Anchor Trolly Check Block

A cheek block is a pulley in a housing that bolts flat to a deck. On a kayak its job is to turn the anchor trolley line around the bow and stern ends of its run with as little friction as possible.

An Anchor Trolley Cheek Block Comes in Pairs

This is the thing to know before you buy. An anchor trolley is a continuous loop of line running the length of the boat, and it needs a turning block at each end — one forward, one aft. One cheek block on its own does nothing useful.

If you are building a trolley from scratch, the full shopping list is: two cheek blocks, about 30 ft of 3/16" line, a zig cleat to lock it, a ring clip to carry the anchor line, six pad eyes to guide the run, and #10-32 fasteners with well nuts. We stock the line and the cleat and most of the fittings — bring the boat and we will work out the list with you.

Why an Anchor Trolley Cheek Block and Not a Pad Eye

Friction. A trolley line has to slide freely along the hull while you are holding a paddle in the other hand. Running it through a fixed eye at a sharp turn binds, and it chafes through the line over a season. A sheave turns with the line and neither binds nor saws.

Fitting an Anchor Trolley Cheek Block

The blocks go as far forward and as far aft as you can comfortably reach and still have the trolley pull straight. Bed them in marine sealant.

Fasteners matter more here than on most deck hardware, because a cheek block takes a hard, angled pull. Use machine screws through well nuts, and back them with fender washers inside the hull if you can reach — polyethylene creeps under sustained load, and a block that pulls out takes a chunk of deck with it.

Details

• Anchor trolley cheek block

• Deck-mounted turning block for trolley line

• Two required per boat

At our Clearwater shop — bring the boat and we will plan the whole trolley with you.