jib boom on cutter

[Alexis]

My 34 footer is cutter rigged. I would like to have the staysail rigged so that it is self tacking. The solutions I know of are:
- sheet traveller
- "conventional" boom
- wishbone
- bent boom, (Gary Hoyt jib boom) such as seen on the Island Packets yachts

For deck layout reasons, I have ruled out the traveller. I don't like the clutter of the "conventional" boom, wich means having a block on each side of the deck.
My preference goes to the Hoyt boom, then the wishbone.
Does anyone out there have any experience with building / installing / sailing one of these setups ?


Cheers, Alexis


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[Mirelle]

Definition of terms

You want a staysail boom. The Cutty Sark has a jibboom, but it's not found on yachts - the jib boom is the outboard extension of the bowsprit.

I seem to recall that when Andrew Bray was building Firefly he went in for a Hoyt boom - you might drop him a line. To me, it looks like an intolerable deal of engineering for one half pennyworth of better sail setting, but I am biassed.

The wishbone is neat BUT remember that you need a means to free the clew in order to drop the sail (as indeed you do with a conventional boom, such as I have).

It is quite possible to arrange a system whereby you can have the sail on a roller and still set it on a boom.

I have a conventional boom which sheets to a Wichard hook running on a wire traveller across the deck; with this system you can, within reason, locate the traveller to suit the foredeck, not vice versa; the only reason for the Wichard hook (which has been in use for twenty years) is to get rid of the whole set up fast when it is not wanted.



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[Jacket]

Re: Definition of terms

I may be missing something, but it seems to me that if you were to fit a kicking strap to a staysail boom you gain the same performance advantages as a Hoyt boom, without the complications of trying to fit a bearing with suitable bury within the deck to support the boom, and no need to use an expensive carbon fibre moulding for the boom.

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[Guest]

HI Gary, I've a 31 ft wooden cutter with a Hoyt staysail boom. It is simplicity itself to sail with, highly recommended if short handed. It also has the added advantage of enabling you to point higher when close hauled by pulling the traveller up to windward to increase sail twist.
Definitely recommend it.
Hope this helps
Kind Regards
Colin
Galago
Brighton.

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[snowleopard]

Re: Definition of terms

don't think you'd get a very good angle for a kicker on a jib boom. asked andrew bray about the hoyt boom and he was pretty happy with it.

i have a curved track and no boom which works very well, keeping the right curve all the time but it's a bit fearsome when head to wind and the traveller is whipping back & forth.

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[Jacket]

Re: Definition of terms

There are ways around the poor angle. I used to sail a Finn, which had the boom only a few inches above the deck at the gooseneck, but through the use of two metal 'levers' had an efficient (and cheap!) kicking strap system.Alternatively a short, curved track could be used for the kicker to run on (as on some 12 meters) though this would be more expensive.

I agree that the Hoyt boom would be best, but would cost thousands top build and fit, whereas a jib boom and kicker could easily be put together for a few hundred.

I'd have thought that it also depends on your internal layout, as the bearing for the Hoyt boom must intrude into the interior quite a bit. Not a problem on Andrew Bray's boat, where the boom is right forward, but more of a problem on a cutter, where the bearing is likely to be intruding above the head of the forward berth. Then again, island packets seem to manage, so maybe its not much of a problem.

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[Mirelle]

Re: Definition of terms

I think if I were doing it again I would go for a wishbone. I think you could make this lighter and neater than the Hoyt set up.

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