Gaff Rig - How to?

[Wandering Star]

Have sold my Vancouver 27 (I think) with the intention of giving up sailing. However, like this forum, sailing isn't quite as easy as I thought it would be to just "give up".

As a result I'm thinking of buying a Jay R Benford gaff rigged design, similar to Annie Hills Badger design but 2 feet shorter (32 feet). She's shipwrights built in plywood. Effectively new though actually a few years old but never launched.

How hard is to sail a gaff rig boat? I've never been aboard one let alone sailed one. Does anyone own one? Any recommended basic primer books to help me understand what's involved in cranking up the main, reefing the main etc?

 

[Wansworth]

Basically more tope to twiddle with and a bowsprit.........really think about the idea

 

[Neil]

The main thing with raising the main is to raise the peak halyard sufficient to get a crease in the sail running from the peak head to the tack. I quite liked the gaffer. The weight in the gaff meant I could quickly drop the sail, especially with having a pair of lazy jack lines (that also served as a topping lift), that the gaff just fell between. The accepted wisdom is what you loose in pointing ability you gain on a broad reach. They also look nice.

 

[johnalison]

I managed to sail both gunters and gaffs as an ignorant teenager, so they can't be that difficult.

 

[BlackPig]

I would offer to take you out, but may be a bit far, try and contact the local old gaffers association. That's what I did. They took me out on a nice gaff yawl. I then bought my first gaffer a privateer 20 after learning to sail in a GP14. I had few problems getting from A two B, now I can even get to C.

 

[NealB]

I love gaffers (I 've had two in the past, though haven't got one at the moment).

I don't think any competent bermudan-sailor would have much difficulty transferring their skills.

Main thing....keep the gaff horizontal on the way up, but keep it peaked up on the way down.

Lots of subtle things to play around with.

Tom Cunliffe and John Leather both wrote excellent books about gaff rig.

 

[jerrytug]

Hello Wandering Star, the best practical book (and his best work IMO) is "Hand,Reef and Steer" by Tom Cunliffe, the only instructional gaff rig book.
I hope you go ahead with it, gaff cutters rule ok.
Did you ever find that Iridium aerial by the way?

 

[prv]

Don't worry about it at all. Our first boat was a gaff yawl (so two gaff sails to worry about ) and I didn't have any difficulty sailing her despite not having set foot aboard a gaffer before.

Second the recommendation for Hand, Reef and Steer though. You'd get by without it, but it will teach you a lot of helpful tricks and the proper, easier way to do certain things.

John Leather's Gaff Rig Handbook is not as the name suggests. There's a couple of chapters at the beginning with some general information that might be useful, but the rest is essentially a history book, describing all the various kinds of gaff-rigged vessels around Europe and the US. Interesting, but not of much practical use.

Pete

 

[basic]

I learned to sail on an engine-less gaff rigged boat, mostly by trial and error. Try John Leathers book 'Gaff Rig'. Should be useful. I really like gaff rig, finding it much more useful for maneuvering under sail than Bermudian. Ihave a bermudian rigged Barbican 33 at the moment but would not hesitate to go back to Gaff rig if the opportunity presented. I would also like to try junk rig.

 

[AHoy2]

...........
How hard is to sail a gaff rig boat? I've never been aboard one let alone sailed one. Does anyone own one? Any recommended basic primer books to help me understand what's involved in cranking up the main, reefing the main etc?

Having never sailed a gaff rigged boat before I made the change from bermudan sloop to gaff cutter just over a year ago, no regrets and have enjoyed the (sometimes frustrating) learning experience necessary to get the boat rigged and sailing well. I found practical advice on my boats specific rig was necessary to get "over the hump" in the learning curve. Sailing a gaffer is very satisfying in my experience particularly if you are looking for a change from the AWB experience, just done a longish (850 Nm) cruise with mine in some challenging conditions and didn't once wish I was back on a bermudan boat. I can recommend joining the Old Gaffers Association (OGA) for guidance and good gaffer related sailing and social activities. Not read Tom's book yet but it comes well recommended.

Edit: just noticed your location, the Solent OGA is very active and I am sure local members would be be willing to advise and offer a sail.

