Knot question

[jimnmad]

I built a Swampscott Dory per John Gardner's book "Building Classic Small Craft". I built the mast out of Sitka spruce and had a sail made. I've sailed it several times with good results. My question is what is a recommended knot to secure the sail to the mast, and does anyone know a good illustration of a correctly tied snotter? Also, how close to the mast should the luff be tied? I presume it needs to move freely and be equal top to bottom, but how far is too far from the mast?

As always thanks for the help

[jimnmad]

It might help to know that it is a Sprit rig and i am using it loose footed.

[J. Dillon]

I use Robands to secure the sail to the mast as shown in the image.

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3281/carriannegettingherjibwiw3.jpg

There nothing more than a length of line with an eye in one end and a toggle in the other of such length to go through the grommet on the sail and around the mast with a few inches to spare. it works great and allows one to take the sail off when needed.

My snotter shown in the image the broken part reeves around the end of the sprit up thru the eye then down to a turning block , then back to a jamb cleat near the helmsman. I hae easy access to it to adjust tension.

Good luck

JD

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/933/anatomyofsnotterrq3.jpg

[michigangeorge]

This thread reminds me that my upcoming project is going to require a lot of this type of marlinspike work. Years ago I had to do this out of neccessity but never enjoyed the job. Now, old & cranky, I have even less patience and would prefer to farm out this work to someone who actually enjoys it. Are there any forum members who might do this for a fee? If so , please e-mail me. Nice work by the way, JD.

[Thorne]

It all depends on whatcha got.

Is the sail attached to the mast with robands, or with one continous line?

Is the snotter just tied back to itself, or run through blocks to the thwart, or set up another way?

Here's a few shots of my rig, with robands tied with square knots. My snotter for the sprit boom wraps around the mast through a fairlead, runs through a slot in the end of the sprit, and is tied back onto a cleat on the boom.

As you can see, I don't have the sail really close to the mast -- mostly for ease of hoisting/dropping, and I'm not racing.

http://www.luckhardt.com/ls-sail1.jpg

http://www.luckhardt.com/petaluma-3-07/petaluma-3-07-Images/12.jpg

[ssor]

Dynamite Payson in his book Instant Boats has a method for lacing the sail to the mast that pulls the luff close to the mast when fully hoist but goes slack when you drop the sail. When I had a boat with a spritsail I brailed the sail to stow it for short stops. I used a rolling hitch on the sprit for the snotter. Just spliced an eye in some three strand led the tail through the eye around the mast. The sprit had a notch for the snotter and the tail was taken to the sprit. I guess you could use a cleat.

[donald branscom]

Use a Thorne knot or a NY not.

[Ian McColgin]

The lacing that works is not spiral. It takes a little attention to lace correctly

Tie the lacing to the throat cringle and pass the lace around the spar to starboard, around the front, and enter the first luff grommet from the port. Continue the lace out the grommet and around the mast on the port side - not sprial around to starboard - around the front and enter the second luff grommet from starboard. Take the lace out and around the mast starboard to front to port . . . etc.

Unlike a spiral this will not jam hoisting or striking the sail and is easily adjustable for luff tension.

G'luck

[J. Dillon]

I have even less patience and would prefer to farm out this work to someone who actually enjoys it. Are there any forum members who might do this for a fee? If so , please e-mail me.



michigangeorge

Not a good Idea IMHO. It would be better in the long run to learn the arts of a sailor. Maybe the attempt might be tedious for you at first but the rewards will be great. :D

Get a book "The arts of the sailor" by Garret Smith if I remember correctly.

JD

[BillyBudd]

J Dillon is RIGHT! Knots and splicing and whipping of rope ends -- What satisfying small joys. Ever make a grommet? Splice in a thimble? Slap up a bowline in 5 seconds? And it isn't just joy, when on the water it turns to necessity. Don't by any means miss out on this. Books -- there's lots of them, never enough though to fill up a shelf...now there's a pity.

[Thorne]

Yarr, Mayties, them what does the knotwork be th' clever ones, eh?

Seriously, the basic knot books, particularly by Smith and other oldtimers, are a fantastic resource. I'm not great with knots but as long as I've got me books I'm OK...

http://www.luckhardt.com/newbowspritloop1.jpg

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

There are some good illustrations on the gaff rig page at the messing about in boats website:

http://www.messing-about.com/gaffrig/gaffmain.htm

[Woxbox]

Well, I lace mine with a spiral and leave it that way. To furl, I cast off the snotter, bring the foot of the sprit back to the clew, and then roll the sail tightly around the sprit until it's all packaged tightly up against the mast. I then use the snotter to lash the rolled sail and sprit in place. No fancy knotwork required, the sail doesn't have to be dropped, and it's all quick and simple. (Although solid whippings to keep the ends of the lines tight are always a good idea.)

[michigangeorge]

J Dillon is RIGHT! Knots and splicing and whipping of rope ends -- What satisfying small joys. Ever make a grommet? Splice in a thimble? Slap up a bowline in 5 seconds? And it isn't just joy, when on the water it turns to necessity. Don't by any means miss out on this. Books -- there's lots of them, never enough though to fill up a shelf...now there's a pity.

Been there- done that boys. And like many things, I've found some enjoyment from it at times but just do not care to do it anymore - sort of like long boarding the bottom of a large racing boat to perfection- someone else can have that enjoyment.;) But if the halyard should let go or the snotter slip on this little boat on this little lake I guess I'll just have to rely on auxillary propulsion (oar)to get her home safely:rolleyes: And then I will be capable of fixing it, but only out of neccessity:mad:
And I've had my edition of "The Arts Of The Sailor" since 1968.