Farpoint 14 Inch Dovetail Saddle

Product Overview

The Farpoint 14″ Dovetail Saddle clamps D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail bars and gives twice the clamping length of a standard 7″ saddle. It is machined from aluminum with a black anodized finish and CNC-machined in the USA. A non-marring clamping bar spreads the grip across a long stretch of the dovetail face rather than concentrating it at a single screw tip.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you…

• carry a long D-size dovetail bar and want the clamping load spread over 14″ rather than 7″
• run a heavy optical tube and want more contact area between saddle and bar
• already own D-size (Losmandy-style) dovetail hardware and are adding a saddle to match
• want clamping that leaves the anodizing on your dovetail intact

Key Features & Design

• 14″ clamping length: twice the length of the 7″ saddle in the same line, spreading the grip along the bar.
• Non-marring clamping bar: a full bar presses flat on the dovetail face instead of a bare screw tip, so clamping stays smooth and repeatable and leaves no divots.
• D-size fit: clamps D-size (Losmandy-style) bars, the wider of the two common dovetail standards.
• Black anodized aluminum: machined from sturdy aluminum with a black anodized finish.
• Made in the USA: CNC-machined in the USA.
• Published weight: 4.25 lb.

Mechanical Design

A dovetail saddle holds the bar by pinching its angled faces. With a bare clamp screw the whole load sits on one point, and over time the screw tip cuts divots into the aluminum; the bar then wanders into those old grooves and the joint develops play. The clamping bar on this saddle presents a flat face along the dovetail, so the same clamping force is distributed over a much larger area. The 14″ span also resists the twisting moment a long or heavy tube applies to the joint, which is where the extra length over a 7″ saddle shows up.

Recommended Uses

• Mounting a long refractor or a large SCT that already rides on a D-size bar.
• Carrying a 14″ or longer dovetail bar where a 7″ saddle grips only part of it.
• Supporting side-by-side tandem work — Farpoint publishes 14″, 18″ and 22″ tandem bars for two-scope setups.
• Unattended imaging runs where a settled, repeatable clamp matters.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

• Dovetail standard: D-size (Losmandy-style) bars. V-size (Vixen-style) bars are narrower and are handled by the V-size saddles in the same line.
• Length: 14″.
• Related saddles: the 7″ saddle covers Vixen-style mount head upgrades; the 6″ Takahashi saddle converts EM-style mounts to quick release; the 7″ EQ6 / Atlas conversion replaces the stock Vixen saddle on an EQ6 or Orion Atlas; and the 7″ D-to-V adapter assembly puts a D-bar telescope on a V-size mount.
• Tandem work: Farpoint's 14″, 18″ and 22″ side-by-side bars pair with this saddle for two-scope rigs.

Tell us your telescope and mount and we’ll confirm the fit.

Good to Know Before You Order

• Saddle only. The dovetail bar and the mount are separate items.
• D-size profile. The jaws are cut for the wider D-size bar, so a narrower V-size bar sits loose in them.
• Mount interface varies. The saddle bolts to a mount head, and the bolt pattern on your particular mount determines what hardware is involved; we can look that up with you.
• Published weight is 4.25 lb. Shipping is calculated at 5 lb, the next whole pound.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which dovetail bars does it clamp?

D-size (Losmandy-style) bars — the wider of the two standards. The narrower V-size (Vixen-style) bars are handled by the V-size saddles in the same line.

Is it difficult to install?

It is a bolt-on part. The saddle fastens to the mount head with the mount's own hardware, and the telescope's dovetail then slides in and is clamped. No machining or alignment procedure is involved.

What does “non-marring” mean?

Instead of a screw tip digging into the dovetail, a full clamping bar presses flat against the dovetail face. It grips at least as hard and leaves no divots or scratches in the anodizing.

When does the 14″ length pay off?

With long bars and heavier tubes, where the extra clamping length spreads the load and adds stability. For a Vixen-style mount head upgrade, the 7″ saddle is the one in this line.

Bottom Line

In short: a 14″ D-size saddle with a non-marring clamping bar, CNC-machined in the USA from black anodized aluminum and published at 4.25 lb — twice the clamping length of the standard 7″ saddle, for long bars and heavy tubes.