Rigs & Rigging Q & A

Can a ratchet block be used in order to control the release of a furling line? The 44' boat I recently purchased uses a small diameter spectra line for furling, and if and when it takes off in a breeze, it can do great damage to the hands! If you let it go, it usually kinks in the aft furling block. Thanks, Ted

Hi Ted: A ratchet block will help, but in a breeze you will want a winch. And in light airs it will probably be necessary to turn off the ratchet when unrolling. Steve

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Hello Steve, I have a decision to make now on my new rig.

I have a brand new carbon fibre spar. It is 56' long, double spreaders with discontinuous rod standing rigging.

The shrouds terminate with stemballs in the spreader bars (i.e. no tangs in the spar except for the cap shrouds).

The shroud stemballs cannot be removed while the spreaders are in place, which means that if I had a shroud problem, it would be impossible to change while the mast is standing.

Navtec has a part which is a stemball with a marine eye on the other end. This means I could have forks on the ends of the shrouds, which are pinned to the stemball eyes, which are embedded in the spreader bars. This would allow me to change a broken shroud while under way.

My question is: Should I bother? With rod rigging, are there signs of fatigue, like with meat hooks etc. in wire? If I broke a shroud, say a D3 or V2 or D2, or something, would the spar already be broken and changing the shroud is now meaningless? Obviously if a V1 broke, the mast would snap instantly, so we don't have to talk about that. More clearly stated: is there any circumstance that would prompt me to want to replace a rod shroud while away from a harbour and a mast crane?

The stemball eyes would likely add maybe 2 or three pounds to the rig, and add the complexity of a dozen extra bits and pieces.

I want to sail across an ocean (and back) some time in the next few years or so. - Ryan

Navtec have fatigue indicating fittings, or they used to. I would not use rod without this. In general, I have not been a rod fan for all the reasons you mentioned. If you are crossing oceans, make sure they have higher than normal factors of safety. - Steve

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Hi Steve, Good articles on leaks...

I've never had mast collar leaks...but what I do have is rain water getting into the mast, I guess through the halyard exits etc., which accumulates in the bilge...any suggestions as to how to cure that kind of leak?? Cheers, Alan

What we do on all our boats is put a dam at the bottom, above the deck, via a trap door in the side of the mast. This catches about 95% of the rain/spray. - Steve

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Hi Steve, I'm ordering a #4 for my J120 which I intend to sail from the Caribbean back to the States this spring. The boat is set up for roller furling on the headstay.

My question: Does it make any sense to put reinforcement in the #4 so it can be rolled up to storm jib size? I do have a storm jib, but think it would be easier to set the trysail and the #4 when the wind gets over 25 knots, and progressively roll up the #4 as the wind builds. Easier -- but impractical?

I'd be most interested in your comments. Love your books (I've got 'em all). Cheers, David

Hi Dave: Tough question. I'd answer first by saying it depends on where you are sailing. If the sail could be set up right for heavy conditions, and if you were not likely to be using it for long periods, maybe OK (assuming of course the roller furling gear was bulletproof).

For sure it would be easier to just roll up the #4, assuming the shape was reasonable and that you had a proper lead for the jib. But those are big assumptions. Odds are you would need to start with a pretty high clew, and/or have a very long jib track or position on the rail to move the block to for storm jib size.

On the other hand, if you are going to be spending long periods reefed down to storm jib size, I think I would rather have a proper storm jib aboard, that could be set on its own stay. This would be especially the case where you will be using the system for beating (typically the ultimate heavy weather tactic).

I am going to forward your question to Dan Neri at North and see what Dan has to say. Regards - Steve

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Hi, I've just purchased a 1975 Westerly Centaur (and yes, I don't plan on getting anywhere quickly). The boat has its original rigging including a roller-reefing boom. I would like to employ some sort of basic slab reefing type approach, but there are no reef hooks and there doesn't appear to be an blocks on the stern end of the boom for running lines to the clew of each reef. Can I just mount all of this on the present boom and run appropriate lines? If I can mount such hardware, would I rivet it onto the boom? Or do I need to think about a new boom (I really don't want to buy a new boom). Thanks! - Arthur

Hi Arthur: Slab reefing is easy to do. Usually a new boom would not be required. The blocks should be bolted, not riveted. And of course you will need some reef clew/tack cringles put into your mainsail.

There is some information on slab reefing in our Offshore Cruising Ency. And you will also get some good input from your local sailmaker.

Be sure to coordinate the location of the reef points in the sail with where the hardware goes.

One issue to consider with the boom. In theory, roller reefing evenly distributes the sail load along the boom (reality is usually something different). Slab reefing will point load the boom more than the roller reefing. In most cases, the boom would have the beef to handle this. But it is something you might want to get a rigger to take a quick look at. Regards - Steve Dashew

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Dear Steve, We are building a 46ft cat for live-aboard offshore cruising and have been studying and contemplating your writings with relish...We are ready for rig quotes and have been considering single line reefing - mostly to reduce the number of lines in the cockpit. Our last cat had simple slab reefing with luff & leach lines returning to the cockpit, and it worked very well.

We are concerned about adding complications and are unsure how to do it so, & that if anything goes wrong inside the boom we can fix it easily. Most people we have asked have thought it was OK in smaller boats, but weren't confident to recommend it for as powerful a rig as ours.

Our cat is 'a mainsail boat' with 75sqm main with big roach like Beowulf, and self-tacking jib.

