Need help rigging a gaff rigged sloop

[fgeter]

I am new to this forum but not new to wooden boat building. I have pretty much finished Ian Oughtred's Grebe and am getting ready to do the sail rigging. I plan on making the Gaff rigged sloop sail plan. There is very little detail in the plans how to do this. I especially need help with the gaff rigging part. How is the gaff held in place and what is a snotter (a child with a head cold)? Can someone help me or point me to a book that might have some details?

[JimD]

Go to this link, check out the hyperlinks, tons of info on just about everything you ever wanted to know about gaff rigs, with book titles as well.
http://www.messing-about.com/gaffrig/gaffover.htm

[John B]

Ditto Frank Hagan's site.

a snotter is not something I'd particularly expect to find on a gaff rig. I spose you could use one on the boom.
Its a name I associate with a sprit rig.

Although I must admit to having brought up my children to refer to the candle snuffer as 'the snotter'. I have done this mostly to annoy the Granny.

[Art Read]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid82/p502fb917a987a4a74cf0ecaf47fbc6d8/faed2f19.jpg

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

Ditto on the link posted above.

Two books you'll find mentioned there which have been extremely helpful to me are:

Hand, Reef and Steer by Tom Cunliffe
Gaff Rig Handbook by John Leather

They will probably answer most of your questions (as there are many different types of gaff rigging).

To answer your basic question above, the gaff is anchored to the mast, usually by a line that attaches to one fork of the gaff, runs around the front of the mast and attaches to the other fork of the gaff. There are usually a set of parrell(?) beads, wooden beads, strung on the line to allow that line to smoothly travel up the mast as the gaff is raised.

At the front of the gaff (Called the Throat), the "throat halyard" is attached. The halyard is usually a 4:1 block and tackle. In the middle of the gaff, is usually another block. There is another halyard called the peak halyard that goes from the mast, down to the block in the middle of the gaff, back up to the mast and then back down to the aft end of the gaff (called the Peak).

Mostly, the gaff is held in place by the head of the mainsail that is laced to it, and the mainsail is also laced to the mast (or, you might use mast hoops around the mast and lace the sail to the hoops)

[fgeter]

Wow, thanks for all the help. I have been distracted for the past couple of weaks and had not read the responses until today. Thanks again. You guys are great. Looks like I got some studying to do!!!