 

[basic]

Having never sailed a gaff rigged boat before I made the change from bermudan sloop to gaff cutter just over a year ago, no regrets and have enjoyed the (sometimes frustrating) learning experience necessary to get the boat rigged and sailing well. I found practical advice on my boats specific rig was necessary to get "over the hump" in the learning curve. Sailing a gaffer is very satisfying in my experience particularly if you are looking for a change from the AWB experience, just done a longish (850 Nm) cruise with mine in some challenging conditions and didn't once wish I was back on a bermudan boat. I can recommend joining the Old Gaffers Association (OGA) for guidance and good gaffer related sailing and social activities. Not read Tom's book yet but it comes well recommended.

A+

 

[Wandering Star]

Hello Wandering Star, the best practical book (and his best work IMO) is "Hand,Reef and Steer" by Tom Cunliffe, the only instructional gaff rig book.
I hope you go ahead with it, gaff cutters rule ok.
Did you ever find that Iridium aerial by the way?

First, thanks to everyone who posted on this thread, very helpful and I'll get a copy of TC's book.

Then to Jerry, woops, I completely forgot about the antenna Gerry. We're in the process of moving house and the garage is next on the list of things to declutter and pack up. I know its in the garage somewhere so I'll look for it tomorrow. If you haven't heard from me by Friday, don't be too polite to remind me again!

 

[jerrytug]

First, thanks to everyone who posted on this thread, very helpful and I'll get a copy of TC's book.

Then to Jerry, woops, I completely forgot about the antenna Gerry. We're in the process of moving house and the garage is next on the list of things to declutter and pack up. I know its in the garage somewhere so I'll look for it tomorrow. If you haven't heard from me by Friday, don't be too polite to remind me again!

Thanks WS, I'm also moving house on Wednesday, so no urgency!

 

[westernman]

Tom Cunliffe's book is the best place to start. After that I would just reiterate (Tom Cunliffe says it in a few places), that if you have to force anything (even on a big gaffer like mine), then you are not doing it right - best to work out what you should be doing and check what is stuck and where.

 

[Daydream believer]

make sure you get a sail first
I know of 2 gaffers that are so useless in balance that neither can be sailed to windward as they just round up at the slightest whiff of a breeze

 

[prv]

make sure you get a sail first
I know of 2 gaffers that are so useless in balance that neither can be sailed to windward as they just round up at the slightest whiff of a breeze

Curious - there's nothing inherent in the rig which would make that so, so those examples must have been badly designed, or more likely badly modified. Bowsprits cut down or removed, perhaps? Or maybe the boat was originally designed for bermudan rig, and was converted without allowing for the centre of effort being further aft on a gaff mainsail? Anyway, our little gaffer was beautifully balanced when going upwind, the tiller could be left untouched for long enough to jump into the cabin and fetch things without going off course at all.

Pete

 

[jerrytug]

'Black Velvet', which is a bermudan Tradewind converted to a gaff cutter, has a bowsprit about 7 or 8 feet long, on a 10m long boat, and the original bermudan mast position.
She managed to survey the coast of the Falkland Islands (which came in handy) and is still going strong.
Rounding up? that requires a longer 'docking probe'

 

[DownWest]

Friend had a Benford gaff ketch, lots of string. And I regularly sail a small gaffer; It is not complicated as long as one keeps the ropes organised. Maybe not so close up wind, but nice on all points of sail. And gets loads of compliments from the French.

To add: Less stress on everything than a bermudan rig and the 34 gaff ketch was managed without winches. Just tackles, even though she was 12ish tons and had a lot of sail, including two square sails on the mainmast.
Which design is she, Shoestring?
DW

 

[FWB]

Tacking my gaff cutter, short video to hopefully whet your appetite

 

[Easticks28]

When sailing to windward, Gaffers need to be sailed a lot freer than a similar bermudan rigged boat. Crank the sails in too tight and they 'wont go' . How do I know? Been sailing one for ten years on the Broads, finally discovered this three or four years ago....

Nothing sailing can match the beauty of a well found Gaffer IMHO.