I am wondering if you could tell us how you set up single-line reefing in Beowulf and whether you have any more information or impressions that would help us.

Best wishes with your new project. - Sandy S

Hi Sandy: I'm of mixed opinion on single line reefing. I have tried it myself, and seen it used on other big boats. A couple of issues to consider:

1-I would not put the lines inside the boom if there are any tackles involved. If this is just a single line running from the clew forward, it is OK. However, be sure to have a couple of messenger lines to use if the line fails.

2-Set up the system so you can change back quickly - at sea - if the need arises.

3-Be sure to work with a sailmaker who has experience in single line systems on boats of similar loads. This adds a lot of load to the luff of the sail and needs to be dealt with in terms of structure and angle very carefully.

Having used both, my preference for big loads is slab reefing with separate clue and tack. This offers more flexibility and less hassle with the main. But, as you have pointed out, more clutter in the cockpit. - Steve

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Dear Steve, Thank you for taking the time to read our email. We are selling our home to buy a yacht to cruise the oceans to enjoy our time together. I'm a marine mechanic specializing in power boat refits. I have limited sailing experience and Karen has even less.

We are currently shopping for a yacht with the intentions of learning on the boat we will be cruising on. We have your books and recently purchased a video you appear in (Heavy Weather Sailing), we found it all very exciting and informative. We are planning on spending the next year or three learning and doing all the necessary courses to become competent offshore sailors.
The yachts we are looking at are mainly masthead rigs but we have come across a fractional (Farr 1104) which shows a lot of potential as a cruiser/live-on.

Although you suggest water length to be main consideration, this is the largest within our price range. I am aware of the sailing differences between fractional and masthead after reading your books, but I have no experience sailing on fractional rigs and am not sure of the difference of rig strength.

The type of yachts we are looking at are:

Duncanson 35' Masthead
Northshore 33' Masthead
Farr 36' Fractional

Just once again thank you for your time and valued advice. - Alen S

Hi Alen: Sorry for the delay in replying - been away flying my glider. Re: fractional rigs, they make great cruising boats if you can handle the main, and are usually easier to sail than masthead rigs because of the smaller headsails. Also, you can often sail under main alone. The key thing is having a good reefing system, and making sure the boom and sheets are set up so as not to be dangerous in an accidental jibe.

Structurally, the same basic rules apply and a fractional rig can have high factors of safety, or low factors of safety. I'd contact the Farr office and ask for their input on the design you are considering. If it is a runner-dependant rig, i.e. one in which proper operation of the runners is required to keep the mast from collapsing, then you might want to look at something less tricky. But many fractional rigs are not runner dependent. Good Luck - Steve

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Hello, In your rigs and rigging section, you mention using the Profurl 4000 free flying furler. Can that furler be set tight enough to work for use up wind sail?

Don Street, in his valuable book The Ocean Sailing Yacht, mentions his using a similar unit some years ago for both jib and staysail and using them upwind, downwind, whatever. High luff tension is vital, of course. I don't see why these couldn't be used for all headsails, providing the safety of being able to get the sail down and also being able to easily change sails. Leaving the headstay would provide the backup system for a hanked-on sail. The century-old Wykeham-Martin design still works well for gaff riggers. Can the new flying furlers fill the role for Bermudan rigs?

Thanks, Donal

Hi Donal: There is no easy answer to your question. This depends on how strong a wind you want to use the free-flying furler in to weather, how much headsail sag you can tolerate, and the structural capability of the mast and sprit or stem to which things are attached.

The problem is not the furling gear per se - you can always get that strong enough. It is everything else in the equation. Race boats do use these sails upwind in light airs. We could carry Beowulf's free-flying reacher (cut flatter than the code 0 we had aboard) in up to six or seven knots apparent - after which it was better to set our regular jib. This was using two-to-one spectra halyards. We looked at a higher wind range, but did not want to subject the mast and bowsprit to the higher loads which would go with trying to keep the luff straight. - Steve

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I am installing a small electric anchor winch to hoist and reef my boom furling main, which has a large roach. I would like to have a halyard brake or other device to maintain light, constant tension on the halyard as I haul the sail down to reef or stow completely. If tension varies, the roll loosens and risks jamming against the front of the boom. Who makes such devices, or can one find a rope clutch that has a variable setting that could be used? I don't care what it is called, only that it does the job I require...Thanks....Lowell

Hi Lowell: I have not seen such a brake before. However, I would check with the guys who make the inboom furling systems as they might have developed something like this. Regards - Steve

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Dear Steve, We have been following your commentary for years now and have a question that we hope you can help with.

Do you feel that a baby stay on the ketch rigged Sundeer 64's would aid in preventing a mast inversion due to operator error? What conditions would create a circumstance where you could lose the spar?

I am referring to page 662 of Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, regarding your discussion of swept back spreaders. Is this setup less forgiving than a conventional spreader configuration with forward shrouds?

Any comment would be appreciated. Thanks, Wayne

Hi Wayne: Swept spreaders, such as used on the Sundeer 64 ketches, push the mast forward. As such, they take the place of a forward lower shroud or baby stay. Since there is always a forward component to the thrust, the other shrouds would not be doing any work.

We would recommend a cutter stay, for use with heavy weather sails. Regards - Steve

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Can a ratchet block be used in order to control the release of a furling line?

