[quote="harald"]Ok, never say never :)[/quote]

No, no. Never. :D

Ok, never say never :)

[quote="harald"]Buy the Spinlock XAS model 4-8mm. You're never gonna use any larger lines
than 8mm anyways, and the holding capacity is greater and wear on an e.g.
8mm line is much less with the 4-8 model, than with the 6-12.[/quote]

I've already got XAS 6-12. And I got my boat with some halyards 10 mm, so I thought 6-12 would be OK (no plans to replace all ropes at once).

I have replaced the main winches as well (genoa winches), no backing plate
there either, just large washers and some goo.

Buy the Spinlock XAS model 4-8mm. You're never gonna use any larger lines
than 8mm anyways, and the holding capacity is greater and wear on an e.g.
8mm line is much less with the 4-8 model, than with the 6-12.

...And if you're going to replace the jammers, Spinlock XAS is a good option:

http://www.fe83.org/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album96&id=P9230065

You can use 6-12 mm rope, and even 4 mm if you replace the bottom plate of the jammer.

No reinforcement there, but the top laminate of the sandwich construction is rather thick, maybe something like 10 mm. Then there is divinycell foam core and a thin glassfibre laminate inside the boat.

In the winch and jammer area there is no divinycell core nor inner laminate. The winches and jammers are bolted through the top laminate using large washers. Then the whole area is covered with a polyester filler from inside.

When you attach new jammers or winches, you should drill the new holes through the roof and then use a bigger drill bit to drill from inside through the polyester filler until you reach the top laminate. Then you just need some bolts, big washers and Sikaflex to fix the new hardware.

Afterwards you can fill the holes and bolts from inside with polyester filler.

Harald has some pictures in his album: http://www.fe83.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album256&page=4

Hello,

Perhaps a typical FE-beginner question: are winch and jammer standard places reinforced in FE83? Or shall I use a backplate if I replace a winch or a block of jammers?

Alex