Wooden Spinnaker Mast Tang/Fittings?

[Roach1948]

I would like to add a Spinnaker to my sail inventory this Summer I thought it prudent to get all the fitting attached now the mast is out.

I have an eliptical (29' tall 4' Dia) Douglas Fir mast - and rather than go to the expense/time of having custom bronze tangs made up, I was wondering whether I could get away with shaped wooden fittings - maybe made from Ash - and glued and screwed in place. I can then splice a rope strop through the fitting in order to attach the blocks.

Is this a good idea? I just wonder whether such a scheme is strong enough?

My yacht has never had a spinnaker as is 3/4 fractionally Bermudan rigged - I wonder how much higher up the mast from the Jib fitting I would need to place the fitting so that I don't endanger the mast with unusual stresses?

[rbgarr]

A stainless tang with throughbolt(s) would not be too visible or out of place up there about a foot above your forestay fitting, but you don't say whether you have jumper struts which might be 'in the way'.

I venture to predict any fitting held by screws only would fail.

Things like this come up on eBay from time to time: http://tinyurl.com/27c4wb

[Roach1948]

Yes, I have jumper struts at the point where the jib head attaches, with a bronze bar across both struts - a foot higher would be possible - but that is about the max I reckon. At that point the mast is around 2 1/2" in diameter - but that mast is eliptical hence worried about "standard" fittings sitting comfortably.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

I think if you glance at the first edition of Hiscock's "Cruising under Sail" you will find photos of just such an arrangement!

It was at one time customary to have jaws on the inboard end of the spinnaker pole which could be shoved up or down the mast as occasion required, but this went out when symettrical spinnakers and thus double ended poles came in.

Borrow my copy if you have'nt got one.

[Roach1948]

Have second edition but don't recall diagram - will have a look when next in Suffolk - I always fail to refer to his excellent reference books before posting on forums!

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

I think you can hang a rope stropped block off the mast, a foot or so above the forestay, with a couple of thumb cleats glued and screwed to the mast. The block will lie fair to the strain.

[rbgarr]

FWIW, on a marconi/bermuda rig a strop couldn't circle the mast. It would interfere with the mainsail track.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Unless the track were on a batten, which is quite a common way of doing things with boats of a certain age in the UK which have wooden masts and Bermudian rig.

I had idly assumed, without seeing it, that Roach's mast was of that type, because the last Bermudian rigged boat that I owned had such a mast.

With that proviso, you are right of course!

[Roach1948]

That is the reason she has an eliptical mast. The batton is "inbuilt" forming a raised track, from the same piece of wood as the mast. I suppose I could drill through to pass the strop round, or my original idea of carving a fitting that goes half around the mast, angled downwards towards the angle of pull?

[Sacrboroughsloop]

Just a thought, but would the blocks on the end of the strop not knock badly against the varnish (Colean?) and lead to water penetration in this area?

[Jay Greer]

The eliptical mast shape will cause some problems in keeping the stropped rigging in tune. This is due to the fact that a greater area for compression of the spliced loop exists with that form of cross section over a round section. Additionaly, if the mast is hollow and not supported by blocking in the area of the cleats and eye splices the strain will have a greater tendency to compress the wood in that area. While cheaper to construct by material costs, stropped rigging is more difficult to maintain. There are always the leathers to be oiled and maintained as well as the nooks and crannies that must be worked around when painting or varnishing.
On the other hand, a set of 1/16" Everdure bronze tangs can be cut out of the plate on a band saw and then bent and drilled
in the home shop. An alternative is to take the drawings to a water jet cutting facility and have them make a run for you. My own H28 tangs ran $107.00 for the cutting, this included the holes. Material was $158.00. That was pretty darn cheap for a much better set up.
JG

[John B]

You're going to run a kite close above jumpers? I can't see how that will function very well. Spinnaker 101 is get the halyard tight / full hoist and the jumpers will make a mess of that.??
What do folkboats and the like do for the spinnaker halyard point?( where it is, I mean.)