Ronstan ORBITBLOCKS User manual

22 www.ronstan.com
CO
NTENT
S
•
1.0 Fitting of Orbit Blocks™ with Dyneema
®
Link
s
1
.1 Attached at 90°
(
transverse
)
1.
2
Attachment at 0° (in-line)
1
.3 Attachment to a
p
in, shackle, saddle, line, et
c
1.4
O
ther attachments.
•
2
.0 Fitting of
S
heets
/
Lines to Beckets
•
3
.0 Adjustment of
C
leat Arm Angl
e
•
4.0
S
tand-Up Kit
•
5
.0 Ratchet Mode
O
peratio
n
•
6.0
C
heek Block Alignment
•
7
.0 Upright Lead Block Alignmen
t
•
8.0 Care and Maintenanc
e
•
9
.0 D
e
finiti
o
n
s
1
.
0
Fitting of
O
rbit Blocks™
with D
y
neem
a
®
Link
s
•
F
or best results, the Dyneema
®
Link m
us
t b
e
atta
c
h
e
d
to a mountin
g
p
oint with a smooth, well rounded
p
rofile.
•
A
void attaching directly to
f
ittings with sharp edges or
r
ou
g
h surfaces that may dama
g
e the Dyneem
a
®
Link
through abrasion or point loading. For this situation use
a
shackle with a smooth surface between the Link and
the
f
ittin
g.
1
.
1
(Diagram 1.1)
A
ttachment at 90°
(
transverse
)
1
.
1
.
1
U
se a s
h
ac
kl
e
k
e
y
or sma
ll
sc
r
e
wdriv
e
r t
o
r
e
l
e
a
se
o
n
e
s
id
e
of
the Retainer
C
li
p
. Use a fin
g
er to
h
o
ld th
e
o
th
e
r
s
id
e
o
f th
e
R
e
tain
e
r
C
li
p
in
p
lace.
1.1.
2
Remove the free end of the
D
yneema
®
Link fr
o
m it
s
r
ecess
in
th
e
h
e
ad
of
th
e
bl
oc
k.
1.1.
3
Pass the Link through the mounting point.
1.1.4
Pr
ess
th
e
e
nd
of
th
e
Link
o
v
er
the Retainer
C
li
p
and firmly bac
k
int
o
it
s
r
ecess
in th
e
bl
oc
k. A
little tension on the Link ma
y
h
e
l
p to sett
l
e
i
t
i
nto pos
i
t
i
on.
1
.
1
.5
S
nap the Retainer
C
lip bac
k
into
p
lace over the Link. An
au
dibl
e
“c
li
c
k”
co
nfirm
s
secu
r
e
a
tta
c
hm
e
nt.
1.2
(Diagram 1.2)
A
ttachment at 0° (in-line)
1
.
2
.
1
U
se a s
h
ac
kl
e
k
e
y
or sma
ll
screw
d
r
i
ver to re
l
ease one
side of the Retainer Clip.
1.
2
.
2
R
emove the end of the D
y
neema
®
Link from its recess
i
n th
e
h
e
ad
o
f th
e
bl
oc
k.
1.
2
.3 (Diagram 1.2.3)
T
wi
s
t th
e
Link anti
-
clockwise 3
6
0°
(
i.e.
f
ir
s
t twi
s
t 1
80
° t
o
f
o
rm
a fi
g
ure-
8
sha
p
e, then
t
w
i
st aga
i
n
).
1
.
2
.4
P
ass t
h
e
Li
n
k
t
h
rou
gh
t
he mounting point,
t
a
ki
n
g
care to
k
ee
p
i
t tw
i
ste
d
as
d
escr
ib
e
d
a
b
ove.
1.
2
.
5
P
ress the end of the twisted Link over the Retainer
C
lip and firmly back into its recess in the block. A little
t
ension on the Link may hel
p
to settle it into
p
osition
.
1.
2
.
6
S
na
p
the Retainer Cli
p
back into
p
lace over the Link. An
a
u
dibl
e
“c
li
c
k”
co
nfirm
s
secu
r
e
atta
c
hm
e
nt
.
1
.
