Cruising chute tack location

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Sjk1000

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Hi all,
We're hoping to use the cruising chute that came with the boat for the first time this week but I'm struggling to see where I'd attach the tack on the bow. The previous owners (uncontactable) had the tack downhaul adjustable with a gun tackle (correct me if that's the wrong term - just matched what we have with Wikipedia) but as the pulpit comes so far forward of the bow I can't see where to attach to on the bow so that the downhaul runs outside of the pulpit - bow roller, base of the forestay? Hope that makes sense.

So, two questions really.
1. Where can I attach the tack?
2. Does the cruising chute need to be forward of the pulpit or can I keep it inside and loosen the downhaul so that the foot and tack are above the pulpit?

I've attached a photo of the bow and will add a second one side-on if the wind drops before the sun does.
Thanks for reading, Steve
IMG_0333.jpg


Found a photo of us against a pontoon hopefully showing how far forward the pulpit is of the bow.

IMG_0198.jpg
 
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I fly my cruising chute inside the pulpit. It's the only option available as rigging it to fly outside would threaten the nav lights. It's not strong enough cloth for greater than F4 so the loads aren't excessive.

I'd never heard of a gun tackle, so had to look it up. I can't see what benefit it provides over a normal tack line and having blocks knocking around at that height would be a significant disadvantage. Unless you're really going to trim it even a tack line might be a bit too much of a faff.

If you really want to do it properly a bowsprit is the thing.
 
Sjk1000 said:
Hi all,
We're hoping to use the cruising chute that came with the boat for the first time this week but I'm struggling to see where I'd attach the tack on the bow. The previous owners (uncontactable) had the tack downhaul adjustable with a gun tackle (correct me if that's the wrong term - just matched what we have with Wikipedia) but as the pulpit comes so far forward of the bow I can't see where to attach to on the bow so that the downhaul runs outside of the pulpit - bow roller, base of the forestay? Hope that makes sense.

So, two questions really.
1. Where can I attach the tack?
2. Does the cruising chute need to be forward of the pulpit or can I keep it inside and loosen the downhaul so that the foot and tack are above the pulpit?

I've attached a photo of the bow and will add a second one side-on if the wind drops before the sun does.
Thanks for reading, Steve
View attachment 64685


Found a photo of us against a pontoon hopefully showing how far forward the pulpit is of the bow.

View attachment 64688
Click to expand...

Bit of dyeema with a ferrule to run a line back to the cockpit. All this inside the rail and fixed with a shackle to the 'whatever that thing is that the anchor chain runs through' Fairlead, or something like that.
Otherwise a stock of nav lights might become a useful spare to carry.

Means you can let the foot go if things get too interesting.

Ditto you want much longer sheet to have the same effect when things go T.U.
You may wonder how we made this discovery.

Depending on your level of experience and capacity for the exciting, you may want to launch the chute behind the genoa and put the genoa away.
 
Gwylan said:
Bit of dyeema with a ferrule to run a line back to the cockpit. All this inside the rail and fixed with a shackle to the 'whatever that thing is that the anchor chain runs through' Fairlead, or something like that.
Otherwise a stock of nav lights might become a useful spare to carry.

Means you can let the foot go if things get too interesting.

Ditto you want much longer sheet to have the same effect when things go T.U.
You may wonder how we made this discovery.

Depending on your level of experience and capacity for the exciting, you may want to launch the chute behind the genoa and put the genoa away.
Click to expand...

If you run the tack line through a block attached to the bow roller fitting, it's worth using a bit of bungy cord to keep the block up away from the roller. The risk to nav lights is directly proportional to how hard you sheet in when getting too close to the wind for the sail. If you ease the tack to keep it clear , then you will restrict your sailing angles somewhat. A short bowsprit makes sail setting much easier, as does a snuffer for bringing it down.
I's suggest you restrict use to under 10Kts apparent to get the hang of it without too much drama. The sails can be very powerful if you get carried away with the "wow" factor. Most people have an equal mixture of great and horrific stories to tell. Have enough bods on board to help out, since getting caught with a chute in more wind than you like is a sobering experience.
 
