Page 203 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

stops, four times the working diameter being a stan-
dard size that provides a good lead and allows the
seizing to clear the bolster. Again, sag is measured
on the actual or a dummy mast.
When stacking successive eyes on a stop or top,
add twice the thickness of each eye to the finished
length of the next eye.
The lightest, strongest soft-eye configuration—
Figure 6-7. Adding wire diameter to mast diameter what you want for a Bermudian or high-efficiency
and multiplying the sum by π gives a true working gaff-rigged vessel—features an arrangement in
circumference, but this would still result in too tight which thumb-cleat-like bolsters are affixed to the
an eye, even for eyes that fit on “stops.” Add just side of the mast opposite the strain (Figure 6-9).
enough length so the eye will fit easily on the mast.
This allows for the fairest lead and thus the greatest
strength of any soft-eye configuration; the wire fol-
lows a gradual curve from the bolster to the splice or
any event be put under extreme lateral strain. Add seizing, the two legs meeting at an angle that, ide-
another 2 inches or so to the eye circumference, and ally, does not exceed 90 degrees, and can be as low
you’ll have an eye that goes on more easily and has a as 60 degrees. The smaller the angle, the less strain
better lead out of the seizing, but is still tight enough each leg bears.
to stay securely on its shoulder. To determine what Since Bermudian and efficient gaff rigs are light
the resulting sag adds to the finished length, put a and precisely designed, approximate measures will
sample eye on the actual mast, or a dummy section, result in poor fit, ill appearance, and impaired effi-
and measure the drop (Figure 6-8). ciency. So for a properly engineered soft eye, fire up
Eyes sometimes rest not on stops but on “bol- your traditional electronic calculator with basic trig-
sters” affixed to trestletrees at a mast top. These onometric functions and prepare to lay out the Ideal
eyes can be considerably larger than those that go to Soft Eye.

Figure 6-8. A sample eye on the mast, or on a dummy Figure 6-9. Thumb cleats and long, fair leads charac-
mast, will show how much an eye will “drop” from a terize soft eyes on Bermudian-rigged craft.
stop or bolster.

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