Knot advice sought, lug rig

[cbeeson]

I've fitted a mast traveller to my Drascombe Dabber (standing lug rig). The yard has a pair of chocks fitted, but I need to make a small rope loop for the traveller to hook into, and fasten this loop to the yard. Is there a standard knot or knots for the job? So far, I've come up with an alpine butterfly knot for the loop, and fastening it to the yard with a constrictor knot. Any advances on this? I want to avoid drilling holes or driving screws in the yard.

Many thanks!
Chris

 

[TamarMike]

Traditionally a loop or grommet (simply made by short or long splicing the two ends of a piece of rope about 15"-24" long, depending on the diameter of your yard) passed back through itself around the yard.

 

[Romeo]

Not sure that I follow your arrangement, my fault I am sure. On my lug rigged boat I make use of the topsail halyard hitch. I had an illustration but seem to have lost it!

 

[cbeeson]

TamarMike: thanks, got that, and I'll give it a try (or some variation to make it less likely to disappear into the bilges when I unhook the yard!). It's exactly what I needed to know.

RobbieW: I think your arrangement has the halyard attached directly to the yard, maybe with parrel beads to keep the yard against the mast? Mine has a bronze ring attached to the halyard, sliding on the mast, with a hook attached so that a loop on the yard can hook over it. Big advantage on a small boat is the ease of removing the yard for stowing, and the absence of parrel beads. This bronze traveller seems to be pretty standard on a lug rig, judging by the photos in CB.

Thanks, both.

 

[Romeo]

RobbieW: I think your arrangement has the halyard attached directly to the yard, maybe with parrel beads to keep the yard against the mast? Mine has a bronze ring attached to the halyard, sliding on the mast, with a hook attached so that a loop on the yard can hook over it. Big advantage on a small boat is the ease of removing the yard for stowing, and the absence of parrel beads. This bronze traveller seems to be pretty standard on a lug rig, judging by the photos in CB.

Thanks, both.

Ah, got you after looking it up. I don't call that sort of ring a traveller, but now I know. That is the arrangement I used to have, with a small loop of line which went round the yard, held in the right place by a chock. However, I found the arrangement a bit less than handy when lowering sail single handed: tension between the clew and the throat meant that the sail does not come all the way down until I unhooked the yard from the ring. NOt good in a hurry, or amongst other boats.

My new arrangement involves a short strop with a cringle at one end, the tail being tied about half way along the yard with a topsail halyard hitch. There is perhaps four inches of line between the yard and the cringle. Halyard goes to a block at the top of the mast, then down through the cringle, then round the other side of the mast from the side that the yard lies on, and then tied to the throat end of the yard. The halyard itself replaces rings or parrels, and holds the yard against the mast.

I have a couple of lines that you could call topping lifts or lazy jacks. Now when I want to lower sail I just release the halyard, and let gravity do the rest. Sail gone in a second, with no need to faff about standing up at the mast. This boat is a lune pilot at 14'. Not sure how big a boat you could use this arrangement with. It has served me well for a couple of seasons, including some quite lively weather, and has allowed me to get in and out of tight spaces without resorting to oars or engine.

R

 

[TamarMike]

However, I found the arrangement a bit less than handy when lowering sail single handed: tension between the clew and the throat meant that the sail does not come all the way down until I unhooked the yard from the ring. NOt good in a hurry, or amongst other boats.

I presume from the above you have got a boom which could cause things to bind a bit until the peak has dropped. Without a boom a lugsail is easily dropped on most points of sailing.

("May you never lose your traveller up the mast" )

 

[Romeo]

I presume from the above you have got a boom which could cause things to bind a bit until the peak has dropped. Without a boom a lugsail is easily dropped on most points of sailing.
QUOTE]

Correct. It is a boomed standing lug. The ring would not be a handling issue on a dipping or balanced lug.

R