Re: [bolger] Sail Rigging Question
In a message dated 8/3/02 10:26:14 AM Central Daylight Time,
pseudodion3@...writes:
All of the fittings are specified as "Race-Lite" brand and model numbers are
given. My West Marine "Master Catalog" doesn't include Race-Lite brand
fittings for some reason, but if you can find the appropriate catalog, you
should be halfway there.
My interpretation of the main sheet arrangement is that the block on the end
of the boom is a single-sheave, double becket block, perhaps with a swivel
between one becket and the boom. One end of the mainsheet is tied off or
eye-spliced to the other becket, run around the sheave on the block on the
traveller, then around the sheave on the boom and to your hand. The block on
the traveller could be a single sheave block with a single becket. The line
forming the traveller would pass through the becket. Alternatively it could
be two single blocks joined by a swivel, in which case the traveller would be
rove through the lower sheave and the sheet through the upper.
Either way, this leaves you pulling down on the mainsheet, which might some
virtues, but ergonomics is not one of them, IMHO. On those occasions where
I've found myself with the use of a boat rigged in such a fashion for any
length of time, I've contrived by one means or another to run the sheet
though a block, down low, usually equipped with a cam cleat, so I'm pulling
up, rather than down, on the sheet. I find this a whole lot more comfortable,
with or without the cleat, but once you put up with the bother of mounting
the extra block and swivel, the cleat is pretty nice to have too.
I think that you are correct in inferring that the lower block runs on a rope
traveller, but the chapter in "Low Resistance Boats" doesn't address the
rigging of the spritsail in any detail and the photo is too low definition to
shed any light on the matter. M. Firth-Jones might be profitably consulted.
I don't have any experience with this sort of "slack" traveller or with sprit
rigs, but I generally dislike bits of running rigging that are free to slop
about when they are not under tension. In the plan view, the angle the
sheet-traveller makes corresponds to a line from the leech at the foot and
the luff at the head - in 3D this would only be a rough approximation of the
geometry, but it might be important to the set of the sail. If this is the
case, I can't think of any acceptable alternative to the scheme shown.
The sheeting angle would vary, if the length of the traveller was varied.
That length could readily be made adjustable. I don't know if there is an
optimal length, or if this is a string to be tweaked depending upon
conditions.
Perhaps some Bolgerista with spritsail experience could enlighten us? I'm
sure I'm not alone in my curiosity.
BTW, do you plan to make your own sails? I'm guessing that sailmakers with
expertise in spritsails are few and far between.
As far as the sprit rigging is concerned, it looks to me like the "RL 301A
with eyestrap" may be a cheek block secured to the sprit. One end of the line
secured to the end of the sprit with an eye-splice or a appropriate hitch,
the other secured to a cleat on the mast. In essence it acts as a sort of
turning block, but does give a 2:1 ratio. Of course, I'm only squinting at
the same plans you are, and don't know what a "RL 301A" looks like, so I'm
only guessing. I don't have a clue what an "eye strap" is, unless its just a
simple fairlead.
Ciao for Niao,
Bill in MN
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
pseudodion3@...writes:
> First, there is one block that fits on the end of the boom -- this isDennis:
> not the problem. There is a second block that attaches to the sheet
> horse. Here is what I do not understand. Does one attach the block
> the sheet horse so that the wheel (I'm not sure what it is called)
> attaches to the horse?
All of the fittings are specified as "Race-Lite" brand and model numbers are
given. My West Marine "Master Catalog" doesn't include Race-Lite brand
fittings for some reason, but if you can find the appropriate catalog, you
should be halfway there.
My interpretation of the main sheet arrangement is that the block on the end
of the boom is a single-sheave, double becket block, perhaps with a swivel
between one becket and the boom. One end of the mainsheet is tied off or
eye-spliced to the other becket, run around the sheave on the block on the
traveller, then around the sheave on the boom and to your hand. The block on
the traveller could be a single sheave block with a single becket. The line
forming the traveller would pass through the becket. Alternatively it could
be two single blocks joined by a swivel, in which case the traveller would be
rove through the lower sheave and the sheet through the upper.
Either way, this leaves you pulling down on the mainsheet, which might some
virtues, but ergonomics is not one of them, IMHO. On those occasions where
I've found myself with the use of a boat rigged in such a fashion for any
length of time, I've contrived by one means or another to run the sheet
though a block, down low, usually equipped with a cam cleat, so I'm pulling
up, rather than down, on the sheet. I find this a whole lot more comfortable,
with or without the cleat, but once you put up with the bother of mounting
the extra block and swivel, the cleat is pretty nice to have too.
I think that you are correct in inferring that the lower block runs on a rope
traveller, but the chapter in "Low Resistance Boats" doesn't address the
rigging of the spritsail in any detail and the photo is too low definition to
shed any light on the matter. M. Firth-Jones might be profitably consulted.
I don't have any experience with this sort of "slack" traveller or with sprit
rigs, but I generally dislike bits of running rigging that are free to slop
about when they are not under tension. In the plan view, the angle the
sheet-traveller makes corresponds to a line from the leech at the foot and
the luff at the head - in 3D this would only be a rough approximation of the
geometry, but it might be important to the set of the sail. If this is the
case, I can't think of any acceptable alternative to the scheme shown.
The sheeting angle would vary, if the length of the traveller was varied.
That length could readily be made adjustable. I don't know if there is an
optimal length, or if this is a string to be tweaked depending upon
conditions.
Perhaps some Bolgerista with spritsail experience could enlighten us? I'm
sure I'm not alone in my curiosity.
BTW, do you plan to make your own sails? I'm guessing that sailmakers with
expertise in spritsails are few and far between.