The 44' boat I recently purchased uses a small diameter spectra line for furling, and if and when it takes off in a breeze, it can do great damage to the hands! If you let it go, it usually kinks in the aft furling block. Thanks, Ted

Hi Ted: A ratchet block will help, but in a breeze you will want a winch. And in light airs it will probably be necessary to turn off the ratchet when unrolling. - Steve

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We have a Stoboom on our Bristol sloop and I would like to keep and maintain it for some time to come. When we bought the boat several years ago, the sage wisdom from the people we spoke with was to ditch the Stoboom and go back to a conventional boom/sail rig.

We have got used to using the Stoboom and really would like to keep it in good shape. Any idea where we might find a source of parts for it? We have been unable to find anything on the Internet or by contacting Hood. Also concerned about eventual deterioration of the sail track over time. Thanks. - Roger

Try contacting Bomar - http://www.pompanette.com/bomar. They purchased the spar business from Hood some years ago. Good Luck - Steve

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Dear Mr. Dashew: A few years ago, I bought your book Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia and found it most informative. For the past 3 years I have been building a Baltek Superlite balsa/epoxy 50' Simonis-designed catamaran here in Johannesburg, South Africa. We have never sailed or owned a boat before, and every day we find new challenges and unique problems that we have to overcome. We are building this boat 600 kilometers from the nearest port with no experienced folk anywhere in sight. Despite these handicaps, so far I think we have managed pretty good, and day by day we are getting closer to our dream. We are now close to finishing the hull, deck and bulkheads. After this we will then commence with the deck hardware and internal fitting.

The purpose of my email: I cannot find any readily available information either in your book or elsewhere on the Internet providing details regarding the rope to winch (Lewmar - self tailing) angle. I am referring to the genoa rope - at what angle to the winch drum should this rope connect? I would imagine that the rope should meet the drum at about 90 degrees - but I am not sure.

You must be extremely busy but your advice will be greatly appreciated. Regards, Wiets W

Hi Wiets: Sounds like you have a project! There are two angles for your winches. One is the drum angle. With chain, where the chain wraps around a gypsy for something less than 200 degrees, the angle can be critical. However, with a winch used for rope, there will be multiple turns on the winch, so the angle around the drum is unimportant.

The angle up from the deck to the winch drum is important. If it is too flat, the rope will tend to override. If it is too low, there will be excessive drag. We usually come up at an angle a little less than the base of the winch drum. Most winch manufacturers will specify the optimum angle for their drum.

There is one other angle to consider, and this is where the line stripper exits on top of the drum (assuming you are using self-tailing winches). This is adjustable when the winch is assembled, so you will have time to play with it later. Basically, you want to avoid having the self-tailing line fall over the sheet where it comes onto the drum. Otherwise, as the sheet is wound in the self-tailing end, it can become ensnarled around the drum. Good Luck - Steve

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I've enjoyed reading the Q&A on rigs on your site...and have a question...I wonder if this is the way to communicate it?

I have a 60' aluminum centerboard boat--very French looking. I love the boat but the rig is a handful. The mast came out of Fortuna Light--a Whitbread boat from the 80s. It's very beefy, but also very tall--about 80' off the water. I put a Harken track on the main so it's not too bad to handle, although it takes a while to get it up. The headsails are a lot of work though. The boat has a fairly healthy weather helm (I've experienced worse, for sure) but the main is old, a bit baggy and has been cut and recut quite a few times. All in all, the sail area is generous, and I could probably get by with a little less.

What I'd like to do is re-rig the boat as a ketch, with nearly equal masts. Do you think I can get the mast height down to around 60-65'? There would be two natural places for masts, about 10-12' fore and aft of the current mast. Can I use those spots and then design the sails to provide a balanced center of effort? Is this worthwhile or would I be better off buying electric halyard and Genoa winches? All the best, Willy R

Hi Willy: There is no easy answer to your question. If you go to a ketch rig, the main mast will have to move forward, and for performance you will want substantial separation of the two rigs (see data on Beowulf and Sundeer in our Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia).

The center of effort of the rig would have to be in the correct position relative to the keel, and cost wise, I doubt you want to mess with moving the keel.

It would be far more efficient to invest in an electric halyard winch and electric primaries, and maybe a powered main sheet winch (very handy for jibing in big winds). Sometimes the main sheet winch can be combined with halyard and reefing lines.

Weather helm is often a function of sail shape. When sails get too full, they develop lots of drag (and weather helm).

Maybe a generous sized staysail, on its own stay (and perhaps furler) would help to get your area down quickly when the breeze comes up. Good Luck - Steve

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Hi Steve, Along with other boats, I've been looking at a 47-foot ketch that has 454 sq.ft. in the foretriangle, 416 in the main (only one set of spreaders) and 182 in the mizzen. As the mizzen represents only 17% of sail area, by your recommendations on pg.645 of the Encyclopedia, this sail is more decorative than useful and the boat would probably be better rigged as a sloop with a removable inner forestay. If the mizzen were removed and a second set of spreaders added to the main mast to support the inner forestay, could this boat be expected to sail just as before? Or, is it more likely that the main mast would have to be moved aft and both the main and headsail be replaced? Thx for your comments, DM

Without seeing the lines plan and rig drawings it is hard to give specific advice. However, in general, from the proportions you mention you will probably be net faster in most conditions without the small mizzen. Second spreaders are usually not required for a cutter stay. However, running backstays usually are needed to offset the forward thrust. I'd check with a local rigger or spar builder. Good Luck - Steve

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I am restoring a 1980 Cheoy Lee 44 Ketch. She currently has wood spars. I have been considering having a taller main aluminum mast made with a longer boom and removing the mizzen all together, running her as a sloop. Is this possible? P.S. Love your books!! Best Regards, Larry

Hi Larry: Hard to answer your question without looking at a complete set of plans. However, there are a couple of tests you can do which will give you the answer. Basically, see how the boat balances without the mizzen when beating and reaching. If the helm is neutral or has a slight weather helm, you will be OK. If the helm is leeward without the mizzen, this is a big hit on performance and it will be worse when you just increase the existing sailplan.

