Fiber Cam Cleat – Carbon on Ball Bearings (for 3–14 mm ropes)

This cam cleat stopper represents the latest generation of rope jamming cleats, combining innovative materials and design to achieve maximum performance in sailing applications. The body and cams are made from carbon fiber, making them extremely lightweight yet strong – ideal for racing and high-performance boats where every gram in the rigging counts. The jaws (cam levers) have a toothed profile that bites onto the rope under tension, preventing it from slipping. What sets this model apart is that the cams are mounted on ball bearings – instead of rotating directly on a pin, they run on ball bearings. The result is an exceptionally smooth action: you can trim or ease the line even under load with minimal effort, and the cams automatically bite firmly once you let go of the line. Traditional cam cleats, while effective, have more friction – here that is reduced to nearly zero.

Models & Compatibility: The cam cleat is available in two main sizes: small for 3–8 mm ropes and large for 5–14 mm ropes. This covers a huge range of running rigging. The small is perfect for dinghy sheets, control lines, downhauls, outhauls on sailboats up to ~30 feet, as well as any deck application using thinner lines (e.g. adjusting a bimini, ladder lines, etc.). The large model has a bigger throat and taller cam profile – built for primary sheets, guys, halyards on yachts where lines around 10–12 mm are common for comfortable handling. Because the large can accommodate up to 14 mm (think heavy spinnaker sheets or small mooring lines), it covers even heavy use cases, but it’s mainly targeted at 8–12 mm working lines. It’s important to choose the correct size – a too-thin line in a large cleat might not hold optimally.

Aluminum Jaw Option (code 56.025.11): This variant is based on the small size (3–8 mm) but instead of carbon fiber cams, it has anodized aluminum cam. This adds a bit of weight but significantly extends the life of the teeth under intense use and high loads – aluminum can withstand thousands of engagement cycles without wearing down the serrated profile. So, if you plan to use the small cleat for something like high-tech Dyneema/Spectra lines (which are small but very strong and can put a lot of pressure on the cams), the aluminum-jaw version is recommended.

Installation: Cam cleats generally mount with two screws/bolts onto the deck, mast, or another flat surface (hole spacing is usually standard). They are often paired with fairleads or bridge guides – for example, Osculati/Viadana offers a matching “pillar fairlead” that sits over the cams to guide the line from above (the 56.025.10 cleat has a corresponding guide in the same series). This is useful if your line approaches from a vertical angle or from overhead, to lead it properly into the cleat’s mouth. Install the cleat in a convenient spot where you will handle the line – e.g. near a winch or at the cockpit edge if it’s holding a sheet.

Operation: Using the cam cleat is intuitive – to engage a line, you simply pull it down between the toothed cams; they automatically grip it. To release, you tug the rope upward/outward at a certain angle and it pops free of the cams. With the bearing-equipped models, this motion is very light. In the dynamics of sailing, this means you can quickly uncleat a sheet or control line even under heavy load (say, a gust hits) – a critical safety measure to spill wind and prevent gear damage or capsize. This type of cleat is not meant to replace clutches for highly loaded halyards (where you need a more positively locking mechanism), but it’s indispensable for adjustable control lines – Cunningham, outhaul, vang, barber-haulers, etc., as well as for sheets on small and mid-sized boats. Compared to competing brands (Harken, Ronstan), this model stands out with lower weight (due to the carbon construction) and comparable holding strength, making it extremely attractive for racing boats.