As far as the sprit rigging is concerned, it looks to me like the "RL 301A
with eyestrap" may be a cheek block secured to the sprit. One end of the line
secured to the end of the sprit with an eye-splice or a appropriate hitch,
the other secured to a cleat on the mast. In essence it acts as a sort of
turning block, but does give a 2:1 ratio. Of course, I'm only squinting at
the same plans you are, and don't know what a "RL 301A" looks like, so I'm
only guessing. I don't have a clue what an "eye strap" is, unless its just a
simple fairlead.
Ciao for Niao,
Bill in MN
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Hi Dennis, There is an element of guesswork about my answer but then I
havn't seen your rig. A question. Does the block on the end of the
boom have a becket? If so this is probably where your sheet is
attached. Then through the sheet horse (over the sheave), then back to
the block on the end of the boom and over the sheave (wheel) then into
your hand. The block on the sheet horse is attached to the sheet
horse by means of the shackle. The bitter end is in your hand. By
definition the bitter end is the "loose" end. If there is no becket on
the block at the end of the boom them my guess is that you just attach
it at the end of the boom some other way, an eye strap or hole in the
boom. For the sprit arrangement my guess is that the eye strap is to
attach the block to the mast. If this rig works like the Teal the
snotter would be attached to the end of the sprit (is there a slot at
the end of the sprit?) by means of a stopper knot, then to the block
and around down to a cleat on the mast.
Bob Chamberland
havn't seen your rig. A question. Does the block on the end of the
boom have a becket? If so this is probably where your sheet is
attached. Then through the sheet horse (over the sheave), then back to
the block on the end of the boom and over the sheave (wheel) then into
your hand. The block on the sheet horse is attached to the sheet
horse by means of the shackle. The bitter end is in your hand. By
definition the bitter end is the "loose" end. If there is no becket on
the block at the end of the boom them my guess is that you just attach
it at the end of the boom some other way, an eye strap or hole in the
boom. For the sprit arrangement my guess is that the eye strap is to
attach the block to the mast. If this rig works like the Teal the
snotter would be attached to the end of the sprit (is there a slot at
the end of the sprit?) by means of a stopper knot, then to the block
and around down to a cleat on the mast.
Bob Chamberland
--- In bolger@y..., "pseudodion42" <pseudodion3@a...> wrote:
> Bolgerados, when I build the Bolger/Carnell Featherwind last year,
> the rigging of the sail was simple. A couple of eyesplices, a snap
> hood for the sheet and I was off. The Dobler, however, requires
some
> blocks. Perhaps someone here can help me decipher how to fit them
to
> work.
>
> First, there is one block that fits on the end of the boom -- this
is
> not the problem. There is a second block that attaches to the sheet
> horse. Here is what I do not understand. Does one attach the block
> the sheet horse so that the wheel (I'm not sure what it is called)
> attaches to the horse? But if I do this, the two part purchase on
the
> main sheet would seem to be compromised. If I am correct, then how
> does one attach the bugger? Further, how does one run the sheet
> through the blocks and where does the bitter end of the main sheet
go
> (I know one end goes in my hand, but I mean the other bitter end)?
>
> Secondly, the snotter for the sprit arrangement includes a block
with
> an eye strap. My question here is, is the eye strap simply the
means
> by which the block is attached to the mast or would the snotter run
> through both the block and strap and down to the cleat? The plans
are
> a little fuzzy on this point. I'm hoping someone here with more
> experience can set me straight. I appreciate it.
>
> Dennis
Bolgerados, when I build the Bolger/Carnell Featherwind last year,
the rigging of the sail was simple. A couple of eyesplices, a snap
hood for the sheet and I was off. The Dobler, however, requires some
blocks. Perhaps someone here can help me decipher how to fit them to
work.
First, there is one block that fits on the end of the boom -- this is
not the problem. There is a second block that attaches to the sheet
horse. Here is what I do not understand. Does one attach the block
the sheet horse so that the wheel (I'm not sure what it is called)
attaches to the horse? But if I do this, the two part purchase on the
main sheet would seem to be compromised. If I am correct, then how
does one attach the bugger? Further, how does one run the sheet
through the blocks and where does the bitter end of the main sheet go
(I know one end goes in my hand, but I mean the other bitter end)?
Secondly, the snotter for the sprit arrangement includes a block with
an eye strap. My question here is, is the eye strap simply the means
by which the block is attached to the mast or would the snotter run
through both the block and strap and down to the cleat? The plans are
a little fuzzy on this point. I'm hoping someone here with more
experience can set me straight. I appreciate it.
Dennis
the rigging of the sail was simple. A couple of eyesplices, a snap
hood for the sheet and I was off. The Dobler, however, requires some
blocks. Perhaps someone here can help me decipher how to fit them to
work.
First, there is one block that fits on the end of the boom -- this is
not the problem. There is a second block that attaches to the sheet
horse. Here is what I do not understand. Does one attach the block
the sheet horse so that the wheel (I'm not sure what it is called)
attaches to the horse? But if I do this, the two part purchase on the
main sheet would seem to be compromised. If I am correct, then how
does one attach the bugger? Further, how does one run the sheet
through the blocks and where does the bitter end of the main sheet go
(I know one end goes in my hand, but I mean the other bitter end)?
Secondly, the snotter for the sprit arrangement includes a block with
an eye strap. My question here is, is the eye strap simply the means
by which the block is attached to the mast or would the snotter run
through both the block and strap and down to the cleat? The plans are
a little fuzzy on this point. I'm hoping someone here with more
experience can set me straight. I appreciate it.
Dennis