Re: [bolger] Sprit sail
Don't use the sheave at the masthead for the brail, John, all you need is a
small block for the light brail line. If you ever plan to reef, it's best to
have the bitter end of the brail and the brail block go up and down with the
throat of the sail anyway, so the geometry doesn't change. I've got mine
fastened the the throat loop/tie/lace/whatever (what _is_ it called?).
Most snotters are adjustable, but fishermen can be pretty stubborn, so
you'll find non-adjustable ones on some traditonal boats (like yours <g>).
But just loosening the snotter and letting the sprit fall forward of the
mast will make the sail set poorly. Also, there's the problem of getting the
sail lacing, hoops, or ties past the sprit. You've got to unship the sprit
and then stick it back in the snotter after the sail is lowered, a handful
in a small boat. :o(
The way I do it is (I've only tried it in the diveway so far, but the setup
seems to work well): I've got two small (stick out less than the diameter of
the snotter) thumb cleats on the aft side of my mast, the higher one to hold
the adjustable snotter up when using the full sail, the lower at a height
that will hold the snotter when the sail is reefed. I slack off the snotter
a bit, then cast off the halyard (remember, there's a loop in the end that
only lets it drop the sail to the reefed position). I reach up and slip the
snotter over the upper thumb cleat, it drops down to the lower cleat,
pulling the sail and lacing down with it. I move the snap shackle on the
tack downhaul up to the grommet at the reef (keeping the unreefed tack
grommet in the shackle, so it holds both), tighten the downhaul, then peak
up the sprit again with the snotter. Then I grab the reef cringle (grommet)
on the leech with the snap shackle on my sheets in the same fashion, and
finally, I bundle up and tie the unused sail with the reef points. <whew!>
Fortunately, my boat was designed for the windy lakes and bays of the Oregon
Coast and has a small sail, which it will safely carry unreefed in any
weather I'd want to be out in (and hence the sluggishness in light breezes),
but someday I might need that reef...
Your boat is probably rigged with a similar philosophy in mind, the full
mainsail is small enough to be used in anything the fishermen wanted to be
out in, but if things got scary they'd scandalize the sail (they'd probably
dowsed the jib a while back). In light breezes they probably had a topsail
of some sort, or in later years an outboard or inboard engine.
Thames barges are a special case. The complicated rigging needed for their
small crew to handle their huge sails isn't necessary in a small boat.
small block for the light brail line. If you ever plan to reef, it's best to
have the bitter end of the brail and the brail block go up and down with the
throat of the sail anyway, so the geometry doesn't change. I've got mine
fastened the the throat loop/tie/lace/whatever (what _is_ it called?).
Most snotters are adjustable, but fishermen can be pretty stubborn, so
you'll find non-adjustable ones on some traditonal boats (like yours <g>).
But just loosening the snotter and letting the sprit fall forward of the
mast will make the sail set poorly. Also, there's the problem of getting the
sail lacing, hoops, or ties past the sprit. You've got to unship the sprit
and then stick it back in the snotter after the sail is lowered, a handful
in a small boat. :o(
The way I do it is (I've only tried it in the diveway so far, but the setup
seems to work well): I've got two small (stick out less than the diameter of
the snotter) thumb cleats on the aft side of my mast, the higher one to hold
the adjustable snotter up when using the full sail, the lower at a height
that will hold the snotter when the sail is reefed. I slack off the snotter
a bit, then cast off the halyard (remember, there's a loop in the end that
only lets it drop the sail to the reefed position). I reach up and slip the
snotter over the upper thumb cleat, it drops down to the lower cleat,
pulling the sail and lacing down with it. I move the snap shackle on the
tack downhaul up to the grommet at the reef (keeping the unreefed tack
grommet in the shackle, so it holds both), tighten the downhaul, then peak
up the sprit again with the snotter. Then I grab the reef cringle (grommet)
on the leech with the snap shackle on my sheets in the same fashion, and
finally, I bundle up and tie the unused sail with the reef points. <whew!>
Fortunately, my boat was designed for the windy lakes and bays of the Oregon
Coast and has a small sail, which it will safely carry unreefed in any
weather I'd want to be out in (and hence the sluggishness in light breezes),
but someday I might need that reef...
Your boat is probably rigged with a similar philosophy in mind, the full
mainsail is small enough to be used in anything the fishermen wanted to be
out in, but if things got scary they'd scandalize the sail (they'd probably
dowsed the jib a while back). In light breezes they probably had a topsail
of some sort, or in later years an outboard or inboard engine.
