Mirror Dinghy Gaff

[electrosys]

Some time ago I bought a somewhat sad Mirror dinghy which is now ready for the water - except that the gunter-gaff had been stripped by the PO in order to effect a repair (glue line had opened-up) and the fittings were then lost over time. So - I've got a completely bare gaff.

I've Googled around to try to source a close-up diagram or photo, but with no luck. Can anyone help out with info abut how to rig a sail on this spar ?

There's a hole on one side of the gaff jaws, and a slot on the other - I understand this is for bungee cord as a temporary hold ?

And the gaff sling band thingy - I know about that gizmo - seems that there's a case for having more than one, so that round-the-boom reefing is possible ?

One thing which isn't clear to me is the sail head attachment - what should be there ? All I've got is some screw holes with no clue as to what the fitting should be.
And at the other end of the gaff - presumably the sail luff simply runs free onto the mast ? Any lashing or similar needed there ?

Many thanks
Colin

 

[sarabande]

this site might help.

http://semlab5.sbs.sunysb.edu/~rlarson/ConstructingAMirror/index.html

Lots and lots of clear pics.

 

[VicS]

I think Sarabande's link answers most of your questions. It shows the "parrel line" on the gaff jaws. It shows the gaff band. I suppose you could fit a second one.

The sail head is normally lashed to the peak of the gaff with a light line. There should be a hole through the gaff , near the end for this. I cannot think what fitting might have been put there ... a holder for the burgee ? ... although that normally just slides down beside the luff rope.

The luff of the sail is normally held to the mast with a light line. Attached to the upper cringle in the luff and then loosely wound around and down the mast passing through each of the other cringles on the way. Finally just tied off through the lowest and around the mast at the bottom

 

[Touchwood]

Sarabande's link provides some useful info but I think doesn't answer all your questions. It's a long time since I owned a Mirror and I'm going from memory, but as far as I remember: -

Gaff band: - you should be able to find the previous holes on the gaff for this attachment. If not, then maybe a visit to the Mirror owner's web site (I presume there is one?) I wouldn't bother with multiple gaff bands for reefing, just set the peak of the mainsail lower and leave the gaff where it is (see below)

As I remember the original peak fixing was simply a case of tying off the peak of the mainsail with a length of cord through a hole in the top of the gaff. I improved on this by fitting a pulley to the top of the gaff and having a halyard - this meant I could just leave the gaff in place when taking sails off. It also makes reefing easier (not that I ever reefed my Mirror!)

The mainsail luff below the gaff is laced (not tightly) to the mast. The idea is to keep the luff in line with the luff groove on the gaff.

Hope this helps.

 

[aquaplane]

Good link, I spent all my lunch time reading it. I almost thought it could be a good idea to have a go my self then I saw sence.

 

[electrosys]

Yesterday was gorgeous weather, with the times of the (spring) tides just right - so clamped an outboard on the back and ventured forth into The Wash. Then anchored and did some sunbathing: aren't boats bl##dy boring without sails ?
Great fun coming back in - freshening wind against tide - a lot of lumpy water in the Welland Cut. Hull became airborne several times.

Thanks for the replies - the link - although probably the best on the web, is missing the bit about how the head of the sail is attached. Yes, there's a hole drilled through the side of the gaff - something around 8mm - for a lacing (I see that now), with some small screw holes on the back-side. Looks very much like the latter were for a burgee/wind indicator thingy (easy to deduce - after someone else has suggested it !).