There is a hole in the side of my bow roller to which I attach a block for the tack line to run through. As long as the tack is above the pulpit I don't think it matters if it's inside or outside. Nav lights usually dictate which. I recommend the tack is attached with a snapshackle of the type that can be released under pressure by yanking a cord.
 
MoodySabre said:
There is a hole in the side of my bow roller to which I attach a block for the tack line to run through. As long as the tack is above the pulpit I don't think it matters if it's inside or outside. Nav lights usually dictate which. I recommend the tack is attached with a snapshackle of the type that can be released under pressure by yanking a cord.
Click to expand...

I fly mine inside the pulpit too, and the snapshackle with the quick release on a cord is a great idea if things get too exciting, just turns it into a flag. I have recently invested in an ATN Tacker which I may get to try next weekend as at times I've been concerned about pressure on the pulpit, also helps to keep the tack on the centre line.
 
MoodySabre said:
I recommend the tack is attached with a snapshackle of the type that can be released under pressure by yanking a cord.
Click to expand...

If you're going to blow the tack use a spike on the shackle. Keeps your fingers further away from the action which increases the chances of them remaining attached to your hand.
 
MoodySabre said:
No fingers near the shackle with these http://marine.wichard.com/fiche-A|WICHARD|2673-0202040301000000-ME.html
Click to expand...

I've never blown a chute or seen a chute blown on any boat I've raced on other than by using a spike on the shackle. On one boat that was daft enough to put me on the bow it was the standard way of dropping the assymetric. (I'd've called them serious racers if it wasn't for their choice of bowman.)

Not that it really matters as people can do things the way they want. Just saying.
 
Unless i'm mistaken, the OPs boat is a Westerly 33, i have a Discus and had the same issue as the OP. The bicolour mostly protrudes aft of the pulpit, so rigging the tack inside the pulpit would likely end in the loss of the bicolour.

But protrudes slightly forward too. I tried fixing the tack to the port side bow roller but if the tack shifted left or right it caught the front of the bicolour. I thought the best solution would be a short bowsprit, so i designed one to fit the boat and had a local stainless fabricator make it up for me. A ring, about 1" wide, with a delrin insert is fixed to the bow roller bracket, just above the port side roller so that the roller can still be used, this is the same design as the bow roller bracket that Selden use. The other bracket is bolted to the deck and the pole has two horizontal holes drilled in it, through which a drop nosed pin fits to allow it to slightly retract.

Bowsprit.jpg
 
Thanks for all the replies, and it's a Westerly Conway. I like the bowsprit and will bear it in mind at the end of the season if I can't find a workable solution inside the pulpit with the bow roller.
Really appreciate the responses!
: ), Steve
 
Steve, why can't the tack be connected slightly higher up on the forestay using something like an ATN tacker?

Here is one I made earlier

Pete

IMG_0129_zpswsewo3mq.jpg
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englishrobs said:
I fly mine inside the pulpit too, and the snapshackle with the quick release on a cord is a great idea if things get too exciting, just turns it into a flag. I have recently invested in an ATN Tacker which I may get to try next weekend as at times I've been concerned about pressure on the pulpit, also helps to keep the tack on the centre line.
Click to expand...

So, genuine Q, if you let go the snap shackle and turn it into a flag how do retrieve it? I use a snuffer (which works very well) so if things get hairy I let go the sheet and snuff the bu99er.
 
Hadenough said:
So, genuine Q, if you let go the snap shackle and turn it into a flag how do retrieve it? I use a snuffer (which works very well) so if things get hairy I let go the sheet and snuff the bu99er.
Click to expand...

Not quite elegant, but works if needed !

But if it looks wrong , get it down and to H*** with elegance......
 
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Hadenough said:
So, genuine Q, if you let go the snap shackle and turn it into a flag how do retrieve it? I use a snuffer (which works very well) so if things get hairy I let go the sheet and snuff the bu99er.
Click to expand...

Keep hold of the sheet, trip the tack and then snuff it. Same idea, but sometimes a little neater.

Instead of a snap shackle, I just use a short 'tack line'. With a block on the stem I lead the short line aft and make it fast near the base of the mast. I can then let this run and start to snuff it or even retrieve it manually without going right up to the bow. In fact I do it all from a sitting position on the front of the coachroof.
 
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