with the Lewmar D1 or the Spinlock XAS clutches ?

For the main halyard I am going with the larger option, probably going with Lewmar, as they are good clutches & have good pricing too.

Perhaps it would be a good idea just to go with the oversized option all the way around.

Appreciate your input if you have already "been here." Thanks.

Had the small Lewmars a few years back. They are now kicking around in a box in my basement somewhere. I now use the larger Spinlocks.

Ed Austin
Chinook

Thanks for your reply on that. Your smaller lewmars were on your jib & spin, which are relatively small for a 30 footer, they didn't even work there ?

I was leaning toward the bigger one (XTS) for the main only, the smaller one (XAS) for the jibs & spin. This is key feeback. I appreciate it a lot.

Perhaps not ?

No, they didn't work for the Jib or spin. Actually, I think the spin worked most of the time, but we ended up cleating off the jib. Sometimes we would loose a foot or two after hoisting before it would grab. Maybe Lewmar has improved the design over the last few years.

I have Antals on my boat for years and they are still going strong. I like them because you can easliy grip the handle to open them

Larry

i agree with larry i had 2 antals and 1 each lewmar and spin lock i removed both and added new antal v grips work great no plastic handels positive locking etc.