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Recent inquiries prompted putting up this page providing technical advice on selecting blocks, line and related systems for our Dolphins. There are many ways to skin this cat - the equipment suppliers and retailer catalogues, and their online cousins are a good source. Most of us have these catalogues - West Marine, Defenders, Harken's and others - usually not far from hand to anyone restoring an old boat. Getting online and doing some research is the next step in serious evaluation. Zooming in on some of the pictures of other Dolphins on this website, using the Forum, and walking around marinas with a camera are other possibilities.
Once past the basic information gathering stage the real fun starts. What's on sale, good bargains on Ebay or available at used marine parts stores, and especially what's in your spare parts box, are influential factors. And, for the traditionalist, those old bronze winches, eye straps and wood cheek blocks might be heavy but are also irresistible.
 Individual boat characteristics may have an impact. For example, on Marionette her mast has the old double groove, large diameter sheaves for her original wire/rope halyards. Not wanting to change these sheaves made selection of a larger diameter line than otherwise necessary so it would not 'jam' in the small groove.
Intended use and prevailing conditions are variables. Hard core racing on San Francisco Bay with its strong breezes are a lot different than fair weather, light air cruising on western Long Island Sound.
Personal preferences on handling can be important - you can get a grip on a hefty 7/16" mainsheet in wet, heavy breeze, but those same sheets dragging in the water dead downwind make you wish you had at most a 3/8" or 5/16" diameter line. Some racers would carry 1/4" main sheet just for light air..
The following links are useful interactive sites that allow you to input your data and get useful guidelines for loads and new equipment. The Harken site has a link, shown here, specific to the Dolphin 24 (Yankee). We'll put up other sources as readers advise of their utility.
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