masthead 3/4 7/8?

[Paul G.]

My boat originally had a 3/4 rig in 1945, a large bermudan main and a small jib set inside the forestay. The outer forestay went to the masthead and the jibstay to about 3/4. The main was huge with the boom extending over the transom, runners etc.

Now she is rigged as a masthead cutter, I am changing the rig as its a bit impractical. The mast is set well forward so there is really only room for a jib/genoa.

Purely for aesthetics, I would like a fractional rig and get some visual cues of her heyday. Since the mast is a bit of an alloy tree stump (Thanks John B!) I was proposing adding about a metre (currently 9 metres) tapering the last 2 metres and leaving pretty much everything else the same except for lengthening the backstay. I figure I would have something close to a 7/8ths rig, btw she need more power in the light (under 15 knots) so the extra area is welcome.

Thoughts?

[John B]

Thats pretty well what John G did to Thelma Paul, and that was successful.I like 7/8 myself.

You're keeping the ali?( has a bearing on whether you might add jumper struts or not.)

[Paul G.]

I am sorely tempted to make a wooden mast, that said there are a lot of pluses to the aluminium one. For a start its there! Its light and low maintenance and I paint if like Ranger's its liveable with.

Do I really want to varnish a wooden one every year..... Its a lot bigger than a Pathfinder, ie. a lot more work involved. Still, if I could use my existing rigging, most of the fittings etc and some nice cream sails hmmmm

[John B]

It won't cost much to do and you have other priorities for the winter with that cabin eh .Hand it over and get the 2 metres welded on.

[Paul G.]

I think youre right, Ill go for the simple and cheap option, the problem may be getting the right mast section. How does one transport masts around the countryside?

[John B]

Organise who's going to do the work and work in with them. If its Birkenhead wharf its not an issue. If its the guys at kumeu, ask to use their mast trailer. same for Fosters.

Actually. eureka moment. Ring Bruce Elliot on the floating dock. He's a good sort and could do the whole job, no trailer involved.

[Paul G.]

Thanks John, smile.gif

[John B]

You'd have to go for a sail to meet him and chat about the job...
:D

Where had you been last weekend when we saw you Paul?

[Hwyl]

If you were going cheap, you could make a wooden top section, and the old forestay would become the new 7/8 forestay. Just run a backstay up to the top. Have the first reef, so that it's the size of the alloy mast, plan on reefing early.

Course you could always go gaff rig and have a huge topmast.

[ 03-23-2006, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Hwyl ]

[Dan McCosh]

I'm trying to picture the original rig. I once owned a boat with a masthead forstay and a 3/4 jib. The boat was a cutter, and the genoa on the outer stay was difficult to tack. The solution was a bowsprit, adding room for the outer headsail to tack easily, with the inner sail staying the same. It was fine rig, easy to shorten sail, with good performance with both headsails off the wind.

[John B]

simple single spreader rig set up cutter head and with bowsprit.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p2e7ed8c5e9a4bc797efbe1809b0c4347/f05ec85e.jpg
Stick the extra main on Paul, and you might get to add a foot or two of sprit as well. ;)

There's a point. Paul, get a CLR before you pull her out just to provide you with a datum for any rig change you make. Shove her off the dock with your foot until you have a balance point.

[ 03-23-2006, 06:36 PM: Message edited by: John B ]