Bowsprit or Not

[Moggy]

My 25' Sadler bilge-keeler is overdue a serious refit, and one of the options I'm considering is to fit a bowsprit with a stay from the masthead and an inner stay from about 3/4 of the way up the mast. What I want to achieve is to have a greater choice of sails and extra sail in light airs. However! This is but theory to me and I'm not even sure if it will give any great advantage...but I kind of fancy the project!

Any thoughts in support of this change to a cutter-rig or indeed against it would be grateful received and read.

Cheers, Moggy

 

[oldsaltoz]

As you only plan to use it in light air, have you considered a retractable version?

Cheaper to build and maintain, will not cause problems or extra cost in marinas etc.

 

[Moggy]

Hiya Oz...Thanks for your reply...I'll use it whenever she'll take full sail really and I've always felt she tries to come up into the wind before she needs too when close hauled, so I thought that bringing the sail plan further forward might go some way to curing that.

I've considered building a retractable 'sprit but she's a bonny boat and it'd almost be a shame to not to sculpt something that's more fitting to a lady of her advanced years. In the area I tend to cruise we have a system whereby, when I leave my mooring I leave a "vacant" sign and my date of return so that visitors can use it while I'm away...members of other clubs all up and down the fjord do the same, so you get 3 days free mooring where there are vacant berths. Good system. Anyhow...it'll only amount to an extra 3 feet or so and that keeps me within the same bracket as I am now. (Under 28')
Cheers...Moggy

 

[ianat182]

Make the sprit about 3ft and you've got a platform to use a cruising chute or assymetric for those light airs ,and no rigging complications. Using something like Topper mast section it could be built to retract,or telescope when finished with the chute. Using some small pulleys and light tackle to set when required.
Selden and others sell them, but may give you a cheaper DIY project opportunity.

Too much weather helm, then maybe reduce the rake of the mast, or check it with a Sadler Owners association website for the recommended setup.

ianat182

 

[earlybird]

[QUOTE one of the options I'm considering is to fit a bowsprit with a stay from the masthead and an inner stay from about 3/4 of the way up the mast.
[/QUOTE]

I seem to remember the Sadler 25 mast being criticized as subject to rather excessive flexing in strong winds. A stay at 3/4 height would need corresponding aft support by runners or similar. Perhaps not a good idea IMHO.

 

[Moggy]

[QUOTE one of the options I'm considering is to fit a bowsprit with a stay from the masthead and an inner stay from about 3/4 of the way up the mast.

I seem to remember the Sadler 25 mast being criticized as subject to rather excessive flexing in strong winds. A stay at 3/4 height would need corresponding aft support by runners or similar. Perhaps not a good idea IMHO.[/QUOTE]

I'm fairly sure then, that the mast is not an original S25 mast! The standing rigging as is pretty beefy, and I doubt the mast would bend very much no matter what forces were applied! I suspect also that the mast is shorter than the original.

Although this rig maybe isn't the fastest of rigs, I'm quite happy with it from the point of view that we're planning some longish trips and this safety factor is desirable.

 

[Cliveshep]

According to Michael Green in his book "The Art of Coarse Sailing" a bow sprit can also be used as a handy tool to stop or manoeuvre a boat in adverse conditions by sticking it through a porthole of the nearest mobo.

I'd love to see this performed properly!

 

[Moggy]

According to Michael Green in his book "The Art of Coarse Sailing" a bow sprit can also be used as a handy tool to stop or manoeuvre a boat in adverse conditions by sticking it through a porthole of the nearest mobo.

I'd love to see this performed properly!

Makes mental note: Clad leading edge in 3mm stainless.

 

[laira]

If the boat is in tub and road transport is concerned, i'd counsel transporting all the way down to somewhere like Pompey. positive you'll launch nearer home than that however it leaves you with the task of obtaining out of the Bristol channel that could be a PITA in an exceedingly fin keeler.