2
.7 (Diagram 1.2.7)
R
otate the block clockwise back to 0° and
p
ull sli
g
htly to
align and tension the link symmetrically
.
1
.
3
Attachment at 0° or 90° to a Pin,
S
hackle,
S
addle,
o
r Control line
,
etc.
1.
3
.1
U
se a shackle key or small screwdriver to release one
side of the Retainer
C
li
p
.
1.
3
.
2
R
emove the end of the D
y
neema
®
Link from its recess
i
n th
e
h
e
ad
o
f th
e
bl
oc
k.
1
.3.3
T
wist the Link anti-clockwise 180° to form a figure-8 shape
.
1
.3.4
P
ress the end of the twisted Link firmly back into its
r
ecess in the block. A little tension on the Link may hel
p
t
o sett
l
e
i
t
i
nto pos
i
t
i
on.
1
.
3
.
5
S
na
p
the Retainer
C
li
p
back
i
nto place over the Link. An
audible
“
click” confirms
secu
r
e
atta
c
hm
e
nt.
1
.3.
6
(Diagram 1.3.6)
P
ass a s
h
ac
kl
e, sa
ddl
e, p
i
n,
or ro
p
e end throu
g
h the Link
(
w
hi
c
h
now
h
as a s
i
ng
l
e
crossover
)
at 0° or
9
0° to
th
e
bl
oc
k
,
d
e
p
en
di
n
g
on t
h
e
desired alignment
.
1
.4
Other Attachmen
t
1.4.1
Snap shackles (fixed or swivel) can be fitted to Orbit
Blocks™ using the methods described above for 0° or
90
° atta
c
hm
e
nt
.
1.4.
2
(Diagram 1.4.2)
C
ustom lashin
g
s, stro
p
s o
r
Links can be made from
D
y
neema
®
ro
p
e of the same
d
iameter as the su
pp
lied link.
Note; where required to
f
it
a
round an object wider than
the head of the block (eg a
boom) the ends of the custom
Li
n
k
m
us
t
c
r
oss
e
a
ch
o
t
her
p
rior to bein
g
fitted into the
recesses in the head of the
block. The Maximum Workin
g
Load and Breakin
g
Load o
f
the
a
ssembly
(
Block + Link
)
is
limited by the strength o
f
the
rope and the joining method.
K
nots, sp
li
ces, st
i
tc
hi
ng, etc. w
ill
genera
ll
y
h
ave a
l
ower
Breaking Load than the rope itself.
2
.
0
Fittin
g
of Sheets/Lines to Beckets
IMPORTANT: Ronstan Orbit Blocks™ have several
unique becket arrangements. To avoid improper
loading or failure of the becket, use only the
correct method of line attachment for each type as
described below.
2.
1
B
B
S
ingle Blocks with Becke
t
•
P
ass t
h
e s
h
eet en
d
t
h
roug
h
t
h
e
b
ec
k
et eye an
d
s
ecure w
i
t
h
a
b
ow
li
ne or eye s
pli
ce.
2.2
B
B Double & Tri
p
le Blocks with Becket; RT
S
in
g
le, &
Sin
g
l
e
/
Cleat Blocks with Becke
t
• M
e
th
od
A: Pass the sheet end throu
g
h the becket eye
and secure with a bowline or eye splice.
• M
e
th
od
B: (Diagrams 2.2B)
Pass a Dyneema
®
Link through the becket eye. Pass
the sheet end through both loops of the Link and
secure with a bowline or splice. If using a pre-spliced
sheet, secure with a cow hitch throu
g
h both loo
p
s of
t
h
e
Li
n
k.
2.
3
BB
Fiddle
Blocks
w
i
t
h
Becket
• M
e
th
od
A: Pass a Dyneema
®
Link through the
becket e
y
e of the standard fiddle block. Pass the
sheet end through both loops o
f
the Link and secure
1.2.7
90º
1.1
360º
1.2.3
0º
90º
or
1.3.6
1.4.2
2.2B
Dy
neem
a
®
Link
Retainer
C
li
p
He
ad
o
f Bl
ock
Recess
f
o
r Lin
k
1.2
(
Continued next page
)
USER INSTRUCTIONS

23
www.ronstan.com
USER INSTRUCTIONS
•
Me
t
hod
B:
(Diagrams 2.3B)
I
f
using a pre-spliced sheet, secure with a cow
hitch through both loops o
f
the Link
.
