Description
The Maui HookUp is the fast, easy way
to rig today's harder to downhaul sails. Developed on Maui and
introduced in 1996, the Maui HookUp, with its patented cleatless
system, is being used by satisfied sailors all over the world.
What the Maui HookUp will do:
- Attach quickly and securely to your downhaul line.
- Give you a powerful two handed grip.
- Position and reposition so easily that you'll want to take more
pulls in your most powerful range of motion.
- Give you more control when tuning.
- Never break or wear out.
- Bright yellow grips make it easy to find and hard to loose.
What the Maui HookUp won't do:
- Jam.
- Slip.
- Chew up your downhaul line.
Why are modern sails harder to downhaul?
Increased downhaul effort can be
attributed to the features and achievements of modern sail designs:
- Loose leaches allow heads that twist off and
de-power in gusts.
- More tunable for increased wind range.
- A well formed pocket low in the sail contour for
more power and control.
Higher tack force is what makes these improvements possible. Tack
forces in excess of 400 pound are not uncommon in today's sails.
In an attempt to reduce the rigging
effort, manufacturers are using three and four pulley system
configurations. While these configurations theoretically have a
six to one and eight to one mechanical advantage respectively, a
study in WindSurfing Magazine published in May 1996
showed significantly less mechanical advantage. In testing, the
study showed that regardless of the number of pulleys, the best of
these configurations (a 6:1 with ball bearing pulleys on the mast
extention and tack fitting ) only achieved a mechanical advantage
of 3.3 : 1. The worst configurations
only achieved a 2.2 : 1 mechanical advantage. The difference
between theory and reality is the result
of friction. Friction accumulates as the line, under tension,
is drawn around the pulleys, through the tack fitting, and in
the worst cases through the cleat. Pulling at an angle to avoid
the cleat also increases effort.
What does all this mean to you?
Assume you downhaul a sail with
450 pounds of tack force a distance of 10 inches, using a 3
pulley configuration with a true mechanical advantage of 3:1
(a reasonable value). You will be exerting an increasing effort up
to 150 pounds and pulling it 60 inches (5 feet), a distance
requiring several pulls.
Higher tack force, frictional
inefficiencies and longer downhaul lines, all good reasons
why using the Maui HookUp will give you the satisfaction of
a well rigged sail and the certainty that you are getting the
most performance out of your sails.
© 2001 Hypotec