Description
- The highest strength-to-weight ratio
- Minimal friction loss, especially when working at high loads
- Totally reliable and trouble free performance
- Simplicity of design and construction to facilitate maintenance and servicing
- Elegant, functional styling and finish.
- Lockable swivelling head post
- High strength forged shackle
Orbit blocks™ are a no-compromise product range developed to meet the demands and expectations of the very dedicated and increasingly professional racing sailor. Side cheeks incorporating head structure and hub are precision machined as a single part from solid alloy, leaving material only where it contributes to the load carrying capacity of the block and eliminating the need for additional fasteners. The Orbit sheave has captive acetal or Torlon® ball bearings for side thrust loads, eliminating the need for side retainer plates. This reduces weight and allows for a wider bearing surface that can accommodate longer Torlon® needles – achieving a substantially higher strength-to-weight ratio.
The Orbit sheave has captive Acetal or Torlon® ball bearings for side thrust loads, eliminating the need for side retainer plates. This reduces weight and allows for a wider bearing surface that can accommodate longer Torlon® needles - achieving a substantially higher strength-to-weight ratio.
There are only 3 primary components to the block: the twin side pieces, sculptured from solid high grade alloy, and the one-piece sheave with its captive ball bearings. The Orbit sheave has captive acetal or Torlon® ball bearings for side thrust loads, maximising the available bearing surface for its Torlon® needle rollers to achieve a high strength-to-weight ratio.
Head posts of swivel blocks can be locked at 0° or 90°. The high resistance shackles are forged in grade 17-4PH stainless steel.
These blocks have been designed primarily for attachment around the mast collar to lead halyards aft from the mast base to winches. The head of the block has a removable pin which enables easy attachment to the deck padeye or mast collar. This method of attachment provides a low lead aft to organisers or winch.
These lightweight alternatives to traditional blocks are used where a rope lashing attachment is passed through the hub of the sheave to provide a failsafe feature. Lashing blocks have incredibly high breaking loads – up to 40,000kg. Their versatility makes them suitable for many applications, with four lashing guide holes to allow for multiple attachment options including single, parallel and split lashings. The central hole can also be used for a becket in 3:1 purchase systems. Every detail has been carefully executed to achieve the best optimisation of performance, size, weight and ultimate strength available today.
The bottom plate incorporating the hub section is machined from solid alloy for maximum integrity of the load bearing structure. The top cover plate protects the sheave against impact, prevents dirt and grit from entering the hub area, and can be removed for service without removing the mounting bolts that secure the block through the base plate to the deck.
A number of stand-up solutions are available for Orbit Blocks™. These include assemblies incorporating padeye and rubber boot, stand-up spring kits and blocks with special swivel-eye to suit non-tumble padeyes.
- Primary mainsheet, halyard and spinnaker systems on boats to 12m (40ft)
- Secondary mainsheet, vang systems on boats to 14m (46ft)
- Standard and running backstay systems on boats to 10m (33ft)
- General control line and lead block applications on larger yachts