Page 184 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

First let’s look at the traditional design (Figure because the sail has the same shape whether it’s
5-36). A block-and-tackle sheet slides on a traveler, sheeted in hard or eased when off the wind.
for trim and some vanging action. The fall of the For more efficiency, try the second arrangement
sheet runs forward under the boom to a turning shown, in which the forward end of the boom swiv-
block, then aft, for a fair sheet lead at any boom els on a pedestal mounted on deck, aft of the base
angle. You’ll frequently see the forward end of the of the stay. When the sail is sheeted in, the boom
boom attached to the stay the sail is hanked to stretches the foot of the sail out for a flatter shape.
(Figure 5-36A). This greatly lowers sail efficiency, Off the wind, the difference between boom length
and sail foot length causes the sail to become fuller
for more efficient reaching and running.
Figure 5-36. Self-tending staysail configurations. A
curved traveler provides more vanging action, espe-
cially if used in conjunction with adjustable cars on Variations Mr. Angleman of Angleman Ketch
the traveler to control position of traveler sheet lead. fame came up with a nifty elaboration on the
Putting a turning block at the forward end of the length-differential theme: attaching the forward end
boom reduces load on the deck block. of the boom to a heavy-duty track (Figure 5-37).
The turning block at the forward end is so mounted
that it pulls the track car aft when the sail is sheeted

A Staysail Tackle
A sheet configuration with a 2:1 advantage. A
short pendant, or “lizard,” ends in a block. The
line rove through it is dead-ended to an eyebolt on
the rail and passes aft through a fairlead, also on
the rail.
This is the traditional arrangement for gaffers
Not so good: forward end of boom and square-riggers with relatively small staysails
attached to stay and large crews. On shorthanded boats, a small
winch back by the belay can be used to set up the
sheet when going to weather.
B

Better: forward end of boom
attached to deck-mounted pedestal

curved traveler

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