I assume that once the breeze comes on, you do not need the mizzen, and that it creates excess weather helm. One thing to consider in making the rig taller is to lengthen the main book a hair, to add area and move the center of effort back at the same time.

Generally speaking, most boats have a net benefit from removing their mizzens--less drag, less weight, and better overall performance.

One thing to keep in mind is rig weight. You would not want to end up with a heavier rig! And wood is a pretty efficient material when used correctly. Steve Dashew

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I am continuing to work on re-fitting my Columbia 45 with Mike Conner's continued assistance.

We are beginning to engineer running halyards and lines back to my cockpit. I have main, jib and spinnaker halyards as well as the spinnaker topping lift halyard. My current main has one set of reef points and I intend to have two sets when I build my next main, so I am planning for two reefing lines. We would like to know whether I should plan to run these six lines back to the cockpit or if there are additional ones that should go back as well. If we run more than six, we are aware of deck organizers that stack the lines so four can run back with two on top of two.

Do you recommend for or against stacking lines with deck organizers?

Can you give a recommendation on which lines/halyards you most strongly recommend running back to the cockpit? Thank you for your input. - Eric

Hi Eric: There is no easy answer. It is a question of extra lines coming aft and that complexity, vs. how often the extra reefs would be used, and the space available for the hardware and rope tails.

On our larger boats we often just bring the first set of reef lines aft, plus the spinnaker halyard and main halyard, and leave the rest at the mast. On the other hand, if you have the room, bring all the reef lines aft certainly eliminates going forward when you'd rather be dry in the cockpit.

Given the deck layout of the C-45 I think I would go for bringing them aft. - Steve

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Hi Steve, I recently broke my mast on my 41 foot sloop and I am in a quandary in what to do. A new mast is pretty expensive and I am trying to avoid getting a new mast.

Some people have suggested that I sleeve and rivet the mast together (splice). I am not convinced if this method would have long-term advantages.

My mast broke right around the 1st spreaders with a relatively clean cut. It was a fractional rig. The aluminum mast is about 54 feet long. Do you think that a repair would be wise if done properly or would it be prudent to get a new mast if the budget permits? Thanks, Joey

Hi Joey: Sorry to hear about your mast.

Re: repairing it, sleeving a broken spar is a common practice, and doing it at the lower spreaders is a lot better than at the hounds where there would be a potential problem with bending.

There are a number of issues to consider:

1-The sleeve has to be long enough. Check with your rig supplier or designer, but something like an overlap of three times the fore and aft dimension is usually required.

2-Make sure the ends of the sleeve are tapered, so as not to create a hard spot. Again, the mast guys will know about this (bigger spars are often sleeved if the extrusions cannot be purchased long enough).

3-The norm today I think is to use a combination of high strength epoxy, especially formulated for bonding aluminum, and mechanical fasteners. Although in the past just fasteners were used, the combination of these two is much better.

4-There will be some change in the bending characteristics of the spar, but this should not be a huge problem at the lower spreader. The weight and center of gravity will also go up. You have to trade this off against the cost savings.

5-Take care with the mainsail track. If it is internal you will want to be sure the edges of the joints are aligned and well softened. Check this carefully when the mast is down, and rock the slides in all possible positions while checking. - Steve Dashew

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Dear Steve, I have written before and always have received a kind and enlightening response. I recently had our mast unstepped, repainted, and rewired (spreader lights, vhf, wind NMEA, anchor lights, etc.) . The electronics guy installed a new pvc tube for a wire chase.

Our mast is stepped on deck (metal boat). The wiring feeds out of the mast about 6" above the deck. The cable splits into two bundles (taped) and the two bundles are fed through metal stand pipes throughwelded through the deck (port and starboard). The teak j box in the salon leaks whenever it rains.

I don't know whether the electronics guy left a Ptrap with the wire before he fed it out of the mast. I also am wondering if the fit at the mast step could be so tight as to not allow water to drain out the step, but rather sit and collect until it gets deep enough to follow the wiring chase and ultimately end up in the cabin.

I don't want to unstep the mast again to look. And I don't want to unnecessarily bore a hole in the mast to allow drainage if no need exists. Any advice? Thanks, Wayne

Hi Wayne: Several things to look at:
1-make sure there is a clean weep hole in the bottom of the mast. If there is no hole, I'd drill one, maybe about 10mm/3/8" in diameter.
2-wiring inside of the mast should make a "U" below the exit point, so any moisture on the wiring drips off before it exits.
3-the tricky part is going to be sealing the entry into the pipes on deck. These are usually in the shape of an upside down "J", again so that no water can run directly on the wires into the pipe. If this is not the case, then sealing is going to be doubly critical.
4-for watertight bulkhead penetrations for bundles of wires--essentially what you are trying to do--we've had success caulking the opening with copious amounts of sealant--usually silicone--and then cleaning it up carefully to present a smooth surface. After this cures, we wrap the wiring for some distance with self-amalgamating tape until the tape seals around the pipe. Good Luck--Steve Dashew

