Fairlead

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Adjustable fairlead (lower right) leading to winch on sailboat Fairlead to winch on sailboat.jpg
Adjustable fairlead (lower right) leading to winch on sailboat
Fairlead (Chock style) Chaumard.JPG
Fairlead (Chock style)
Three mooring lines (hawsers) running through fairlead on a Royal New Zealand Navy ship. Te Kaha, Under The Helicopter Deck.jpg
Three mooring lines (hawsers) running through fairlead on a Royal New Zealand Navy ship.

A fairlead is a turning point for running rigging like rope, chain, wire or line, that guides that line such that the "lead" is "fair", and therefore low friction and low chafe. [1] A fairlead can be a hook, ring, pulley, chock, or hawse (hole) sometimes surrounded by rollers.

If the line is meant to be moved while in the fairlead, the angle in the line created by the fairlead must be shallow to minimize friction. For larger angles a block or pulley is used as a fairlead to reduce friction. Where the line is removed from a hook fairlead before using, the angle is not an issue.

A fairlead can also be used to stop a straight run of line from vibrating or rubbing on another surface.

Fairleads are used on most sailboats. Even a simple Sunfish sailboat has two fairleads. A ring fairlead holds the halyard parallel to the mast so its cleat can be located near to the cockpit. [2] On models without a deck block for the sheet, a hook fairlead in the forward edge of the cockpit gives the sailor options when handling the sheet.

When attached to a track to make its position adjustable, a fairlead leading a jibsheet to a winch can be moved fore, aft and sometimes side to side to allow a sailor to tune sail trim to wind conditions. [3] In this duty, angle of the fairlead determines the depth of the sail, height of the clew, leach tension and other sail trim variables. [4]

While fairleads are most frequently found in nautical or sailing applications, they can be found anywhere rigging is used. For example, in off-roading, a fairlead is used to guide the winch cable and remove lateral strain from the winch. A roller fairlead is used with steel cable and a hawse fairlead is used with synthetic cable.

An example of hook fairlead can be seen on buildings with an angled flagstaff mounted over a door. At the base of the flagstaff is usually a hook so the flag halyard can be held parallel to the pole, and still tied off to a cleat beside the door, rather than above.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Running rigging</span> Lines that control sails

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sail</span> Fabric or other surface supported by a mast to allow wind propulsion

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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to sailing:

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluejacket 23</span> Sailboat class

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The S2 9.2 is an American sailboat that was designed by Arthur Edmunds as a cruiser and first built in 1977.

The Island Packet 29 is an American sailboat that was designed by Robert K. Johnson as a cruiser and first built in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J/35</span> Sailboat class

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle 38</span> Sailboat class

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Harbor 44</span> Sailboat class

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The Lagoon 440 is a French sailboat that was designed by Van Peteghem/Lauriot-Prevost as a cruiser and yacht charter boat. It was first built in 2004.

References

  1. Maloney, Elbert S., Chapman Piloting - Seamanship & Small Boat Handling, 60th Edition, 1991, Page 179, Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  2. Kyle, Scott, Sunfish - From the Experts, Sailing World, June 1992, Retrieved 30 September 2024, https://www.oakcliffsailing.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Sunfish-rig-and-tune.pdf.
  3. Jobson, Gary, Trim Your Jib Sail Like a Pro, Cruising World, 9 December 2011, Retrieved 30 September 2024, https://www.cruisingworld.com/how/trim-your-jib-pro/
  4. Sailtrim 101, Sailing Magazine, 27 July 2008, Retrieved 2 October 2024, https://sailingmagazine.net/article-17-sail-trim-101.html,