Pole downhaul starting from the pole. Note the thin shockcord that pulls down on the pole downhaul, keeping it away from the end of the pole, so that it does not wrap around the pole, or go into the end fitting. The downhaul starts from the pole, goes through a thimble on shockcord, up to the turning block at the top of the ram, down along the mast, though the mast step, to a cheek block underneath the mast step, where it is turned aft, and comes through the bulkhead, on the floor.
Pole downhaul detail. Detail of downhaul coming through bulkhead. Note that the downhaul line emgerges through the bulkhead, goes around a bullet block, and then returns to the bulkhead where it is dead ended. This provides the positive stop to the downhaul. The pole cannot sky! Some boats add a cleat on the bulkhead, so that the positive stop point can be adjusted.
More Pole downhaul and Centerboard cap details. The pole downhaul goes to a floating bullet block, and back forward to the bulkhead. As the pole is pushed out, the bullet block is dragged forward until it jams at the bulkhead. That is the positive stop on the downhaul, so that the pole cannot sky. A shockord on the floating bullet block takes up any slack in the downhaul.
Some of the other controls visible are the mainsheet jammer, the tackle for the CB lifting pin, the cunningham, and the jib fore-and-aft lead adjustment.
Pole downhaul at transom.The shockcord is lead aft to the transom to a turning block, and then forward on the other side of the CB trunk.