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Hi, our insurance requires us to replace all running rigging after 5 years (which is at the end of this year) whether it needs it or not. Probably not a bad idea. along the same lines, someone suggested all thru hulls be replaced after 5 years. Do you agree with the latter? Regards, Peter

Hi Peter: If the running rigging is in good shape (i.e. not chafed and not overly sun damaged) I see no reason to replace it. Unless it is of small size to save weight and you have been stressing it a lot. Re through-hull fittings, this is a question of material, environment, and condition. If they are bronze--and have been surveyed carefully there is no reason to change them. But obviously, if they are at all suspect, the time to do it is before they cause a problem! Regards--Steve Dashew

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Hi Steve, In the FAQ section under Rigs and Rigging you mention you use 3 to 3 1/4" sliders in your mainsail system. Do you have these sliders in this length specially manufactured for you, and if so, who does it and what material is used? Or are they 'off the shelf'? And lastly, do they have any metal inserts within the plastic for reinforcement? (I've searched extensively but apparently not well enough!) Thanks Rich

Hi Rich: We have an internal track extruded as part of the mast extrusions into which the sliders fit. If the sliders are too short, they wrack (angle themselves) inside the track and become difficult to raise and lower. Most commercial sliders are two to two-and-a-half inches long which is usually too short (but lowers the stack height of the mainsail). After we discovered this issue many years ago we started having the longer sliders made, which sorted out the problem. Initially these were made by Russ Foster at Battslide. After he sold his business to Schaefer products we've had Schaefer do this a time or two. These sliders are machined from aluminum (for batten ends--intermediate ate stainless covered on plastic). We spray the mast tracks every couple of months with Team McLube which helps a lot. Steve Dashew

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Steve, I'm looking at a Hardin 45 Ketch. It has two deck stepped masts. Would you consider that a trait that would be suitable for an offshore vessel? Know anything about these vessels? Les

Hi Les: Deck stepped spars are less efficient structurally than those that are fixed on the keel and then at the deck. In general, it takes about 25% more mast tube weight to accomplish the same result. So in this regard it is a negative. Second, if you have a dismasting there is not going to be stump left with which to easily fashion a jury rig. On the plus side is the fact that there are no mast collars to leak (they always do), and if you drop a mast, it is usually easier to get rid of the debris. If there were no other issues, for offshore work, my preference would be to have spars stepped on the keel. Steve Dashew

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Steve, I kept your 2 big books (Cruising Encyclopedia and Weather book) on the shelf, frankly afraid of them: they are so big, they intimidated meÉ So I kept reading smaller, easier to finish books for the past 3 years. Finally I gathered the courage to open your cruising encyclopedia and now I canÕt put it down: I donÕt even play spades on the computer anymore.

The fact is that I closed today on my first "big boat", is a 1989 Hylas 44, called Delta Tango, soon to be named "Alegria". I stopped working (or maybe my companyÕs business decided to slow down to the point that it stopped me) and plan to prepare to sail with her (my wife and Alegria) for the rest. Will shake down to Bermuda and BVI, afterwards going anywhere but including Alaska, Hawaii, Palmyra, Tonga, Tahiti, Western Europe, etc. I am 54, have some time to cruise, hopefully. Your book provides me with a lot of info that I intend to use to equip, improve and secure her. Your first advice in the book (donÕt start buying things and changing them around until you sailed for a while) is great advice. But hard to follow by someone like me who is always trying to improve things (and people, just ask my wife and kids!).

I called Hood and they prepared an estimate on a Vektron Main, reacher, stay sail and storm main. Initially I thought on getting the main (full batten, 5 of them), to go over the back stay, then I chicken out, now I am back on the first idea, making it elliptical, overlapping the back stay by some 8 inches. If it chafes, I guess I can cut it down to regular size. This is not a particulary fast boat, so I need all the sail I can get. I talked to the riggers at Nance & Ubderwood to build the baby stay and runners. Thank you for any advice you can give me. Regards, Pablo

Hi Pablo: Thanks for the kind words. Re the past the backstay roach, chafe is not an issue, as long as you put some UHMW over the battens and a piece of pvc pipe up the backstay. You might check with Dan Neri at North Sails in Newport, RI also for ideas/quote. Dan has done a bunch of these rigs. Note--be sure and have the first reef set so the roach clears the backstay (for motorsailing). Steve Dashew

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We are recent owners of a '67 boat and sometimes find the hoisting/handling of the main to be cumbersome if not downright difficult. What modifications/solutions can you recommend? What of main furling system? Thank you. Best regards, Phil

Hi Phil: This is a very involved subject, starting with the height of the boom above the deck. On our designs we try and keep the boom(s) low so they are easy to work--which means they cannot overhang the cockpit. Hoisting is simplified with an electric winch (which we usually use for other halyards too, going aloft, and often reefing). Then there are the in-the-mast and or in-boom furling systems. If you have a really high boom, which makes covering difficult, one of these approaches might make sense. In the mast means a lot of extra weight and windage aloft, and a battenless mainsail (which means it is much less efficient). There are quite a few details on this subject in our Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia. Good Luck--Steve Dashew

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After watching your Offshore Cruising Video, I happened to see a picture of a ketch rigged with junk sails. One reminded me of the other. Is that where you got the idea for the fully battened sails front and rear? I sure do like that combination. Do you think it would work for a 40 ft. boat? What is your opinion of junk rigged cruising sailboats? Sidney

