Newbie question: What is a jammer block?

[iconic]

As above....what do jammer blocks do?

http://www.force4.co.uk/8370/Holt-Laser ... Block.html

cheers guys

[Rupert]

The rope goes round the pulley and then into a V shapped slot which jams the rope and stops it going out again. Useful on kicking straps and Cunninghams (downhauls) where the ropes don't come back to cleats in the boat.

[iconic]

Thanks Rupert, could they be used as a kicker?...my kicker is nothing more than a line going down to the mast foot...most anything would be better

[JimC]

> for kicker
For sure: very commonly used for that job back in the day.

[iconic]

So to use one as a jammer block would I simply place the jammer block at the foot of the mast via a Dee Shacle, with the line simply going thru the stainless line loop off my boom?



I'm trying to picture it but struggling a little

[JimC]

'xactly so.

[iconic]

thanks Jim,

...all I need now is a piccy of how the lines run on the jammer block, can't find a picture at the moment

I'd prefer to make up my own kicker strap but have found this 2:1 system at £36 delivered....everything I need..boom key to wire strop, to upper block, to line, to lower block with V cleat
http://www.tridentuk.com/sailing/produc ... ml#SID=125

[chris]

You may want a more powerful system on an Ent. The one shown won't give much purchase. (Ok for a topper perhaps)
I wonder if there was a drum system on the foot of the mast once. Are there signs of a fitting that might have held a alloy pulley about 150mm diam? The wire kicker would have lead to the small axle and with a rope that winds up the larger pulley turns the whole thing and tensions the kicker. May seem a bit cumbersome but does work well and I have seen these on Enterprises.

[iconic]

Chris, had a quick look, no sign of any other fittings on the mast foot, a drum sounds a good idea...the guy I bought her didn't even fit the kicker, what there is of it...just a line down from the boom to the foot of the mast.

[Rupert]

A very simple kicker is a cascade.

http://l-36.com/block_sys.php

Best pic I can find a short notice, if you scroll down a bit from the top of the page. Basically, you can tie each rope to the top of the V jammer block, and the final rope just goes round and cleats. A 4:1 system only needs 2 blocks at the top and 2 lines, the last one going to the V jammer.

[iconic]

brilliant thanks Rupert

[trebor]

The picture on your post is a Laser kicker block and its got a built in jammer, when you look at one of the sides you will see a "v" you pull cord into this and it holds cord until you pull it out.