Plastic Classic Forum

I'm looking to purchase a good quality, S.S. Highfield Lever for a quick release system to the inner jib stay.

The kind I'm looking for will have a lever that folds back very compact in line with the stay, and a sleeve that drops down to secure it in position. I know there are such products available, because I've seen them advertised years gone by ....... just can't remember where????????????

I've done a little searching on the internet without much success. Those I've found are for very much bigger boats and very heavy rigging. Just thought maybe someone on here might know of a good "trade name" to search under. My Rigging wire is 3/16" so I'm not looking for a very BIG one.

Try a google search on the more popular spelling. I tried "marine hyfield lever"and got a bunch of hits. Good luck.

Here's one option: http://www.pyacht.com/abi-forestay-levers.htm
And another: http://riggingonly.com/innerforestay04.htm

Good luck!

On the first one, unfortunately I think ABI is out of business now. Too bad as there are already few enough places to get bronze boat hardware.

Have you checked the UK or European sources such as Davey & Co., Classic Marine, and Toplicht?

Thanks for the response folk. No, i haven't checked the ones you are suggesting Rachel, but will do so shortly. I've spent all afternoon on the internet and found zilch.

I'm mad at myself. i recently threw out a whole bunch of marine catalogues. i know one of them had a whole slug of Highfield Levers listed in its pages.

The only ones I can find are for small dinghy type boats having brackets to attach to the hull. That's not what I want. I need one with a hook at the deck level, and either a stud (for 3/16"wire) or an eye at the top end.

It almost appears as if this type of equipment has gone out of favour and they've quit manufacturing them. I'll maybe have to manufacture one myself ... not a total impossibility???
Any one have any ideas???

Here's Brian Toss on the subject, from 2009: http://www.briontoss.com/spartalk/showthread.php?p=4852
And some other opinions and ideas: http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index. ... pic=112306

Does it look like this?



The one I have on Guillemot looks like this:


Maybe here?

http://www.baselinemarine.com/shopdispl ... nd+Furlers

Corsair Marine: http://www.corsairmarine.com/ - supposedly sells this kind:

Bob
Try here http://www.porttownsendfoundry.com/rigging.htm

Close to you as well.

Wouldn't bronze suit the boat better?

Here in the Santa Cruz Harbor if you if you have a sailboat in the upper harbor you have to drop your mast to get out under a bridge. That requires disconnecting the aft lower shrouds. A lot of people use hardware from Ballengers Spars, I think Ballenger calls them cam levers http://www.ballengerspars.com/patslist2001-02.html here is a photo of one on an Ericson 27.

If you can't find what you are looking for, how about a simple purchase system with the lower block cluster fitted with a cam cleat and a snap hook on the underside that gets attached to a pad eye mounted on your deck. This is very similar to an in line adjustable back stay via blocks which I have installed on my Triton. I actually have my halyards set up in a similar fashion as well, so instead of using winches for halyard tension, I use "handy billies". It has worked well for me.

jollyboat wrote: I use "handy billies".

Ooh, a new term for me! I had to look it up: a tackle comprising a single and double block. also jigger, watch tackle Now to figure a way to work it into conversation at my next cocktail party

It would seem a good solution for this situation. Not as simple as the cam lever, but certainly a viable option.

Paulus wrote:Does it look like this?



The one I have on Guillemot looks like this:


Maybe here?

http://www.baselinemarine.com/shopdispl ... nd+Furlers

Corsair Marine: http://www.corsairmarine.com/ - supposedly sells this kind:

Ok Paulus, initially, i was thinking along the lines of the bronze lever in the centre illustration although, either of the others would work asd well.
As all other equipment on my boat is SS, I will probably look for either item 1 or 3 in your post. . . . I wonder why ABI quit producing their product?
I've searched the shelves of all three local "used boat equipment" stores, hoping I might find something useful, but all to no avail, so I now need to find a merchant with new product for sale. Who would have thought this would all be so difficult?

ABI still exists but they are no longer in any part of the marine business.