Help with Running Rigging

[j2sailor]

Hi Guys,
One of my subscribers asked if I knew anyone in the Hudson, N.Y. area (near the Hudson river), that could work with him to get his running rigging set up.

He is building an 18 foot sloop with a free standing mast. He's new to sailing, so he'll need a lot of one-on-one help to get things right.

Thanks - J
www.skippertips.com

[Mathias]

What type of rig is he building? Sloop, cutter, gaff-rigged, Bolger-type schooner? I live a bit far away to volunteer, but enquiring minds want to know.

-Mathias

[j2sailor]

Hi Mathias,
Here is the email he sent me.

**********
The boat is a sloop with an LOA of 18', 4' beam and 34" from keel to the deck. She will have no shrouds or stays. The mast will be aluminum. Dwyer Aluminum Mast Comp., model DM-375; (www.dwyermast.com). Mast height will be about 21' above the deck. I want a free standing mast because it's easier to set up since it will be going in and out of the water.

**********

Best - J
www.skippertips.com

[Oswego John]

Mention to your friend that he might want to order a supply of tangs and a spreader if he should ever change his mind.

Well, maybe. I don't know.

O J

[Markst95]

Are you going to slide the mast into a hole in the cabintop? Thats quite a big mast to be lifting. I had an Oday daysailer that I had to balance the mast upright and then lift from the cockpit and slide into the cabintop, doable but quite a pain. Also I don't think I've seen an aluminum mast that large without any standing rigging.

[Mathias]

I agree that such a mast should have stays and shrouds. It is too big to go without. The owner seems to think that the shrouds would complicate matters, but they don't have to.

I have an 11-foot dinghy with an aluminum mast and even that little baby has two shrouds and a forestay. It doesn't have a backstay. The shrouds are attached to eyeloops near the gunwale just aft of the mast to counterbalance the pull of the forestay.

The athwartship forces are tremendous on a 22-foot mast (or was it 18?) The mast could be through-stepped to the keel into a beefy mast step, but even then, the deck will have to provide the counterpressure to that mast step. That would take a reinforced deck structure.

Shrouds don't have to be complicated. They have pelican-type fixtures that are simpler than turnbuckles.

-Mathias

[j2sailor]

Thanks for the thoughts. I will pass them on. I do not know anything about him or his boat. I know little about free standing rigs other than what I've read.

There are pros and cons on both sides of the issue. I know that free standing masts have a good record on cat, junk, and wishbone rigs. Unstayed masts have been around as long as sailing has been around. Good points about the loadings on partners and keel.

He is wise to want to work one on one with an expert before going any further with his project. Thanks again.

Best - J.

[nvandal]

I have a great used mast from a CD25D for sale. Has all the running rigging, spreders, mast top and base. Could easily be made to fit. Just a thought....
Norm Vandal