Gumptions Dynema rope chainplates by Equiplite.
The yacht Gumption at Hout Bay.
Traditional dead eyes,picture by Max.
Dixi Rollar,sailing in Chapmans Bay,note the traditional rope and dead eyes.Picture taken by Max.
As a founder member of Cape Towns Traditional Boat Asscociation and a person who is interested in things that went before,I am always pleased to see old ideas being re invented,Harken have been using rope loops for some while now,they save weight and take up any angle required,inclding a twist,only custom made fittings will allow that,the related cost can make the idea not worth it?
The RCYC,HBYC and FBYC had whats called a 'feeder race' at the weekend,boats from the three yacht clubs would meet at Hout Bay and race to FBYC in Simonstown on sunday morning,then be ready for the Spring Reggata next week end,whats traditional about this you may ask?
We had a few very high tech boats arrive,carbon,mast,booms,spinnaker poles etc,one boat,Gumption, really caught my eye though,its rod rigging was fastened to the boats hull with loops of rope! looking closer at the boat I noticed the boat had no deck cleats for mooring,rather loops of rope exiting the hull where a mooring line would tie to,this saves weight and again,the fastening angle is always 100% correct.Ian Frazer at Sparcraft,Cape Town, has just told me the rope is made from Dynema and produced by a company named Equiplite Chainplates,try www.equiplite.com Ian agrees with me that the wheel has turned 360 degrees,as what was done decades before in traditional rope,then changed for exotic metals,has now returned to rope but in modern fibres,so we now have a whole new range of traditional boats!
My pictures show the boats feature,I also include some pictures that Max took on a cruise into Chapmans Bay on Dixi Rollar recently,she has just beeen re rigged with traditional dead eyes.
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