Ketch Rigging Question

[HR]

Our boat is a 40' one-off heavily built cruising ketch (with solid spars), built in the Bahamas in 1965.

There is a triatic stay running from the main masthead to the mizzen about 10' down from the masthead. The mizzen has upper shrouds (and spreaders) in the same plane as the spar, and lowers that lead slightly aft of the spar. Nothing leads forward.

I had a local "rigger" look over the rigging and he suggested moving the triatic to the mizzen masthead, making it out of wire the same diameter as the mizzen shrouds, and adding running backstays to the mizzen for use in heavy weather.

Any thoughts on his suggestions?

Howard

[Jay Greer]

Howard,
The reason for attaching a triatic stay below the mizzen mast head on your boat could be to apply the load of the main in the best place on the mast.
A mast with little fore and aft support, when loaded in compression, will tend to take on an S curve.
A well designed rigging gang is intended to pull that curve out of the mast. And, unless your masts do not remain straight fore and aft when loaded, there is not a lot of need to add running backs to the mizzen unless you are planning to add a lot of down wind sails such as a mizzen staysail or mast head spinnakers on the main and mizzen. Even so, running backs can be added to the mizzen at the current point of attachment of the triatic stay. The new Spectra Weave cordage can be used in place of wire and is easy to splice, light and will afford little chafe on your sails. A set of three part tackles within easy reach of the helmsman should make tending this extra rigging fairly easy.
JG

[Ian McColgin]

I rather agree with Jay. She sounds correctly rigged as is.

If the main mast pumps in a seaway, then you might add runners to it, especially if you've a forestaysail that needs bracing there. Leave the mizzen alone. If you carry a mizzen staysail in heavy weather, maybe light runners for it but probably not as you'd then have the mizzen itself furled and the strain taken on the topping lift and sheet.

G'luck

[HR]

Thanks for the input. I'll take your advice and leave the rig alone.

Howard

[Ian McColgin]

One further thought which is less likely if the main mast has a bit of a rake. You might look for a chainplate to a main mast backstay. Sometimes it's one cable coming down on one side of the mizzen at about the gooseneck and into the cockpit sole. There'd be a tie to the horn timber under that. Alternativly, there may have been a split backstay - roughly the same path but the chainplates are out on the gunnel near one set or another of the mizzen chainplates. Especially if one of the mizzen chainplates is twice as wide and has two holes, this is it.

G'luck

[HR]

The main mast does have split backstays that run to chainplates aft of the mizzen shrouds. The rigger was concerned that there wasn't enough support for the mizzen, but the mizzen sail is quite small (only about 130 sq ft). Here's a photo showing the rig...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p5a59cf5eafdb358e21d33512d251a519/ec553f45.jpg

[Jay Greer]

Nice looking boat and rig! I always like to see the mizzen raked a little more than the main. That way they look better.
Jay

[TimothyB]

Hey is this the vessel that was sold a year or so ago that had 'horseflesh' mahagony frames and etc?

At least, I recall a vessel that looked just like yours that was going through Cannel, Payne & Page

[HR]

Thanks, Jay.

Yes, Timothy, that's the boat. We bought her in November 2004 directly from the owner, but she was listed with CPP. She was in pretty rough shape cosmetically and had virtually no "systems", but structurally is very solid. We've been sloooooowly working to put her into shape.

[rbgarr]

I remember seeing you at BBH Shipyard before you left and were busy rigging the sails. Didn't you also post a recounting of your 'voyage' home from there?

The ketch (MAMOLO??) looks great!

[HR]

Dave, we also met at Steven Bauer's last year.

I'm not sure if I posted about the trip home, but I did post about this summer's cruise to Newfoundland here (http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=54910). And you're close - it's "Malolo".