Rigging

[tonywar]

Hi everybody,

Could anybody recommend any books or websites which deal with rigging, particularly running rigging. I have just launched my yacht, the mast has been stepped, but all the running rigging was sat in a box and I just don't know where to begin.

Thanks

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[VicS]

Your best bet is to find someone with an identical boat to sort you out and show you how everything works.

There is a Westerly owners association where you should be able to get help. They have a website but I don't know the url. You can search for it or wait for someone else on the forum to tell you as they surely will do before the night is out.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[alahol2]

Unfortunately, if you've got no running rigging rigged at all, the first step is probably going to be to unstep the mast (or get a big ladder!).
Good luck...

<hr width=100% size=1>I really would rather be sailing...

 

[William_H]

I must be a weird type who likes to do things my own way (the hard Way) but that I find is one of the attractions of sailing you can make your own mistakes. In otherwords I advocate go to it and either set it up to what seems right or fiddle until you are happy. I also believe that the way the designer and builder set up the rigging uis not necessarily the best way at least for you. Having said that I can't resist giving advice. You are abit short on detail so I will make some guesses.
As already stated you are in trouble if the halyards are not running up to the top of the mast. Minimums are one for the mainsail coming over a pulley at theb back of the mast and one for the jib emerging just below ther forestay. These halyards will probably come down inside the mast to emerge at pulleys at the base of the mast or through holes one or two metres above the base of the mast. Both halyards need to come to winches or one winch with jammers either on the mast or more commonly on the cabin top where you can operate them from the cockpit. Halyards these days are commonly all of a non streetch rope like spectre but may be wire rope with a splice to rope tail or even all wire to a special wire winch.
You probably also have a topping lift for the boom end which runs from the back top of the mast to hold the boom up when not sailing and this also must lead out of the mast onto a cleat on the mast or cabin top. There may be a spinnacher halyard coming from above the forestay. (optional)
Youy will need a way a tensioning the bottom back of the mainsail (clew) this may fit into a track in the boom or on the boom with a rope to pull the clew outwards this may lead via a purcghase tackle to a cleat on the side of the boom or better still down to your cleats winches on the cabin top. You will need a sheet to the main boom which may come from an attachment on the floor of the cockpit or even the cabin top. This is most likely to be a track with a car sliding along it. There may be stoppers to limit the car motion or better still ropes and tackle on either side to pull the car one way or the other. A pair of pulleys (usually double) and your mainsheet connect from the traveller car or maybe a fixed point up to the boom. The bottom pulley will have a cam cleat to hold the sheet this attaches to the boom above the traveller car. Some yachts have a pulley near the stern for the mainsheet on a steel rail or wire bridle then run the sheet forward and down to a pulley and cleat. This could really confuse you. I trust or hope you have done some sailing and all this will make some sense. my point previously is it doesn't matter if it is as designed as long as it does the job. You have the rest of your life to fiddle to get it right. Don't hesitate to try different ideas for running rigging. Get out there on a mild day and try it all. good luck with your new boat will

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