What is This?

[PDuckX]

I recently acquired this boat and have been out a few times with great success and had a great time. I have had no problems rigging anything and everything seems to work well. My question is about this small pulley at the base of the mast. I have no idea what this is. I think it is some sort of down haul for the main, but I'm not sure and can't figure out how its rigged. Does anyone have any info on this?



Thanks in advance.

[Roger]

can you post another picture, closer and from directly aft of it. It appears that there is a bit o wire rope tangled around the spindle. Could this be a centerboard uphaul?

I know that on one style of boat that I was reading about recently, they had a mechanism that actullay moved the cb forward to change the centre of lateral resistance, essentially trimming the cb. I can't remember which type of boat this was, but was intrigued by the mechanism. if there is some wire on the spindle and the cb does seem to be able to move forward and aft a few inches, then perhaps, this is part of the mechanism.

Roger

[PDuckX]

I don't think it has anything to do with the centerboard. It doesn't apear to have any attachment mechanism to the centerboard handle. The cable does wrap around the spindle and then it goes through some sort of PVC bushing/sleeve. Directly above, in the cubby top there is a hole just aft of the mast opening that seems to be the same size.
I will take a couple more pictures from different angles, maybe that will help someone identify this thing.

Thanks,

[boone]

Just a guess, but I wonder if it is/was some sort of spring-loaded pulley for a spinnaker halyard?

[Bob Hunkins]

It's definitely not a stock part of the boat. As some folks have mentioned it may have some sort of fairlead function for a line. If you don't see an obvious use for it you may be able to get away without using it at all.

[Roger]

boom downhaul, or cunningham??? especially if there is no other obvious place for one of these elsewhere.