Forsail and Jib running rigging - suggestions?

[Aggieskipper]

My Oystercatcher 20 has arrived with a main and genoa but previous owner prefered to motor. Charlie is cutter rigged but I need to modify the running rigging to sail as a cutter. There are two winches (port and startboard) and two large cleats (both on the starboard top of coachroof?). Presuming I use the winches for the gib or genoa then what should I fit for the staysail sheets that is easily reached form the cockpit as I expect to sail short handed and she has backstays? Should be a busy skipper! Would anyone recommend rollers on foresails, if so what kind?

 

[Keith 66]

You could fit another pair of cleats for the staysail sheets or even put a track across the foredeck to allow for a self tacking foresail.
For rollers you could look out for old wykeham martin gear on boat jumbles or if you are rich buy new. These look the part. and work well as long as you remember they are a furling not reefing gear, you will find the cockpit rapidly starts to resemble a herons nest of ropes, part of the joys of owning an old gaffer!

 

[terrydee1226]

I'm in touch with the designer/builder of the Oystercatchers who has helped me with some queries about my Oystercatcher 16.
His name is Bryan Gibson, telephone 01208 73921 and he says he would be happy to advise.
Please mention that I made contact through this forum.
Regards

 

[dur]

My Tamarisk 22 has just cleats on the sides of the coaming and no winches - for both jib and staysail. It has never been a problem because there is time to release one side and sheet in the other while going through the wind.
To tighten a sheet on the wind there has to be a bit of luffing to take the pressure off.

The Oystercatcher probably has a larger jib which will need a winch to make life easier

Going about is (I think), put the helm down pulling in the lee runner then releasing jib and stayail sheets. Release the old weather runner. Staysail in tight followed by jib. Ok it doesn't always work like that and it's probably releasing the old runner that gets missed. Busy but do-able.



Wickham Martins on both. Service them from time to time and they seem to work fine.

 

[Seagreen]

Single winches each side? You should also have one cleat each per sheet per side. I suppose that you've only got one cleat each per side? If so, fit an extra cleat.

However, you will have double the rope to deal with, and this can get to be quite a mess if you are not constantly careful. I suggest 2 solutions:

1) Tail bags, one dedicated to each sheet (4 then) into which sheets can be flaked. You have to be careful with this as just stuffing them in can result in a tangled rat's nest at the crucial moment.

2) Turn the staysail into a boomed staysail which is self tacking. This cuts the number of sheets down by 1 and you don't have to tack it. Drawbacks are: the sail may not set as well if you have a boom lashed to the length of the foot. This is overcome by having a short boom attached to the clew, but attached to a point on the deck some way aft of the stay to which the sail is hanked. A simple two part tackle on the clew to a horse on the deck in front of the mast, the fall of the tackle runs forward to a block on the tack of the sail and then aft to the cleat. With a bit of experimenting, the shorter radius of the boom will allow the foot of the staysail to take a natural shape when the sheet is eased, rather than the stiff flat "foot lashed all along the boom" arrangement.