Tracks, Cars and Barber Haulers

[Simes]

Hello Folks,

I am approching the point of fixing the sail handling for Talisman (63'(LOA) Stay'sl Gaff Schooner), Main Sheet is 5 to 1, Jib and stay'sls will be 2 to 1 via lizards, except for the yankee and the fore stay'sl these will be handled by winches.

The questions are: Do I rig some form of car control for the main sheet or do I just let the car buzz back and forth along the steel horse (car will be bronze by Classic Marine).

Do I fix tracks to the decks and then have cars like some modern day plastic fantastic, or do I fit Barber Haulers to some nice ringbolts and run them back to make off with rolling hitches? If so should the barber haulers be fitted with snatch blocks (I do not have a plan for making these?) or are they permanently fitted to the sheets. These sheets will be 12 or 14 mm hardy hemp.
THe fishermen stay'sls will be handled by lizards giving 2 to 1 with 12mm sheets.

I have never seen anything rigged like this, but I don't like winches and Talisman will be sailed by my Wife and I alone.

If you have any better Ideas please, please let me know. If I am doing it all wrong let me know. It is not the expense of getting it wrong it is the timke it takes to correct the fault.

Many thanks

Simes

 

[Rum_Pirate]

To what do you refer when you state 'lizards' ?

 

[Simes]

Ah, It is my understanding that a "Lizard" is a small block attached to the clew of a sail by a short strop. The sheet is then run from a fixing on deck, through the "Lizard" and then back to the cockpit to either a winch or handy-billy.

My real question is in regard to the Barber Haulers.

Hope that this helps,

Simes

 

[laurance]

I believe these may more commonly be referred to as sheet-pennants. the block or bulls eye at the end accepts the headsail sheet in the way you describe. Even this extra purchase is sometimes not enough so if the fixed end is passed through a deck bulls-eye with an eyeplice in the end, a handy-billy or dedicated tackle can be hooked in for extra assistance.
A lizard is similar in appearance to a sheet-pennant but is usually attached to the rail, a convenient cleat, or kevel, allowing a single part sheet to pass through its block or bulls-eye between the sails's clew and wherever you cleat-off. The lizard can be adjusted for position and length as required for different points of sail.
I found Hempex et al to be too soft for jib sheet-penants. It chafed all to soon from riding over the staysail stay when going about. I think a harder wearing and smoother rope is better. I fitted light chain pennants to a 95 footer once as I am told the old boys used to and never looked back. A delightful racket when going about it made too.

 

[Simes]

Hi Laurance, From what you say I will probably use 12mm Braid on Braid for the strop. With a handy billy on the end of the sheet we shou,d have more than enough power in the sheet.
It is the lead angle of the sheet that is causing me much more aggravation. How do I rig the Barber Haulers? From a ring bolt, cleat, or what. Do I need to have someform of purchase on the BH? Should the BH be permanently rigged? or should there be snach blocks attaching the BH to the Sheet?

So many Questions

Simes

 

[laurance]

If you are asking about a tackle to move the mainsheet up and down the horse then think your ring bolts and rolling hitch should work ok with a bit of forethought. Barbour-hauling the mainsheet like this is only usually needed where the sheet horse is very wide and thus the end of it is not right underneath the boom in your normal close-hauled boom position. perhaps you should try sailing without them first to see if they are really needed?
fitting rubber buffers at either end of your horse will help absorb the impact of strong wind gybes. When going about the sheet is usually quite docile in it transit across the horse.

 

[Kukri]

I agree. On a 63ft schooner I would be thinking more in terms of a mainsheet buffer.

Jib sheet pendants used to be wire; Claud Worth disliked this as the wire was unreliable in his day and preferred hemp. I use hard Terylene which seems to do OK. But they are not immortal.

 

[Kukri]

Thinking about it I would not use braid on braid for jib sheet pendants; it is more susceptible to chafe than three strand.