This bit of invention was also a source of contention. It is a swiveling mainsheet cleat. Pat took a standard, everyday block , a square of aluminum, and a flange-based camcleat and made this swiveling mainsheet cleat

I am dead set against cleating down the mainsheet on a small sailboat - it just seems like a recipe for disaster. Pat is of another mind, however, and since he was making the parts, who was I to argue?

The end result is just fine - the design works such that if you want to 'let tacks and sheets fly' you pretty much just pop and let go. It works great and I learned something (still won't cleat the mainsheet, though)