Thames barges are a special case. The complicated rigging needed for their
small crew to handle their huge sails isn't necessary in a small boat.
On Fri, 06 Jun 2003 12:01:48 -0000, Honest John wrote:
> ...
> I wasn't sure if it was the line which used the single sheave
> in the mast, but I'll try it out and use a block from the masthead for
> the halyard.
> ...
> I'm looking at a book here called 'Working Boats of Britain' by Eric
> McKee, 1983/1997, which shows very clear drawings of some of sprit
> rigs, and interestingly, a series of diagrams re: 'reduction of
> spritsail area'. The text notes, if I have understood it correctly,
> that it is most desirable to lower the mainsail proportionatly, as the
> sail is reefed up from the bottom. This lowers the Centre of Effort
> which otherwise would become undesirably high. The snotter end of the
> sprit is taken in (pushed further forward of the mast) as the mainsail
> is lowered, apparently by way of extending and re-tying the snotter.
> In an older volume of rigging diagrams there are images of Thames
> barges with multiple brailing lines on their huge sails; apparently
> the largest sails which it was possible for two men alone to handle
> (at the beginning of the previous century).
> ...
--
John <jkohnen@...>
http://www.boat-links.com/
Nobody ought to wear a Greek fisherman's hat unless
they meet two conditions:
1. He is a Greek
2. He is a Fisherman <Roy Blount Jr.>
Ford and Steve,
In so much as I am entitled to any opinion at all, regarding a matter
which I have professed and shown myself to be exquisitly ingnorant of,
the suggestions which lead the brailing line to points on the leech
below the peak seem most viable. I think I'll put a grommet at a
locations about equidistant from the peak and the throat for that
purpose. I wasn't sure if it was the line which used the single sheave
in the mast, but I'll try it out and use a block from the masthead for
the halyard. Craig, re: the topsail spar, I'll have a look around the
harbours here to see how the spars are usually fixed. I have seen one
rig in harbour where a metal strip with an eye welded on it was fitted
around the mast at a point somewhat below the masthead. That would
then effectively define the max. heighth that the mainsail could be
raised to, and the remaining piece of mast (ca. 1.5m) would be for the
topsail; I presume...
I'm looking at a book here called 'Working Boats of Britain' by Eric
McKee, 1983/1997, which shows very clear drawings of some of sprit
rigs, and interestingly, a series of diagrams re: 'reduction of
spritsail area'. The text notes, if I have understood it correctly,
that it is most desirable to lower the mainsail proportionatly, as the
sail is reefed up from the bottom. This lowers the Centre of Effort
which otherwise would become undesirably high. The snotter end of the
sprit is taken in (pushed further forward of the mast) as the mainsail
is lowered, apparently by way of extending and re-tying the snotter.
In an older volume of rigging diagrams there are images of Thames
barges with multiple brailing lines on their huge sails; apparently
the largest sails which it was possible for two men alone to handle
(at the beginning of the previous century).
Thanks again for the comments and suggestions, I do appreciate the
response and help with this topic.
In so much as I am entitled to any opinion at all, regarding a matter
which I have professed and shown myself to be exquisitly ingnorant of,
the suggestions which lead the brailing line to points on the leech
below the peak seem most viable. I think I'll put a grommet at a
locations about equidistant from the peak and the throat for that
purpose. I wasn't sure if it was the line which used the single sheave
in the mast, but I'll try it out and use a block from the masthead for
the halyard. Craig, re: the topsail spar, I'll have a look around the
harbours here to see how the spars are usually fixed. I have seen one
rig in harbour where a metal strip with an eye welded on it was fitted
around the mast at a point somewhat below the masthead. That would
then effectively define the max. heighth that the mainsail could be
raised to, and the remaining piece of mast (ca. 1.5m) would be for the
topsail; I presume...
I'm looking at a book here called 'Working Boats of Britain' by Eric
McKee, 1983/1997, which shows very clear drawings of some of sprit
rigs, and interestingly, a series of diagrams re: 'reduction of
spritsail area'. The text notes, if I have understood it correctly,
that it is most desirable to lower the mainsail proportionatly, as the
sail is reefed up from the bottom. This lowers the Centre of Effort
which otherwise would become undesirably high. The snotter end of the
sprit is taken in (pushed further forward of the mast) as the mainsail
is lowered, apparently by way of extending and re-tying the snotter.
In an older volume of rigging diagrams there are images of Thames
barges with multiple brailing lines on their huge sails; apparently
the largest sails which it was possible for two men alone to handle
(at the beginning of the previous century).
Thanks again for the comments and suggestions, I do appreciate the
response and help with this topic.