Spinnaker Bail on Masthead

[Ed Haley]

Whenever conditions are right for setting a spinnaker on Jasmine (CD28), I must remove the sail from the furler to use the only forward halyard I have. As a result, I don't use the spinnaker as much unless it's a long run. I'd like to rig another halyard to use with the cruising spinnaker but I haven't seen the right fitting that must go on top of the mash. I've contacted Rig-Right and used their website to try to find the piece of equipment but no luck. (I might not be looking in the right place). I understand it's some type of bail that holds a block but I'm at a loss to find it. Can anyone describe it for me and/or tell me where I can locate the piece?



eghaley@dreamscape.com

[Dana]

Ed,

I used a Schaffer spinnaker bail. It is a flat SS horizontal laying rectanglar flat bar with a "D" ring welded horizontally on one of the narrow ends of the flat bar. The flat bar has three holes for mounting it flat on top of the mast head. The horizontal "D" ring end of the bar is positioned just forward of the masthead. A single swivel block is attached to the "D" ring. A new halyard is run up and down from the block. I attached an additional cleat on the jib halyard side of the mast for securing the halyard.

Dana



darenius@aol.com

[Jim Stull]

Ed,

I used a Schaffer spinnaker bail. It is a flat SS horizontal laying rectanglar flat bar with a "D" ring welded horizontally on one of the narrow ends of the flat bar. The flat bar has three holes for mounting it flat on top of the mast head. The horizontal "D" ring end of the bar is positioned just forward of the masthead. A single swivel block is attached to the "D" ring. A new halyard is run up and down from the block. I attached an additional cleat on the jib halyard side of the mast for securing the halyard.

Dana

Dana

Just happened to pick up our new asymetrical spinaker from the sailmaker yesterday and was going thru the catalogs this morning searching for the correct mounting hardware when low and behold I find Ed's message and your answer!
We had sort of zeroed in on the Ronstan Mast Hound. It is shown on page 249 of the new BoatsUS catalog. If you have this catalog, I would value your opinion as to the suitability of this hanger based on your experience.
Jim



jtstull@icubed.com

[john churchill]

Ed,

I used a Schaffer spinnaker bail. It is a flat SS horizontal laying rectanglar flat bar with a "D" ring welded horizontally on one of the narrow ends of the flat bar. The flat bar has three holes for mounting it flat on top of the mast head. The horizontal "D" ring end of the bar is positioned just forward of the masthead. A single swivel block is attached to the "D" ring. A new halyard is run up and down from the block. I attached an additional cleat on the jib halyard side of the mast for securing the halyard.

Dana

Dana

Just happened to pick up our new asymetrical spinaker from the sailmaker yesterday and was going thru the catalogs this morning searching for the correct mounting hardware when low and behold I find Ed's message and your answer!
We had sort of zeroed in on the Ronstan Mast Hound. It is shown on page 249 of the new BoatsUS catalog. If you have this catalog, I would value your opinion as to the suitability of this hanger based on your experience.
Jim

you did not ask me, but it does not look like it will get your block forward of the forestay where it should be. i know the fitting Dana describes, having seen it in an acient spartan catalog. it is no longer available thru them, i do not see it in new spartan, west, boat/us r defender catalogs. any suggestions? how about special order?

[Duncan Maio]

I've contacted Rig-Right and used their website to try to find the piece of equipment but no luck. (I might not be looking in the right place). I understand it's some type of bail that holds a block but I'm at a loss to find it. Can anyone describe it for me and/or tell me where I can locate the piece?

I just ordered one from Rig-Rite:

Masthead Spinnaker Bail - SP-083-1:
Heavy 5/16" SS bail is welded to a flat plate which attaches to the top of the masthead with 4 SS screws. Mounting requires drilling & tapping 4 1/4-20 holes.

It hasn't arrived yet, so I don't know how well it will work. Right now my VHF antenna is on a tang that extends forward of the masthead, where the bail would attach, so I must find a new location for that (the wind direction indicator is on a similar tang aft of the masthead).

Duncan Maio
s/v Remedy
CD27 #37



dmaio@att.net

[Dana]

Jim,

I'm sorry.....I would not recommend the "masthound". If it is a mast head rig (forestay to the very top), I agree with John that the block bail should be above and outside the forestay. Also I am leary of the forward tang on the "masthead". I keep thinking of the side loads which can be placed on it, tending to bend it.

Looking at my old papers...I see mine was a Spartan #SP450-2...not a Schaffer....as I thought. It is remarkable that such a simple device is not more available....hence the reason Spartan probably made it.
Anyway it has a long 1/4" diameter stock "D" ring looking forward.
The long u-bolt is welded to the top sides of the base bracket. I remember now how long I took to locate one before....finding only the Spartan. Would you consider making your own? It is only a SS long u-bolt and flat plate...

Dana



darenius@aol.com

[Jim Stull]

Ed,

I used a Schaffer spinnaker bail. It is a flat SS horizontal laying rectanglar flat bar with a "D" ring welded horizontally on one of the narrow ends of the flat bar. The flat bar has three holes for mounting it flat on top of the mast head. The horizontal "D" ring end of the bar is positioned just forward of the masthead. A single swivel block is attached to the "D" ring. A new halyard is run up and down from the block. I attached an additional cleat on the jib halyard side of the mast for securing the halyard.


Dana

Dana

Just happened to pick up our new asymetrical spinaker from the sailmaker yesterday and was going thru the catalogs this morning searching for the correct mounting hardware when low and behold I find Ed's message and your answer!
We had sort of zeroed in on the Ronstan Mast Hound. It is shown on page 249 of the new BoatsUS catalog. If you have this catalog, I would value your opinion as to the suitability of this hanger based on your experience.
Jim

you did not ask me, but it does not look like it will get your block forward of the forestay where it should be. i know the fitting Dana describes, having seen it in an acient spartan catalog. it is no longer available thru them, i do not see it in new spartan, west, boat/us r defender catalogs. any suggestions? how about special order?

Thanks John and Dana for the feedback.
I think I have maybe caused some confusion. Our new sail is a single luff, "cruising spinnaker". Our objective was to keep sailing in light winds. It is a very big, radial construction, light nylon sail but it does not use a pole. After some discussions with the sailmaker, it seemed to be a better compromise for cruising than either a true spinnaker or a drifter. We told the sailmaker that we were not confident of using a true spinnaker for general cruising. He suggested that a drifter would only provide minimal improvement over our big genoa and that the "cruising spinniker" sail would be a reasonable compromise.
For mounting, the instructions which came with the sail state: "the halyard is mounted just below the headstay. This permits the spinnaker to jibe below and inside the headstay, which is the easiest and fastest method of jibing. The halyard should be rove through a block that is mounted externally on the mastand is free to swing to either side and follow the lead of the sail." Note that we do not use roller furling.
I can weld up a stainless fitting but I now suspect my sail may have different requirments than a true spinnaker.
(The literature that came with the sail shows a horseshoe shaped bracket screwed to the mast, just under the forestay, with an eye for the halyard block.)
We purchased a CHUTESCOOP to control the sail.
We much appreciate the very valuable feedback and would like to hear any additional comments.
Jim




jtstull@icubed.com

[Ed Haley]

Thanks to everyone. The order is in for the SP-083-1. I'll install it when the weather gets warmer.



eghaley@dreamscape.com