Ketch Rigging (Help)

[Bru]

I find myself wondering - not for the first time - what is the point of a ketch rig.

I've sailed a fair bit on two, and on neither was the mizzen sail used at all. Ever. Just wasn't worth the bother....

I love it

Beam reaching in 25 knots of wind under mizzen and reefed Genoa, no main an absolute joy compared to hanging on for grim death with the main up

Using the mizzen to kick the stern around when getting out of tight marina berths

Balancing the rig to ease weather or lee helm

I find that it isn't the mizzen that's too much trouble, it's the main which I often only bother with if I really need the extra speed

 

[Sea-Fever]

Quite right, my main lives rolled up most of the time I’m pottering around the solent, there’s just no need to stick it up. Better to roll out the Genoa and raise the mizzen whilst standing at the helm…I don’t even have to move to the front of the cockpit!

 

[LadyInBed]

Beam reaching in 25 knots of wind under mizzen and reefed Genoa, no main an absolute joy compared to hanging on for grim death with the main up

Using the mizzen to kick the stern around when getting out of tight marina berths

Balancing the rig to ease weather or lee helm

Plus
Reducing swing when at anchor

 

[zoidberg]

Is 'Vendredi Treize' a ketch....

.....or what?

 

[Bru]

Is 'Vendredi Treize' a ketch....

.....or what?

Hmm! Difficult one!!!

My gut reaction is no but I'm struggling to justify that cos she isn't really a schooner either

Being fore and aft rigged on all three masts she's neither a barque nor a barquentine

Frankly, my dear, I haven't a clue!!!

 

[Laminar Flow]

She's a stays'l schooner, simple.

As for the following: sans mots.

 

[Brabs]

 

[Brabs]

Folks, does the above picture help?

 

[Laminar Flow]

Hi Brabs,
Looks perfectly kosher to me.

Starting on the left:
External spinnaker halyard,
Headstay with furler and halyard diverter to prevent halyard wrap,
Moving aft: main halyard to port,
topping lift to stbd, both internal.
The single tufnol block does not appear to be in use. Flag halyard?
Single backstay with toggle.

Seems OK to me.

 

[Brabs]

Hi Brabs,
Looks perfectly kosher to me.

Starting on the left:
External spinnaker halyard,
Headstay with furler and halyard diverter to prevent halyard wrap,
Moving aft: main halyard to port,
topping lift to stbd, both internal.
The single tufnol block does not appear to be in use. Flag halyard?
Single backstay with toggle.

Seems OK to me.

Many thanks for that, I have attached another picture for my own reassurance lol

 

[Jodel]

If you are wondering about the jib halyard routing see section 5 of this (P. 23 onwards) https://support.seldenmast.com/files/595-104-E.pdf
You furler may not be a Selden but the reasoning still applies.

 

[Brabs]

Hi Jodel
Dose my jib Halyard look incorrect

 

[Jodel]

Hi Jodel
Dose my jib Halyard look incorrect

No, it looks fine to me. I was just pointing it out in case you were wondering why the halyard was going through that extra fitting about a foot down the mast.

 

[Brabs]

Hi jodel
I did actually wonder that, being new to sailing,

 

[Laminar Flow]

The halyard is lead through a diverter to keep it away from the furler swivel by increasing the angle to the mast. This is to prevent halyard wrap which can damage the forestay by unwinding the lay of the wire, which in turn causes a condition called "nesting" and which can lead to the failure of the stay with all the resulting consequences of losing a major part of the standing rigging.
In consequence, I should say its a worthwhile feature.

 

[Brabs]

Hi. Laminar
Many thanks for explaining that, but more wiser now lol

 

[ghostlymoron]

My friend had a Macwester ketch which I worked on the rigging several times. It did have a triatic but we only put nominal tension on it. Each mast was tensioned independently.