Spinnaker Masthead Arrangement

difficult to see exactly what you have. key requirement in my view is that the halyard tackle should articulate easily and be at least 4inches in front of the genny roller reefing.
 
aitchem said:
Hi,
Is this ok for the Spinnaker Halyard.?
I would like a better attachment to the casting other than a U-Bolt.
This is the previous owner's arrangement.

http://s176.photobucket.com/user/aitchem/media/sadler 27 project/headbox_zpsde8054cf.jpg.html

Any Suggestions.?

thanks
Howard
Click to expand...

I had issues with the spi block arguing with the foil.
i made a s/s plate to project the block forward i used the "U" bolt holes to hold in down as well as another suitably located existing hole aft
 
As long as you have enough distance between block and forstay no problem, I used to sail on a 50 footer with exactly the same arrangement.

Although having just looked again I would want the threads of the U bolt to come through the nylock nut.
 
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sailorman said:
I had issues with the spi block arguing with the foil.
i made a s/s plate to project the block forward i used the "U" bolt holes to hold in down as well as another suitably located existing hole aft
Click to expand...


In fact you can ignore my first post.

I had/have a similar problem as sailorman.

The spinnaker hoist tends to wrap around the top r/r swivel if you attempt to furl/unfurl the genoa with the spinnaker hoisted. Complete bugger if it happens at night.

I now have a hoist port and starboard and always get rid of the genoa before performing with coloured sails.

I might eventually pinch sailorman's idea of a crane. The other altenative is some form of cage to protect the furling top unit.
 
doug748 said:
In fact you can ignore my first post.

I had/have a similar problem as sailorman.

The spinnaker hoist tends to wrap around the top r/r swivel if you attempt to furl/unfurl the genoa with the spinnaker hoisted. Complete bugger if it happens at night.

I now have a hoist port and starboard and always get rid of the genoa before performing with coloured sails.

I might eventually pinch sailorman's idea of a crane. The other altenative is some form of cage to protect the furling top unit.
Click to expand...

I used a "T" section ss to add strength
 
Thanks folks,
I was thinking it needed to be further out.
The U-Bolt is in twist, as it is, imparting twist on the head top plate.
So I'll go for a bolt on T-section with a swivel at the end as suggested.

thanks
Howard
 
Yes, do that. Now I can see clearly on my PC screen, the mast head uni9t you have looks just like my Kempo set up as originally supplied and which gave regular wraps round the foil. I used a bit of 8mm stainless plate bolted to the crane to move the swivel forward by 10 cm or so and this has worked fine, even for hoiking my very heavy dinghy onto the deck.
 
Bosun Higgs said:
Yes, do that. Now I can see clearly on my PC screen, the mast head uni9t you have looks just like my Kempo set up as originally supplied and which gave regular wraps round the foil. I used a bit of 8mm stainless plate bolted to the crane to move the swivel forward by 10 cm or so and this has worked fine, even for hoiking my very heavy dinghy onto the deck.
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That looks a good idea. The photo in the original post shows nyloc nuts on tjhe U bolt that do not have any thread projecting beyond them, and it looks as if the bolt is not long enough. The arrangement looks unsafe as it is. In addition aluminium castings can be fractured and that U bolt is putting a load on a fairly thin unsupported section. The stainless steel plate idea is IMHO the way to go, with the plate taken back far enough to be bolted through the centre of the casting.
 
I got this spinnaker crane made for my mast, got help from a rigger with dimensions and design. Made the template for the welder.

4a5b2949.jpg


51398e2f.jpg


The old one ;)
8470642e.jpg
 
Fit a better quality block too; maybe fit another shackle to help the articulation. The existing block looks well worn.
 
doug748 said:
The spinnaker hoist tends to wrap around the top r/r swivel if you attempt to furl/unfurl the genoa with the spinnaker hoisted. Complete bugger if it happens at night.

I now have a hoist port and starboard and always get rid of the genoa before performing with coloured sails.

I might eventually pinch sailorman's idea of a crane. The other altenative is some form of cage to protect the furling top unit.
Click to expand...

Can't believe any regular spinnaker user does this. Maybe if you only use kites in a F2 or less but if there is some reasonably sporting breeze being able to hoist and lower a kite behind the foresail is fundamental to avoiding problems.
 
doris said:
Can't believe any regular spinnaker user does this. Maybe if you only use kites in a F2 or less but if there is some reasonably sporting breeze being able to hoist and lower a kite behind the foresail is fundamental to avoiding problems.
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You are partially correct.

Singlehanding, the spinnaker goes up in 10kts true or below. It comes down in an indicated 10kts or, if the blood is up, 15.

I hoist from the sidedeck behind the main, and strike under the boom. Of course you have to shape a downwindish course. It seems as unproblematic as these things are. With a crew you could work it in any reasonable breeze but, of course, would not want to race in that manner.
 
doris said:
Can't believe any regular spinnaker user does this. Maybe if you only use kites in a F2 or less but if there is some reasonably sporting breeze being able to hoist and lower a kite behind the foresail is fundamental to avoiding problems.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Why give up half of the wind shadow available to hide your kite behind on hoisting or dropping? Also it's pretty hard (though not impossible as I found out this weekend) to wrap the kite round the forestay on hoisting if there is a jib in the way!
 
The U Bolt on my truck (and others I have seen) is bent forwards on the legs. Its made that way I assume. This throws the block out by an inch from the truck and also make makes the pull on the U bolt legs more or less in line of the direction of pull when the kite is flying. The top of my truck, where the U bolt is attached, protrudes a bit from the genoa halyard sheaves; mast head rig, old Kemp Mast.

Now, I freely admit that I have never seen these in a chandlers but I am convinced that they have not been bent that way accidentally. I have tried to find them on google but no luck. They had nuts on the bottom and top and so clamped the U Bolt to the truck.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
Now, I freely admit that I have never seen these in a chandlers but I am convinced that they have not been bent that way accidentally. I have tried to find them on google but no luck. They had nuts on the bottom and top and so clamped the U Bolt to the truck.
Click to expand...

They are in the Selden yacht catalogue page 150.
 
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