Chandlery: March 2015

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Get a Grip on It

Jaws Handle Cleat

In Edgar Rice Burroughs early Tarzan books, his hero never swings from vines-but Hollywoods version of the ape-man isn’t off base. Pre-human hands evolved to grip and hang from branches, and the best sailing hardware takes full advantage of this ability. Whether youre human, ape, or somewhere in between, however, even our most essential grip begins to weaken. In humans, the decline begins at around age 59.

All of this bears relevance to the handy new tool designed by French sailing-hardware maker Karver. Originally known as a Flying Cam Cleat when it debuted in 2012, it is now simply referred to as the Jaws Handle Cleat.

The Jaws cam cleat is fitted inside a contoured handle with a short Dyneema loop on it for securing to other lines. In its most basic use, its a portable handle. Just clap the spring-loaded cams onto any line, and start hauling. When you tie a length of rope (or even a small multi-purchase block and tackle) to Jaws Dyneema loop, you have an instant gripper knot (see PS August 2009 online). During a five-day cruise in the Florida Keys, we used it for lifting our dinghy onto the deck, jumping the mainsheet halyard, unloading an overwrapped winch, and cheating in tug-o-war. Its also handy for tensioning running rigging on small boats and windsurfers. No less versatile than an instant knot or cleat, it has endless uses.

In lab testing, the gripper helped us double the load (from 60 to 140 pounds) that we could apply when hauling on a 3/8-inch line. During load testing, the gripper held up to the highest load we applied: 500 pounds. As we learned from our cam cleat tests (see PS May 2012 online), these cleats are incredibly tenacious, and will pretty much support whatever load you apply until the line breaks. On the downside, the cams crimping and abrasion weaken the line, and that is usually the point of failure. One of our test lines broke at the cam jaws, so avoid using it for prolonged loads of more than 300 pounds, especially on older lines.

Made of quality anodized aluminum (cam jaws) and stainless steel (springs, fasteners, and pins), the Jaws sells for $115 at Annapolis Performance Sailing and other sailing specialty retailers.

The Third Hand

When it comes to boats, theres never a shortage of stuff to secure, wrap, coil, or hang up. Straps made of Velcro, plastic cable ties, or even short lengths of line can work for the short term, but they tend to wear. We recently tested a product advertised to make tying up those loose ends fast, easy, and longer lasting: the 18-inch Nite Ize Gear Tie.

The Gear Tie is essentially a large, reusable rubber twist tie. Constructed of a wire covered with a tough rubber shell, the Gear Tie is bendable, yet strong enough to retain its shape, and the non-marking rubber coating is ribbed (to improve grip), waterproof, and UV resistant-all good qualities for boat gear.

Nite Ize advertises the Gear Tie as a simple way to wrap and store anything from jumper cables and extension cords to dog leashes, keeping them neat and untangled with a quick simple twist. We found numerous onboard uses for them during cruises between Norfolk, Va., and the Bahamas-securing the coiled shore power cord and dock lines; hanging up the cockpit lantern while at anchor; hanging laundry; holding tools and lights while working on those inescapable boating projects. The Gear Tie is one of those products that if you simply hold it in your hand while walking around your boat, youll keep coming up with uses for it.

Testers also used one to secure the dinghys one-gallon gas can to the stern pulpit, where it stayed exposed to the sun the entire season with no ill effect. We found its simple operation and reusable nature to be the perfect solution to replace the UV-rotted Velcro straps wed used for the task previously.

Available in sizes from 3 inches to 64 inches, the Gear Tie comes in a wide range of colors and is sold in packs of two; they can be purchased online and at local retail outlets. We found ours at The Home Depot for less than $5, a pretty reasonable price for something youll find to be almost as useful as a big ol roll of duct tape.

Bottom line:Testers found the Nite Ize Gear Tie to be durable, easy to use, and versatile-almost like having a third hand. We give it three thumbs up.

Contacts
Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.