Spinnaker sheet blocks

[Roc]

In the latest Mainsheet tech section, I saw some pictures of spinnaker blocks mounted on the stern cleats.  What caught my eye was the fact that these had beckets with a bungee line attached running to the stern rail, thus suspending the block up.  I'm in the process of getting some Garhauer sheet blocks and don't know if I should get the ones with a becket or not for suspending the lazy block with a bungee cord so it doesn't flop around when the sheet is slack. Has anyone found a floppy block to be a problem?  The other option is just to run a bungee cord through the center hole in the block (without the becket), but not sure if the cord would have chafe from the turning block when the sheet is used.

Would be interested to hear what others have done with spinnaker sheet blocks.  Pictures please, if available.
Thanks!!

[scotty]

You can also buy stainless steel springs.  mount them on the bottom of the block and it keeps the block standing up.  You might have to bracket them with washers.

[Ron Hill]

Roc : Wrote an article on Spinnaker sheet blocks years ago.  I connect mine to the stern cleats with large carbiner snap shackles.

The lazy block just sets there until you tack - with NO problem !!

[PK]

Our blocks are mounted to slides that attach to the T track on the rail.  When we plan to use the spinnaker, we slide the tracks w/ blocks onto the farthest aft hole in the track.  This positions them below the life lines.   The blocks have small pieces of bungee attached to them that we tie loosely to the life lines just to keep the lazy block from banging around.  The bungee is loose enough not to affect the blocks position when it is under load.  This also leaves the aft cleats open in needed.  Only down side is the extra cost of the slides. (a PO addition ) As far as if the blocks have a becket or not, I'm not sure.

[Roc]

I thought I saw, on this site, someone that bought cheap loops to attach the blocks to the stern cleats.  2 for about $15.  I searched, but didn't come up with anything......

[DarthOccam]

I thought I saw, on this site, someone that bought cheap loops to attach the blocks to the stern cleats.  2 for about $15.  I searched, but didn't come up with anything......

REI is a good source for inexpensive loops in a variety of sizes.

Our setup is similar to PKs in that we use the rail tracks with a set of low-lead cars that we move as far aft as possible when we deploy the gennaker.  The downside of this is we have to move the headsail sheets to use the foot block to get the gennaker sheet to the primary winch.  I'd probably prefer to have a block mounted back by the aft cleats, but the current setup works well enough that it's low on the priority list.