Hi Sidney: The chinese have been doing highly efficient rigs and hulls for the last couple of thousand years. And, if you don't have the material for a modern rig, I think the junk rig is great. But not nearly as efficient as a modern, higher aspect ratio plan form which looks the same sail shape wise on both tacks. As far as boat size, as much as we love the ketch rig, for a whole variety of reasons, starting with cost and complexity, it does not make sense until you are forced to use it by shear size of the boat. Steve Dashew

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I am thinking of building or buying a 40-ft yacht for long-distance bluewater cruising with a small family crew. Can you please give me some input to the rigging systems you have for your yachts? I have read some of your most interesting topics in Tech Talk--is there any for the 2-masted rigging? I'm very impressed with your boats. Yours, Bosse

Hi Bosse: First, avoid building a boat if at all possible. It is much, much better to find a good used boat! Our opinion is that for any boat under 60 feet or so in length, a sloop or cutter rig (single mast) is a better choice. It is simpler, less costly, easier to sail, and faster. As the boats get larger, the ketch rig starts to make sense. There is quite a bit of information on rigs and rigging in our Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia (as well as data on interiors). Regards--Steve Dashew

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Dear Mr. Dashew: November 2001 Sail magazine contains an article by naval architect Roger Marshall titled "Seamanship in High Winds" in which he states (page 36), "...I believe that every boat that is intending to go offshore should have a staysail stay, possibly made of aramid, on which to set the storm jib." My question concerns the nature of such a staysail stay made of aramid. Could this be as simple as an aramid halyard attached to a folding padeye on deck made tight with a winch? (Assuming the geometry of the aramid halyard/staysail stay would be acceptable using the topping lift sheave, for example.) If so, such an arrangement might appeal to coastal cruisers such as myself, who would like to have the option of using a hanked-on storm jib on a staysail stay but have difficulty justifying a conventional staysail stay installation due to its low frequency or probability of use.

If my understanding, as set out above, of what Mr. Marshall intends is correct, how satisfactory would such an arrangement be in actual use? Do you believe this would be a good option for coastal cruisers such as myself? (I realize the scope of my question ignores additional important considerations like keeping the mast in column, possibly using running backstays or swept-back spreaders, etc. and the structural concerns of the deck handling the loads.) If such an installation is a reasonable approach, I am sure you can see the potential appeal for some cruisers. If one were lucky, installation might be as simple as installing a folding padeye on deck, replacing the topping lift with aramid line run to an appropriate winch (assuming the topping lift sheave is located opposite upper swept back spreaders) and buying a storm jib with hanks. Wishful thinking? As always, thank you for your assistance.---Downing Mears

Hi Downing: Interesting question. First, there are lots of boats now using soft cutter stays (i.e. some form of rope). I'm not sure I'd go with aramid. I think spectra might be better for cruising. There are many ways of handling the system, and you will need to make sure that all the elements are up to strength. This starts with the deck fitting, which needs a connection to the hull, via a bulkhead or tension strap to the hull. The "hanks" need to be of a type which will not chafe--the Wichard polished stainless seem to be pretty common. You need some system to tension the stay. And finally, the mast will need to resist the forward pull of the stay, usually with running backstays. Keep in mind that during heavy weather, this cutter stay will see almost the same load as the headstay. Regards, Steve Dashew

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Hi Steve and Linda: You may remember me as a contributor Surviving the Storm (RAMTHA Photos). We have purchased a Gitana 43 IOR-type yacht in order to undertake our planned extended cruise to the Northern Hemisphere starting 2004. The yacht is well proven with 5 Atlantic crossings and South Pacific passages since she was launched in Cape Town in 1981. We are now planning her refit. We intend unstepping the aluminium mast and closely inspecting the rig. This raises several questions as to how much we upgrade the mast systems and we would value your comments.

We intend keeping the slab reefing system but see potential in a low friction track system with Bat Cars. The mast currently has the original track where the slugs are flat and slide inside a track that is riveted on to the mast. The same system used for most trysails. The question is: Is there any major advantage or gain in upgrading to a low-friction track system with batten cars or should we continue with the existing system and be happy with the fact that the last third of the main needs to be hauled down by hand? The reefing is done at the mast. We intend adding lazy jacks and like the look of boom bags instead of a standard sail cover. Regards, Lindsay and Lynley Turvey

Hi Gord: Tough for me to answer your question without seeing the entire rig plan and knowing the engineering. However, what you suggest seems logical. But you might need that baby stay to react the pole load when reaching. I would imagine the Beneteau factory engineers could give you the final word on this. Regards--Steve

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Dear Steve and Linda: I'm not going to go on about the profound influence your work has had on my wife and I, nor will I bore you with how much we appreciate your efforts--we've sent a separate letter for that ;-) I have a question concerning the B&R rig. We are slowly getting together our "ideas book" for a 70-foot aluminium ketch and it occurred to me that twin B&R rigs would offer many advantages. In addition to their survivability (HUNTERS CHILD testimony) I figured the absence of any true backstays would allow much scope for a range of "reaching sail" possibilities on the mizzen. The full roach, full batten mains are also appealing. I understand the limits with the 30-degree spreader angle, but figure that even with the wind dead astern we would achieve 85% plan form. Judging from what you said in your offshore video we figure we're more likely to want to head up a little, use the reachers/spinnakers and get more ventilation through the boat anyway.

