Page 321 - Brion Toss - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Short panel lengths are characteristic of modern tially, the mizzen is trapped by a split main back-

masts, but Cirrus also has some old-timey details stay. In the interests of easier handling, Cirrus was
(Figure 8-3): Although her lower shrouds go to converted from sloop to yawl early in her career,
tangs, her uppers and the upper ends of her dia- and this novel fitting was one result. It eliminates
mond stays attach with mast-encircling “soft eyes” the problem of the mizzen’s being in the way of the
set on carved bolsters. Another unusual archaic main backstay, and simultaneously provides fore-
detail is that the main backstay and aft-leading
mizzen lowers are attached by a curved tang; essen- Figure 8-4. The mizzen of Portunus has a long unsup-
ported lower section, but avoids Sojourner’s problems
Figure 8-3. Cirrus’s mizzen is early Bermudian with (Figure 8-6) by dint of heavy scantlings, an oval cross
traditional and contemporary details. The upper section, and being stepped on the keel. In addition, the
shrouds and diamond stays terminate in soft eyes at jumper strut leads to the base of the mast instead of
the mast, while the lowers end in tangs. The main the middle, where it would pull the mast forward. The
backstay terminates at the mizzen, and a custom fit- running backstays can be made off to the quarters
ting takes its load directly to the aft-leading mizzen in heavy weather to prevent the mast’s upper section
lower shrouds. from “whipping.”

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