Leg fixing

[fisherman]

A while ago I asked if a leg could be fixed at the top to a shroud bottle screw, seems like a suitable place to apply the load. (Given it would need other stabilisation) Would it work?

 

[Praxinoscope]

Having owned a boat with legs in a drying harbour for over 20 years, my experience suggests that the degree of movement and intensity of it, the shroud turnbuckle would not IMHO be a sensible point to attach, unless you want to damage them.

 

[TSB240]

A while ago I asked if a leg could be fixed at the top to a shroud bottle screw, seems like a suitable place to apply the load. (Given it would need other stabilisation) Would it work?

We had a small 20 foot fin keel dayboat that had legs fitted to it in a similar way.
It had legs with a U shaped bend at the top and a swivelling threaded rod pointing downwards.
This was attached to the boat through a rowlock hole in the side deck/rail a couple of washers and a wing nut on the underside to adjust and retain it. Boat used to be left in a sheltered mud berth over winter .
Jusst used fore and aft lines to the leg feet to ensure they stayed in place on any big tides.
No reason why the threaded rod couldnt be replaced by a bottle screw both are in tension.

 

[Praxinoscope]

#2 not sure if I read the OP correctly, is the intention to use a bottle screw as suggested in #3 or is it as I read it to attach the leg to a bottle screw which is part of the standing rigging?

 

[srm]

Bottlescrews work well provided that the load is always along the axis of the screw. Any side load may bend or otherwise weaken the screw and endanger the rig. I do not allow any attachment, such as mooring lines, to my bottlescrews for this reason. Attaching legs to the top of the bottlescrew will probably result in occasional unintended sideways loads.

I had wood legs on a 29ft GRP longish keel sailing boat as the previous owner kept her in a sheltered drying berth over winters. They were shaped to fit the topsides and each was secured with one bolt through the topsides and heavy ply reinforcement glassed in. Fore and aft guy lines helped keep them vertical when the boat was afloat.

 

[fisherman]

Yes, I hadn't factored in the lack of articulation, so the strain would have to be directly up and the leg be fixed to the hull also. Not worth the risk to rigging.
However a decent chain plate with a good eye just above the deck might fit the bill in some circs. still difficult to keep the leg from moving in or out at the bottom. The hole in the hull below the toerail is the answer really, maybe a captive nut on the backing inside. This was my rig, but of course I could reach the outside and inside, having open bulwarks

 

[Praxinoscope]

I will look through my photo library & see if I have any photo’s of how the legs were attached on my last boat, although not a solution to the OP it may give a few ideas.

 

[alahol2]

I used a set of legs on my 28ft, longish keel base. 4" fence posts. They were lashed at the top to the centre cleats which took the vertical loads. The lashing allowed a certain amount of articulation. Hull shaped standoffs, fore and aft lines from the base. They were only used on the slipway or in the yard.

 

[vyv_cox]

The method used by Yacht Legs Co is so elegant that I would copy it if I was going to make my own legs. The socket and spigot would need to be machined but not at massive cost. Some photos on my website but I can post better ones if required. Installing Yacht Legs