Getting to the point slowly...Deb and I have just married and we chartered a Hunter 41 for two weeks in the Whitsundays--largely because of the B&R rig and also because we wanted some experience in a bigger boat with just the two of us. Though we had a great time, we were a little disappointed. On the couple of days it reached 25kts gusting low 30s, the headstay would slacken severely reducing our windward performance and introducing a lot of unwelcome heel. I understood that the B&R rig was originally designed for a hydraulic vang (though I know HUNTERS CHILD had a solid vang). I figure a hydraulic vang may help solve this problem? It could also have been the barrel of the furl system (ProFurl) on the headstay bending around an otherwise solid stay. Is this possible? Can you think of any engineering problems with the rig if we were to fit a removable inner forestay, given there is no easy adjustment in the rig once tuned? Is there an information resource you know of where I might research this further? I welcome any comment you may have on these matters. Take Care, Gair and Deborah, Perth, Australia

Hi Gair and Deborah: Thanks for the kind words. The B&R rig is very efficient and the weight savings can be substantial. Regarding headstay tension, this is always an issue without some form of tensioning device. We've taken a different approach with our backstayless rigs. We use 25-degree spreader sweep, and then a masthead running backstay which serves two purposes: First, it gives us good control over mast bend (which you do not have with the Hunter approach to B&R). Second, it controls headstay sag and thereby headsail shape. This is what we've done on BEOWULF, and on our Sundeer 64. Coming back to your B and R approach, you can do the same, i.e., add a set of runners for both bend and headstay control, but of course you would want to check the details with Sven Ridder.

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Greetings- Any chance you know where to buy Kevlar chafe pads? The type I'm referring to are typically about 1 foot diameter and are deck mounted to prevent damage from unsupported blocks. I can't find these anywhere. Thanks, Randy M

Hi Randy: As far as I'm aware, these cool chafe pads are typically laid up by various boat builders. If you find a production source for them please let us know. Regards--Steve Dashew

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A rigging question: What make (I assume ProFurl) and model furler would you recommend for our big reacher? The little Hood unit that was on the boat has a nice small headfoil for minimal windage but marginal drum capacity even at 5/16" line for this big sail? These Spectra sheets and halyards are great! Have you had any problems with knots (bowlines) failing? Ref. June Sail magazine article. Thanks, Kurt

Hi Kurt: We use the Profurl model 4000 free flying gear. It should be fine for you as BEOWULF has at least double your stability (with the Deerfoot 74). Be sure the sailmaker uses a really heavy, stiff piece of spectra with a dacron cover--probably 9/16 for your luff length--and you will need to keep the luff really tight when you roll the sail. Re spectra and knots--the only place we knot spectra where it is loaded is in the spinnaker halyards. This is 1/2" material and we are working it at around 20% of breaking strength max--so knots have not been a problem. Everything else (working halyards, runners, jib sheets) have splices. Steve

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Gentlemen: For years we have been setting our headsail on a roller furler and, once tightened to the desired deployment, have simply cleated the jib halyard off to remain at the same tightness until we changed the headsail. It has been suggested that the jib halyard should be loosened when the boat is not in use, to be tightened again when the jib is deployed. Are we doing any significant damage to the standing rigging, the roller furling gear or the luff of the jib/genoa by failing to release the halyard when the boat is not in use? Thank you. J.P. Anderson

Hi J.P.: Yes, it is better to slack the halyard when you furl the jib. We usually slack ours before we roll when we are done sailing for the day. This relieves strain on the sail cloth itself, as well as the halyard. Steve

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In Steve & Linda Dashew's 6Sept 2000 report they discussed new sails and closed with a comment that they had gone for a single-line reefing system--"details in a later bulletin". I don't recall seeing such an article--either in the logs or in Tech Talk. Did I miss it, or is it still to come? Regards, Mike

Hi Mike: We have not written more because we've not had a chance to use the system in a real blow--just playing around so far. As soon as it gets a real workout, we'll tell you what we think. Steve

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My rigging includes a baby stay that is attached just under the 1st spreader. My mast has 54 foot "I" and two spreaders. This is the first boat I have had with a baby stay, so I am not sure why with this rigging I need one. I would like to take it off for more forward deck room. What are the trade offs? And when would I most likey need the baby stay?

Hi Mike: The baby stay is there to prevent the mast from inverting or pumping. The only way around this is with more mast section in the fore and aft direction, or aft swept spreaders which push the mast forward. In light airs and/or smooth water you might be able to leave the baby stay off. But I'd check with a rigger first. Steve

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Hi Steve and Linda, Thanks for all of the excellent books and tapes on you adventures. They have been a great help. I have noticed the winglets on airplane wings over the last few years. Has any one tried making a "plate" at the top of the mast, maybe using carbon fiber as a frame covered with sail cloth, to form a device which would reduce the vortexes created by a headsail & main combination? If if would work with a plate on each side of the mast, to tending would be needed during tacking or gybing. Asked my sailmaker about it but he deals with racers more than cruisers, so he is not too interested in the idea. Since you seem to be interested in making cruisers go faster with less effort, thought this idea might be for you. Thanks for thinking about it. Crawford

Hi Crawford: Interesting concept, and as a glider pilot, with some very long and exotically shaped "winglets" I can relate to what you are suggesting. However, in a sailboat situation there are a whole series of variable which make this idea impractical.

On the other hand, there is another approach which we've used over the years which does work in some cases. This is to "endplate" or seal off the bottom of the boomed sails. If you can achieve this for even half of the foot length, the increase in efficiency is dramatic.

On our 67' ketch, Sundeer, we were able to pick up five degrees in weatherliness--without losing boat speed, when we sealed the main and mizzen. We've just had seals made for Beowulf which we'll be testing in the near future, and will write up for SetSail.

