Spinnaker Crane Extension?

[Skipd]

My 25D has a stainless steel spinnaker bail (Rig-Rite manufactured) mounted centerline on the masthead. Problems I've run into are the spinnaker halyard sometimes wrapping on the upper swivel of the roller furler unit and the sleeve of the cruising spinnaker being restricted by the halyard block being right above the forestay.
Am thinking of attaching a piece of aluminum (6061, 1/4" thick, 2" wide, 15" long) to the masthead with about 6" of it extended out and the stainless bail attached to it. This should give me good clearance to avoid the problems mentioned.
Has anyone gone this route before and have any comments? From my research I've only seen welded solutions or bails that are integral to the masthead unit.

Thanks

[steveg]

It does not really sound like a good idea. Is the problem the spinnaker halyard gets wrapped in the roller furler when the spinnaker halyard does not have the sail hoisted? If that is the case I would secure the ends of the halyard away from the mast. An arrangement as you have described is not often observed on other boats. It seems a fair inference that the disadvantages of such a system outweigh the advantages. Ultimately it would be better to find another way to reduce the problem instead of a fifteen inch extension on the front of the mast. Admittedly, my experience with a spinnaker using a sock to douse it is limited. Otherwise it might make a nice perch for seagulls and cormorants.

[Steve Laume]

If you were installing a wind instrument or an antenna a flat bar would be more than adequate. There are some serious loads in various directions when dealing with a spinnaker. A 1/4 X 2" aluminum bar just doesn't seem like it would be up to the task. Then there is the matter of how you are going to attach it to the mast head. There will be a whole lot of leverage on the attachment point. This might be enough to break the casting or tear out the fasteners. I am sure you could extend the crane but it will not be simple and needs to be well engineered to prevent a potential catastrophe, Steve.

[tjr818]

If it is a case of Halyard wrap there are fixtures to take care of that. Take a look at Rig-Rite Halyard Pullbacks:

http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/SparParts/ ... acles.html

[steveg]

If you go with the extension, what would happen if some how the spinnaker halyard got wrapped over the top of the extension? Might not be very easy to untangle.