Spinnaker Questions

[chewi]

Thanks for that. I was a touch concerned with drilling into the tabernacle to mount a block though I have no specific reason for that

Don't compromise the capability of the tabernacle to pivot the mast to the deck by blocking its inner face with fixings....

 

[Fire99]

Don't compromise the capability of the tabernacle to pivot the mast to tye deck by blockings its inner face with fixings....

So we're saying don't drill into the tabernacle then?

 

[Fire99]

Sorry for the fair number of questions but I'm planning on cleating the spinnaker downhaul and uphaul on mast cleats.. I guess the uphaul is little more than a topping lift so under minimal load but what kind of load is the downhaul under? I'm trying to spec the mast cleats and wondering how big I should go.

Thanks as ever..

 

[alahol2]

So we're saying don't drill into the tabernacle then?

I think he's saying don't inadvertently prevent your mast from pivoting in the tabernacle. There should be plenty of 'meat' to allow you to drill into it.

 

[Fire99]

I think he's saying don't inadvertently prevent your mast from pivoting in the tabernacle. There should be plenty of 'meat' to allow you to drill into it.

Gotcha!

 

[chewi]

I think he's saying don't inadvertently prevent your mast from pivoting in the tabernacle. There should be plenty of 'meat' to allow you to drill into it.

yes , thats what I meant,
I dropped a mast on a boat with tabernacle the other day and he had fitted a shackle to the cheek plates. We had to remove it to allow the mast to pass it.
you could rivet a cheek block there and it might work fine... until it was timeto drop the mast.

 

[Fire99]

yes , thats what I meant,
I dropped a mast on a boat with tabernacle the other day and he had fitted a shackle to the cheek plates. We had to remove it to allow the mast to pass it.
you could rivet a cheek block there and it might work fine... until it was timeto drop the mast.

I'm with you. I won't go adding riveted items that stop my mast doing its thing.

 

[Fire99]

A quick update for everyone who helped.
I flew the spinnaker for the first time yesterday. The river was deserted due to the drissle so I thought it would be a good time for a bit of a dabble. I flew it without any other sails for a first attempt and as such didn't hoist the pole.
After managing to fly it perfectly sideways (oops!) on the first attempt, I got it to fly.
Halyard routing back to the cockpit works like a charm and the ball-bearing blocks have a great action.

Outstanding issues now are that the pole only has a cord to release (which is a bit slack) so I need to improvise a mounting for the uphaul and downhaul. Also the sheets (guy) don't run very smoothly when simply looping around cleats at the stern so I have a few cheap blocks coming which I need to decide mounting locations for them.

Not a bad first go though and quite chuffed doing it single handed

 

[onesea]

Outstanding issues now are that the pole only has a cord to release (which is a bit slack) so I need to improvise a mounting for the uphaul and downhaul. Also the sheets (guy) don't run very smoothly when simply looping around cleats at the stern so I have a few cheap blocks coming which I need to decide mounting locations for them.

Not a bad first go though and quite chuffed doing it single handed

Well done, tie the blocks to a bit of line and loop them over the cleats to start with.... That's what I did on last boat worked like a charm...

 

[Twister_Ken]

I flew it without any other sails for a first attempt and as such didn't hoist the pole.

Really does need a pole for stability. Without it v easy for the sail to oscillate all over the place and/or collapse and wrap itself around the forestay.

 

[Fire99]

Well done, tie the blocks to a bit of line and loop them over the cleats to start with.... That's what I did on last boat worked like a charm...

Gotcha.. As soon as the blocks arrive I'll go with that and see how things go. Thanks

 

[Fire99]

Really does need a pole for stability. Without it v easy for the sail to oscillate all over the place and/or collapse and wrap itself around the forestay.

Thanks Ken. Yeah It wasn't ideal but one of the wise ol sailors at the club said I could get away with it in very light airs when no other sails were being used. Seemed to work ok other than as you point to, it did tend to move around a bit more than when I race a squib with the pole.

Anyway, as soon as I've sorted up/down-haul mountings on the pole, it shall be yonder hoisted.

 

[chewi]

Gotcha.. As soon as the blocks arrive I'll go with that and see how things go. Thanks

It all depends on the geography of the cockpit/pushpit, but I have a short wire strop on my blocks, one end secured to the deck,the other held up with a bungee to the pushpit, so while not in use the blocks hang out of the way, in use they pull on the strop (and bungee) and fly over the gunwale , so I just have to thread the sheet through and play.

 

[Fire99]

Thanks for that. I'll get the pole sorted and then have a bit of a play and see where things set best.