gaff rig

[ddeaton]

When taking the gaff rig sail down on my 14' cat, is it normal to have to pull the sail down? There seems to be a lot of friction between the wooden blocks and the rope. The gaff jaws don't seem to be helping matters either. Sailing is new to me, much less the old rig.
Thanks,
Danny

[John B]

The short answer is No. Its not normal or acceptable. You should be able to get that sail down quick.
Just check that the jaws aren't dry, the lacing( is it laced?) is too tight, the lacing is laced the correct way( there is a right and a wrong way to lace a luff) and if all that is correct then think about technique. IE drop the peak off a bit .. perhaps even as far as gaff parallel to the boom but no more..and then run the sail down on both halyards.(assuming there's a topping lift looking after the boom.)

[ddeaton]

no lacing, have hoops. I think most of my problem is in the rope I am using. The wooden blocks have some friction also. I may replace with some quality bronze blocks this winter. I used the stiff fake 3 strand that looks great, but is just too stiff. I am going to replace halyards and sheets with some of the English braid 3 strand which is more flexible. It has a little stretch, but I think will work better. The gaff jaw is plenty loose, I know all my problems are in the ropes and blocks. Maybe I will rebuild all my blocks and use better sheaves.

[John B]

It sounds like it will be the rope/sheaves then. :D

[Art Read]

Perhaps... But don't forget to ease off your peak halyard too, before lowering both away together. Makes all the difference in the world. If you don't believe me, slack off your throat first and THEN try to lower it. 'Specially if you've neglected to spill the wind out of it first by either heading up or easing the sheet right off... "Stiff" halyards? Try running 'em through a few cycles of your washing machine with a gentle soap. (Wait 'till your wife leaves the house... It's LOUD!) Or... just wait for a few seasons of use to soften 'em up.

(BTW... Just in case it hadn't occurred to you yet, sails don't like to go up or down while full of wind. You can't just "luff 'em" once you're on a beam/broad reach or more. (This applies to reefing too...) Never try to douse your sail while heading downwind in anything more than a very gentle breeze... That way leads to "entertainment" for all the dock admirals ashore who happen to be watching. ;) )

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

All good advice.

Gaff should be horizontal when hoisting and lowering. Sail must drop smoothly under its own weight if this is done.

Better quality rope certainly helps.

I think your rope is too large for your blocks; try using a size smaller (try it with one halyard first).

There was an old seaman's curse:

"Big rope and small blocks to you!" ;)

[ 05-31-2005, 06:47 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Craig-Bennett ]

[David W Pratt]

Truth has a 308 sq ft gaff main and after a couple of years I figured out how to make it work. The most common mistake I used to make is to not have the halyards ready to render. Otherwise about halfway down a big tangle stops the music. I also put a line from the gaff jaws down to each hoop st that they stay level during the hoist.
BTW, with the lazy jacks set up tight I have lowered the main in 25kts going down wind. No melodrama.
Good luck.

[ddeaton]

Thanks for all the tips. One thing I do remember, I did not pay attention to lowering the gaff first. I will try that next, and yes, I did luff the sail before lowering it. I also tangled one halyard once, but even when free all is too stiff.
Thanks,
Danny

[gaffman]

With all due respect, I must disagree in part. You'll have problems lowering the gaff if you bring it down horizontally.

When hoisting, the gaff should go up horizontally until the throat is up all the way, then lash the throat halyard and you can give two handed attention to the peak halyard.

When lowering a gaff main, bring down the gaff so that it remains vertically angled. That is, LEAVE IT PEAKED OFF AS SHE COMES DOWN. the weight of the gaff will press down on the throat jaws and push them down the mast. Once the throat jaw is down and resting on your mast collar, let the peak halyard down the rest of the way. This will work. (If I tried to lower the main with the gaff horizontal to the deck, it wouldn't come down and I'd have to yank the mast hoops down. But with the peak up, the throat will rush on down the mast nicely).

[John B]

If the hoops are the correct size you won't have them jam anyway. I too thought I'd need lines between the hoops to keep them level but what a pain. That loose line when the sail was dropped kept hooking in all sorts and plain wasn't necessary.
As to the gaff angle, no way will I leave it peaked up, but I won't get particularly stressed about what angle its at as long as its slacked off some.Thats what I was trying to say in the first post. When it does turn to jam is when the gaff peak end is lower than the throat. That stresses the hoops and is not a good look.

[ 05-31-2005, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: John B ]

[notwoodbut...]

Sounds like your problem is mostly related to line and blocks. However, have you tried waxing the mast & jaws? It's suprising how much friction developes there. I know the old timers used pork rind and so on but I've found that a hard wax(even candle wax) applied maybe a couple times a year does wonders. You don't have to climb the mast, just apply as high as you can reach and on the jaws. Don't bother buffing if out. It will spread out a bit.

[ 05-31-2005, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: notwoodbut... ]

[Steveh]

I’ll agree with gaffman. Sailing on Rawene and Spray a couple of months back when dropping the main the instructions from the skippers was “leave the gaff peaked” Makes sense really, there would be more downward weight at the throat with the peak in the upright position than the horizontal pos, just as gaffman states.

The laws of physics and gravity would have a part to play in it I’m sure.

[Jase]

hehe, since when Steveh tongue.gif we normally "try" and get it up and down level smile.gif not always to plan mind you:)

[John B]

I don't know why you would want to be dropping a powered up sail as against a depowered one. Wind doesn't always just come from one direction or at a constant speed.

Hey you forgot to mention Waitangi Steve.

yesssss,... Gravity.....interesting phenomenon.

didn't the masts fall out of Waitangi and Spray when you were on them earlier this year? sort of self dropping mains. The peaks were lowered off on those ones I bet. tongue.gif

[Jase]

lol, nasty nasty... smile.gif but very true :D

[John B]

no mercy. its a bad week. ;)

ee's gone quiet though. that means he's thinking.

[ 05-31-2005, 11:56 PM: Message edited by: John B ]

[Jase]

although John, if you apply some logic to it, it's a damn quick way to de-power your rig in the rough by lopping off the top 10 feet and sticking it through the deck for safe keeping :D

[Steveh]

pa-ting... ;)

Missed me that time John. A bit like those fair ground games eh boys. You’ll run out of ammo sooner or later John. I seem to remember you lost a mast on Waione once. :D

Sorry Jase, thought Russel did it that way. I know Jay asked for the main on Spray to be dropped in that fashion.

[Jase]

I sometimes have to drop the main on Loloma like that, only because the peak won't fall down by itself... maybe the spar is too light or the rope is naff or who knows, it's a pain anyways.... far easier if it would drop flat...

[gaffman]

I have a confession in that I did not figure out on my own that the gaff has to remain peaked when lowering the main. I read it some years ago in HAND REEF & STEER. It does indeed do the trick. If the mast hoops do jam together when lowering, alls you have to do is further peak up the gaff and tug on the throat halyard once and they'll separate and come down pretty as you please.