Page 397 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Mast Wiring Gooseneck

Instead of routing mast wiring out through the butt
of the mast (or down through the compression post
of a deck-stepped mast), install a stainless steel or
bronze gooseneck on deck next to the mast, and
lead the wiring out next to the gooseneck.
This keeps the wiring out of the bilges and
makes it much easier to install, maintain, and
repair. The gooseneck can be made from heavy-
duty marine plumbing fixtures.

Bill Page’s Anchor Tamer
Boatbuilder Bill Page’s cutter carries two Fisher-
style anchors, in rollers on either side of his bow-
sprit. A line seized to the crown of each anchor is led
to a cleat. These lines, hauled taut, keep the anchors
from jumping around under sail.
A small buoy is spliced to the end of each line,
and when an anchor is deployed, line, buoy, and all Figure 12-7. A sturdy masthead.
go down with it. This provides a convenient, com-
fortable “handle” if you have to dive on the anchor
to shift it. But Bill also uses it when bringing the side to prevent chafe and fouling on the jibstay. Note
anchor up: When the buoy clears the surface, he the holes drilled in the wing gussets; these save some
snags it with the boathook. Then he can control the weight, and they can also be used to attach gantlines
anchor’s ascent to the roller, preventing it from dent- and safety tethers when aloft. The bail over the jib
ing the topsides. halyard mortise prevents those halyards from jump-
ing off the sheave and jamming between the sheave
and mast mortise.
HALYARDS
Lugsail Halyard
All about halyards . . . blocks, wings, lugsails, hooks, A lugsail is a wonderful rig—weatherly, simple,
and sheerpoles. and easily handled. But sometimes in a chop or
off the wind, the yard swings around and bangs
Masthead Details into the mast. To prevent this, splice the standing
The sturdy masthead shown in Figure 12-7 has end of the halyard around the mast, then lead it by
two big spinnaker halyard “wings” for the halyard way of strap eyes to the usual attachment point
blocks. The wings extend well forward and to the (Figure 12-8).

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