The area added is down low, where it is in turbulent air flow and where the breeze is much lighter. However, the seal effect is very powerful, and if you can make it work with your rig and deck structure, will generate a huge improvement. Note--the less efficient your keel, the more this will help as it reduces induced drag--which hit cruising keels harder than those found on racing boats. Regards--Steve

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Dear Steve: I read your comment regarding your new single-line reefing system and your intention to write about it ( 6Sept 2000 article). Have you done that somewhere? I'm in New Zealand rethinking my reefing system and sail controls in general and I'd be interested in your thoughts. One of the riggers here is telling me that he has good luck on big boats with single-line reefing, so I'm tempted to try it. My boat is only 52 feet, so he thinks it would be no problem. Randy

Hi Randy: We have not written about single line reefing in detail because we have not had a chance to use our system enough in heavy going to form an opinion. However, here is what we've learned in theory, with a small amount of practice thrown in.

1-If properly executed I think the system can work. But it is not totally foolproof.
2-We've talked with skippers of several boats in the 60' to 80' range that have the system and like it.
3-Handling the loads on the tack of the sail, which are inherent in a single line reefing system is now not a big issue. But of course, it has to be done correctly.
4-Positioning of the hardware at the forward end--this includes height of the tack ring--has to be done carefully, with an allowance for changing if the first time does not work out correctly.
5-Care must be taken with the lead of the reef line as it exits the forward, top end of the boom, so that the line can bend through various relatively unfair directions and not have a chafe problem.

All of the above issues are straight forward, and with a bit of fiddling, can be worked out. The issue that concerns me, with our system on Beowulf, is the bunching and/or binding of the sailcloth at forward and aft ends of the boom, as the sail is reefed down.

Beowulf has laminated Spectra/mylar/polyester sails--very efficient and light--but if they are crunched into a tight bunch the laminate will break down, so we need t be careful with the reefing process. This means that at the luff we have to take care to push the sail away from the side on which the block and reef line come down. With dual line reefing, this has not been an issue.

At the aft end you would think things remain the same between single and dual line systems. However, it appears so far that it is more difficult to control what happens aft with the single line system. One thing to note with any slab reefing system--avoid really snugging down the reef clew to the point where the sail cloth is overly bunched. It is better on the sail if the clew is left a little lose.

So far, with the few reefs we've taken in earnest, neither of these potential problems has been very serious. But, I am waiting for a couple of situations where we have to reef down in a sudden onslaught of wind, and then stay reefed for some time, before I make up my mind for sure. In the interim, we continue to carry our old dual line slab reefing system in reserve...just in case.

I think as you go smaller in boat size the issues are not as intimidating. If you go to single line--let us know how it works out. I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances to use it around New Zealand!

Regards--Steve Dashew

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Dear Steve and Linda: Cate and I were arguing last night about sailing w/o a main. She thinks that it can damage the rig. My not-so-engineering mind didn't think so provided there was plenty of backstay support. Saw a few illustrations in Surviving the Storm where boats were sailing w/o a main. What do you think?

Good question--and, diplomatically speaking, you are both right. The mainsail does provide support to the spar. It reduces pumping action and when combined with pre-bend, nicely locks the spar into place. However, this is not an engineered function--but it is still indirectly in most rig safety factors.

As you get into cruising rigs, there are usually high-enough factors of safety to allow for the main to be dropped, and sail only with a headsail. As you have noted, there are lots of images of this in Surviving the Storm. Note: extra backstay tension to induce pre-bend, and carefully set runners all help reduce the tendency for the rig to pump or invert.

A couple of key points to keep in mind: When the main is reefed, the head of the sail exerts an aft component of load at wherever it falls on the spar. This is trying to invert the spar which could lead to a "gravity storm" (in layman's terms, the mast falls down!). So, reefs should be engineered so the headboard occurs close to or preferably just above a forward support point (such as fractional headstay or cutter stay). If this is not the case, then make sure that extra backstay pressure is applied to induce additional forward bend to counteract the aft pull of the main.

Years ago, in an SORC race, there was some breeze and everybody had to reef. Those spars were huge by today's standards. A bunch of them fell down in a really large gravity storm and there was a hue and cry about the skinny rigs the racers were using. After investgation they found that the problems were caused by deeply reefed mains opposed by large headsails, with no form of forward support on the masts anywhere near the head of the mainsails. (There is a bunch of data on this on Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia). Regards--Steve

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Aerorig recently sent a request to Steve Dashew for a comment on AeroRig generally and how it worked on Sundeer:

Hi Ross: I have no direct experience with the Aerorig. Due to some scheduling conflicts on my part I never got to sail on the Sundeer 60 with the rig before she left for Europe. From folks who did sail aboard I was told it was quite fast--but we never had a chance to test it against a conventionally rigged boat. My own feeling is that at present the Aerorig engineers are missing the bet with their narrow tip mainsails. Since they have a freestanding spar they should be taking advantage of this with lots of roach. There is one other issue which needs to be addressed. Some of the Aerorigs are quite noisy in the mast partners (where they penetrate the deck) making quite a racket in a seaway as the spar moves back and forth (or tries to). The potential for an increase in lift to drag, especially off the wind with the leading edge flap effect is quite high, is substantial. Not sure if they are achieving this yet or not. In sum, I think the Aerorig is a very interesting development and worth investigating if the budget doesn't put you off. Regards-Steve Dashew

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