Re: non-jamming lacing to a tapered mast
> If you'll pardon the graphic analogy, remember the scene in "TheGraduate" -
> Anne Bancroft, wasn't it, as Mrs Robinson? she bunched up thestocking and
> stuck her toe into the bunch, then kinda rolled it over her(tapered!!) leg,
> no?As a point of nomenclature, is this the Bancroft method, the Robinson
method or the Gilham method?
Peter
Thanks Wayne.
Soon as I can get a length of bungie cord I'll try it.
Rick
Soon as I can get a length of bungie cord I'll try it.
Rick
>Now the solution: On the ground, tie-off head and tack to some stakes in
>the ground, to stretch out the luff. Paralleling the luff-rope, lay a length
>of bungee-cord, stretched out to at least twice its relaxed length, then
>sieze the bungee-cord at each lacing-cringle. When you let go the head and
>tack, the bungee will "bunch up" the luff to maybe half its usual length,
>therefore half the spacing between lacing-cringles. (I've found this
>necessary only on the top 1/3 of my luff, essentially 'cause the taper of MY
>mizzen mast is most pronounced only up there...)
>
>So: as you raise such a sail, the whole bunched-up mess is pulled halfway up
>toward the top of the mast, then with a (longer than usual) downhaul
>attached to the tack, you stretch the sail down FROM the top, and lo! no
>binding, 'cause when bunched up the lacing easily passes over the
>larger-diameter portion of the mast, and is pulled down easily, tightening
>perfectly over the mast-taper.
>
>
>
ok, ok, here's my little trick to make it possible to raise a laced-on sail
up on a tapered mast...
First the problem: IF you use one of bolger's recommended lacing schemes,
where an "X" is created around the mast from each lacing cringle to the next
one up (doubled lacing lines, actually tied together where-ever the two
lines cross ahead of the mast), this lacing "tightens up" to the diameter of
the mast when the luff is stretched tight. Sail hangs great, BUT: as you
are raising the halyard and the sail's head raises away from the remaining
bundle of the sail on-deck, it's the luff-rope or luff-edge that lifts the
sail, right? kinda stretched tight, right, from the weight of the remaining
sail still on-deck? and that'll tighten the lacing (carefully set up to be
"just right" for the much thinner diameter of the top of the mast, no?)
right snug around the too-big diameter of the lower part of the mast. And
boy does it JAM. ain't no way ya can pull the sail up, i know....
Now the solution: On the ground, tie-off head and tack to some stakes in
the ground, to stretch out the luff. Paralleling the luff-rope, lay a length
of bungee-cord, stretched out to at least twice its relaxed length, then
sieze the bungee-cord at each lacing-cringle. When you let go the head and
tack, the bungee will "bunch up" the luff to maybe half its usual length,
therefore half the spacing between lacing-cringles. (I've found this
necessary only on the top 1/3 of my luff, essentially 'cause the taper of MY
mizzen mast is most pronounced only up there...)
So: as you raise such a sail, the whole bunched-up mess is pulled halfway up
toward the top of the mast, then with a (longer than usual) downhaul
attached to the tack, you stretch the sail down FROM the top, and lo! no
binding, 'cause when bunched up the lacing easily passes over the
larger-diameter portion of the mast, and is pulled down easily, tightening
perfectly over the mast-taper.
If you'll pardon the graphic analogy, remember the scene in "The Graduate" -
Anne Bancroft, wasn't it, as Mrs Robinson? she bunched up the stocking and
stuck her toe into the bunch, then kinda rolled it over her (tapered!!) leg,
no?
Regards,
Wayne Gilham
Associate Broker
Gig Harbor Yacht Sales
253 / 851-2674
cell: 253 / 318-9873
personal e-mail:wgilham@...
up on a tapered mast...
First the problem: IF you use one of bolger's recommended lacing schemes,
where an "X" is created around the mast from each lacing cringle to the next
one up (doubled lacing lines, actually tied together where-ever the two
lines cross ahead of the mast), this lacing "tightens up" to the diameter of
the mast when the luff is stretched tight. Sail hangs great, BUT: as you
are raising the halyard and the sail's head raises away from the remaining
bundle of the sail on-deck, it's the luff-rope or luff-edge that lifts the
sail, right? kinda stretched tight, right, from the weight of the remaining
sail still on-deck? and that'll tighten the lacing (carefully set up to be
"just right" for the much thinner diameter of the top of the mast, no?)
right snug around the too-big diameter of the lower part of the mast. And
boy does it JAM. ain't no way ya can pull the sail up, i know....
Now the solution: On the ground, tie-off head and tack to some stakes in
the ground, to stretch out the luff. Paralleling the luff-rope, lay a length
of bungee-cord, stretched out to at least twice its relaxed length, then
sieze the bungee-cord at each lacing-cringle. When you let go the head and
tack, the bungee will "bunch up" the luff to maybe half its usual length,
therefore half the spacing between lacing-cringles. (I've found this
necessary only on the top 1/3 of my luff, essentially 'cause the taper of MY
mizzen mast is most pronounced only up there...)
So: as you raise such a sail, the whole bunched-up mess is pulled halfway up
toward the top of the mast, then with a (longer than usual) downhaul
attached to the tack, you stretch the sail down FROM the top, and lo! no
binding, 'cause when bunched up the lacing easily passes over the
larger-diameter portion of the mast, and is pulled down easily, tightening
perfectly over the mast-taper.
If you'll pardon the graphic analogy, remember the scene in "The Graduate" -
Anne Bancroft, wasn't it, as Mrs Robinson? she bunched up the stocking and
stuck her toe into the bunch, then kinda rolled it over her (tapered!!) leg,
no?
Regards,
Wayne Gilham
Associate Broker
Gig Harbor Yacht Sales
253 / 851-2674
cell: 253 / 318-9873
personal e-mail:wgilham@...