I'll give the halyard idea some thought - it would make reefing easier than dropping the gaff and clipping-on to a second band - although wouldn't some of the luff then be without lacing ?
Maybe I won't ever need to reef, but on my own in open water for 12 hours at a stretch I'd like the facility there, just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for your help.
Colin

 

[ianat182]

As I recall the the mainsail luff is fed through the underside of the gaff and a lanyard secures the peak; there may be a piece of tubing with flats at both end screwed to the upper and outer end of the gaff;this is to slide a racing flag, or burgee shaft; the tube will be about 3.5mm dia for the shaft of 3mm dia and may be flattened slightly to retain the flag.
At about half the length of the gaff there should be a brass strip loop mounted across the outer edges, the loop being about 8mm and 1.5 "long; the main halyard is attached to this loop with a small shackle.
The gaff should always be hoisted to near vertical so that the aforementioned loop and shackle are as close to the mast halyard pulley as possible,appearing more like a bermudan rather than gaff rig. The lacing is made through the holes in the luff,around the mast, and tied off at the boom. I expect others will be along with their versions too.

ianat182

 

[mjcp]

I'll try to take some pics/video of mine in the garage tomorrow for you ;-)

(mind you, my gaff has also split, but for the purposes of photos, I can clamp it!)

I'll take pics of:

1> Very top of the gaff, sail attachment point.
2> Bottom of the gaff, where it "joins" the mast.
3> Halyard attachment point.

Anything else?

mjcp

 

[Touchwood]

I'll give the halyard idea some thought - it would make reefing easier than dropping the gaff and clipping-on to a second band - although wouldn't some of the luff then be without lacing ?
Colin

As I said I never reefed my Mirror - sailed on inland waters only and relied on my not inconsiderable body mass to keep it the right way up.

I don't think the lack of lacing on a small portion of the luff would be a problem - the lacing is only I think to tidy things up. You could I suppose put in few extra eyelets behind the luff rope that normally lies in the gaff groove, thus enabling you to extend the lacing with the main lower down - if that makes sense.

I fully endorse the comment about keeping the gaff as vertical as possible - I think IIRC on my boat the gaff band "loop" that carries the gaff halyard actually entered the slot in the mast that holds the halyard pulley wheel. It is more like a bermudan rig with a two part mast than a true gaff rig.

 

[VicS]

I fully endorse the comment about keeping the gaff as vertical as possible - I think IIRC on my boat the gaff band "loop" that carries the gaff halyard actually entered the slot in the mast that holds the halyard pulley wheel

Yes pare away a little of the wood at the sides of the sheave if necessary. Use the smallest possible shackle or simply put the halyard though the loop on the gaff band with a stopper knot to hold it

 

[emsworthy]

As others have said the head of the sail is lashed to the top of the gaff by means of a length of thin cord. Mine is permanently tied to the sail through the cringle/eye and I simply pass both ends through the hole in the top of the gaff and then lash it round a few times passing back through the eye. I leave my sail permanently lashed to the gaff all season and drop it all into the boat like that.

The two holes at the top of the gaff, assuming they are vertical in alignment, are without doubt for a burgee clip. http://www.tridentuk.com/sailing/product-Burgee_Flag_Clips-JHHA4066_1.html

As to the gaff band, you really want the gaff as tight to the mast as possible so it is important that the 'nose' of the gaff band sits right into the sheave/pulley at the top of the mast. The best way to do this is to put a soft splice in the halyard that is permanently attached to the gaff band. The gaff will then sit absolutely flush with the back of the mast when pulled up.

The gaff jaws simply need another looser lashing put through to stop it pulling away from the mast at the bottom when hoisted up. I suppose a bit of bungy might do it but I've only ever seen 6-8mm line used. Thinking about it I would imagine that the base of the gaff would be most likely to be pushed onto the mast when sailing - I'll have to check next time. It may be that the jaws just need holding in place whilst it is raised and lowered.

On to the lashings on the lower part of the sail, I simply leave a line permanently tied to the upper cringle/eye and loosely spiral round the mast and through the lower eyes in turn and then make it off just above the gooseneck. If you don't have some sort of downhaul/cunningham arrangement then perhaps tie it off tighter below the gooseneck.

Finally, I wouldn't bother thinking about reefing, Mirrors are quite under canvassed in most conditions and if it got really bad I would simply drop the gaff into the boat and sail home under jib alone.

Hope this helps.