rigging a gaffer

[glynnffc]

I am just about to start rigging my new gaffer, and wondered if anyone knows of any good reference books. I have looked in Tom Cunliffe,Martin Tregoning and Brion Toss, but thought there might be more, particularly about rig tension.

 

[chart5011]

About the only one you havn't mentioned is Gaff Rig by John Leather (later editions are called Gaff Rig Handbook). This is more on the history of the rig than the practical side although does suggest that rigging should be 'tight but not too tight'.

Is it an old boat or a plastic gaffer?

 

[glynnffc]

It's a new boat, but wood/epoxy not grp.
I don't intend to crank down the rigging , but am just ata bit of a loss as to how tight is tight.
Your right about john Leather, great on history, but not what I'm looking for.

 

[DownWest]

I am still a bit away from rigging my ply/epoxy gaffer, but most of what I have read says the lee shrouds should be just slack going to windward in a reasonable breeze. Forestay tension is always going to be a problem, but you could fit running backstays for the full experience...
Andrew

Mine is a smallish simple rig with single shrouds and fixed forestay to the stemhead and a folding bowsprit. 21ft LOD.

 

[fluffc]

A combination of 'Hand Reef & Steer' by Cunliffe, and 'Gaff Rig' by John Leather, should see most questions answered.

Also a trip to pin mill / maldon to look at boats with gaff rig will give you several ideas; most boats are unique - there is no, one, correct way of rigging them.

 

[laurance]

When looking for the 'best way' with a clean slate as you have, the various ways of rigging a gaffer shown in your books and observed on other boats can be very confusing.
Many working craft dispensed with runners or even a shroud opposing the pull of the jib and still managed to eat up to windward with well slack lee rigging and with a generous curve in their jib luffs. Gaff rigged yacht culture on the other hand seems to have been much readier to embrace more complicated rigs in pursuit of speed and pointing ability. I sometimes think not much of either was gained at the expense much wore work and complication.
As for tightness you have not told us if you have lanyards or turnbuckles on your shrouds. It is pretty hard to overdo lanyards but with either the stretch in new rigging will have you re-tightening during the first season anyhow. It is by this process of sail, then adjust that you will arrive at, as most have, what seems right.
In view of this inevitable stretch and your hull material, my advice would be not to be afraid of cranking it up good to start with until things have bedded in then see how you go once it has loosened up again. Jump on the nearest plastic bermudan rigged thing and have a waggle of her gear, say to yourself well this is probably tighter than I need but a little looser would a good place to start as long as I keep my mast in column and everything even.
Have fun.

 

[Peterduck]

When you first set the rig up, take out all the slack and then stop. You're only trying to stop the stick from going over the side, not setting up a musical instrument. If you're dispensing with running backstays, tell the sailmaker this, and he can cut the luffs of the headsails with a slight concave curve to allow for a slightly loose forestay. You'll know if your rig is too tight because the garboard will leak persistently from the mast trying to escape through the keel.
Peter.

 

[Kukri]

Are you using lanyards or rigging screws?

If you use lanyards, there is only one way in which you can get the rig too tight, and that is to set up the lee shrouds whilst under way.

If using bottlescrews, just take it up until it stops looking loose.

 

[glynnffc]

Thanks everyone for your comments.
i am starting to get the idea.
I am using bottlescrews, so will fit my Sta locks to the bottom end and then keep tightening until everything feels right.

 

[Woodlouse]

As people have said, just keep going 'till it feels right. Personally I go for about three or four inches of give on the lower shrouds when at rest. But too be honest, as long as the mast is still straight then you cannot really go too tight. It's only by tradition and the use of deadeyes and lanyards that gaffers have slacker rigging than bermudan boats.