Windsurfing Van Tweak: Downhaul Crank in the Extension Rack
In the four years since I first set up my windsurfing van,I've all but completely switched from standard to RDM masts. While my old mast base extension rackhad no trouble accomodating RDM extensions, I decided to make a new rack anyway now that I'm all but completely RDM.
While I was at it I decided to fool around and see if I could get my downhaul crank to live in the rack as well. I think I came up with a solution, with both the cup of the crank as well as the handle having holes to accomodate them.
This little rack saves me time every time I rig, and I expect making the crank easier to grab will have a positive effect as well. Recently there was a thread in an iWindsurf threadstarted by a guy looking for a downhaul tool to help him rig his race sails. He said he was too cheap to buy a $46 crank and was looking for cheaper alternatives. All I could think of was:
Race sails: $600 each
Racing grade mast: $500
Racing boom $600
Rig total: $1700
...but he won't spend another 2% to allow him to tune all that precision gear? Gear that's pretty much a wasteunless it's dialed in?
It got me all excited about my Chinook crank. (We are suffering from lack of wind, folks!)