3
.
0
(Diagram 3.0)
Ad
j
ustment of
c
leat arm an
g
le
3
.
0
.
1
Loose
n t
he
sc
r
e
w at t
he
ce
ntr
e
o
f th
e
c
l
e
at arm
o
n each side of the block
(
approximately 1 ½ turns
).
3.0.
2
A
djust the cleat arms to the re
q
uired an
g
le. The
cleatin
g
an
g
le can be adjusted
f
rom
0
de
g
rees
(
when
the sheet is coming out o
f
the block at right angles to
the centre line of the block
)
to 60 degrees
(
40 degrees
o
n RT triple, becket
&
cleat). The cleat arm angle is
i
ndicated by the number aligned with the centre line of
t
he
block
.
3.0.
3
R
e-ti
g
hten the screw at the centre of the cleat arm on
e
ach side of the block
.
4
.
0
S
tand-up kit
4
.0.
1
U
se the method described in
1
.
3
ab
o
v
e
t
o
se
t th
e
link f
o
r
90
°
(
transverse
)
or
0
°
(
in-line
)
.
4
.
0
.
2
Tu
rn t
he
r
ubbe
r
boo
t
i
n
side
ou
t
a
nd place it over the head of
t
h
e
bl
oc
k
so t
h
e
li
n
k
p
rotru
d
es
t
h
rou
gh
t
h
e sma
ll
en
d
.
4
.0.3 (Diagram 4.0.3)
P
ass the saddle throu
g
h the lin
k
i
n the re
q
uired orientation.
4
.
0
.
4
F
ix the saddle to the mounting
su
rfa
ce.
4
.
0
.
5
(Diagram 4.0.5)
I
f attaching the block to a fitting
that is alread
y
fixed in
pl
ace, ro
ll
u
p
t
h
e
b
ottom
h
alf of the boot to sim
p
lify
a
ttachment of the Link
a
nd unroll it a
g
ain when
f
ini
s
h
e
d
.
5.
0
(Diagram 5.0)
R
atchet mode
o
peratio
n
•
S
ome RT
O
rbit Blocks™
c
an
be
se
t t
o
Au
t
o
mat
ic
m
o
d
e or
M
anua
l
mo
d
e to su
i
t t
h
e a
ppli
cat
i
on or user
’
s
p
reference. RT blocks with cleats are fully automatic
onl
y
.
5
.
1
M
a
n
ua
lM
ode
5
.
1
.
1
R
T blocks leave the
f
actory in Manual mode, with
t
he black MODE switches on both sides of the block
p
ositioned away from the red
O
N
/O
FF knob.
5
.1.
2
U
se the red
O
N
/O
FF knob to turn the ratchet
O
N or
O
FF.
5.2
Auto Mod
e
5
.
2
.
1
With the block in Manual mode, turn the ratchet o
ff
by
r
otating the red ON/OFF knob to the OFF position
.
5
.
2
.
2
S
lide the black MODE switch firmly toward the red
O
N
/O
FF knob until it locks into the recess in the knob.
R
epeat with the M
O
DE switch on the other side of the
bl
oc
k.
5
.
2
.
3
Th
e
bl
oc
k
i
s now
i
n
A
uto mo
d
e
.
5
.
2
.4
T
o return to Manual mode, slide the black MODE
switches on both sides o
f
the block
f
irmly away
f
rom
t
he red ON
/
OFF knob. Now use the red ON
/
OFF knob to
t
urn the ratchet ON and OFF.
6
.
0
(Diagram 6.0)
C
heek block ali
g
nment
•
C
heek blocks must be properly aligned so that the
axis of the block bisects the angle between line entry
an
d
ex
i
t, w
hi
c
h
must
b
e approx
i
mate
l
y
i
n t
h
e same
pl
ane. Misalignment or improper installation will reduce
the load capacity of the block.
7.
0
(Diagram 7.0)
U
pr
i
g
h
t
L
ea
d
bl
oc
k
a
li
gnment
•
The U
p
ri
g
ht Lead block is desi
g
ned to
p
rovide a
9
0
de
g
ree chan
g
e in line direction, with line entry at
9
0
degrees to the base and line exit parallel to the base.
A
ny variation on these line angles will reduce the load
capacity of the block
.
8.
0
C
are and maintenanc
e
Dy
neem
a
®Link
•
Ronstan BB and RT Orbit Blocks
™
feature a unique
D
yneem
a
®
Li
n
k
h
ea
d
.
B
u
ildi
ng on t
h
e
l
atest tren
d
s
i
n gran
d
pr
i
x
di
ng
h
y an
d
ocean rac
i
ng,
i
t rep
l
aces
t
he steel head
p
ost and shackle arran
g
ement of
t
ra
di
t
i
ona
l
bl
oc
k
s.
R
onstan
Dy
neema
®
Li
n
k
s are
m
ade from hi
g
hest
q
uality F
S
E Robline
O
cean 3000
12
p
lait Dyneema
®
SK75 line, treated with S.Y.I.S.
i
mpregnation
f
or high resistance to abrasion and UV
p
rotection. Dyneema
®
is a super strong polyethylene
f
ibre that offers maximum strength combined with
mi
n
i
mum we
i
g
h
t.
D
yneem
a
®
fibre’s high tenacity
allows it to match the strength of steel at one tenth
of the wei
g
ht. It is more durable than
p
olyester and
h
as a s
p
ecific stren
g
th that is 40
p
ercent
g
reate
r
t
han aramid fibre.
•
To receive the maximum
p
erformance benefit from
t
he Dyneem
a
®
Link, it must be used correctly,
i
nspected regularly and replaced when required.
•
The Dyneema
®
Link must be attached to a mounting
p
oint with a smooth, well rounded profile without
sharp edges or burrs. If in doubt, use a shackle
w
ith a
s
m
oo
th
su
rfa
ce
b
e
tw
ee
n th
e
Link and th
e
m
ount
i
n
g
p
o
i
nt.
• The Dyneema®Link will eventually suffer
degradation from fatigue, wear and UV exposure.
Like all running and standing rigging, the Link should
be inspected regularly and replaced it if it shows
significant amount of wear or fibre damage, or as a
part of your regular boat maintenance program.
Orbit Block
s™
•
Grit and sand will damage bearing systems.
R
onstan
O
rbit Blocks™ have a precisely engineered
bearing system that should be kept clean and free of
sand and
g
rit to ensure o
p
timum
p
erformance and
service life. Blocks, in
p
articular the bearin
g
areas,
should be flushed with fresh water re
g
ularly and
p
eriodically cleaned with a mild deter
g
ent and water.
•
Dry lubricants such as Ronstan Sailfast silicon
spray may be used to lubricate the bearing system
and rat
c
h
e
t
co
ntr
o
l
s
. Oil/petrochemical based
lubricants must not be used.
•
Ronstan
O
rbit Blocks™ are designed and
m
anufactured for applications on sailboats.
S
ee
t
he Info section of the Ronstan web site and our
catalo
g
ue for im
p
ortant customer considerations
and warrant
y
information
.
9
.
0
Def
initi
o
n
s
B
B = Ball Bearin
g
R
T = Rat
c
h
e
t
M
WL = Maximum Working Loa
d
B
L = Breaking Load
D
yneem
a
®
is a trademark of Royal DSM NV.
DS
M is the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneem
a
®
,
t
he world’s strongest fibre™.
“
Dyneema
®
”,
an
d
“
D
y
neem
a
®
, the world’s stron
g
est fibre™” are
t
rademark
(
s
)
(
applications
)
owned by Royal D
S
M NV.
4.0.3
4.0.5
E
Q
U
A
L
E
Q
U
A
L
6.0
E
Q
U
A
L
E
Q
U
A
L
7.0
3.0
2.3B
ON
OFF
AUTOMANUAL
5.0