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I'm finishing up Karl Stambaugh's Bay Skiff 12 and I'm looking for ideas to attach the mainsheet to the transom. I'll be using a loose footed standing lug sail.Screenshot 2023-06-03 11.36.35 AM.png
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"If a man speaks at sea where no woman can hear, is he still wrong?" -
Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
A loose-footed standing lugsail--welcome to the party! Me too.
First, do you mean loose-footed (attached to the boom only at tack and clew), or boomless? They are very different as far as sheeting options goes.
A boomless sail's sheet should be set up so it's more or less in line with an imaginary line you draw from the throat to the clew of the sail. Continue that line past the clue to the gunwale, and that's where the sail pretty much has to be sheeted if you want decent performance. Typically, that means sheeting the sail to a point as far aft, AND as far outboard, as you can get it.
You can use the traditional method for boomless lugsails, and simply hook the sheet on a gunwale cleat at each tack (yes, you have to move it manually at each tack). This works well but takes a bit of time getting used to, and you have to spin around backward as you tack to do it. Awkward at first, perfectly simple with practice.
Or, you can run a rope traveler horse over the tiller, and slide a ring or block along the line. Run the sheet through the ring/block. This works OK, but depends a bit on tiller height. If the traveler line is too slack, it will make an inverted V shape as it passes over the tiller. The sheet will tend to hang up at the apex of the V, and won't slide far enough outboard to give you a proper sheeting angle. That said, there's no need to hook the sheet on the other gunwale at each tack--it will slide over by itself.
I happily use method one in my boat, manually shifting the sheet at each tack. It looks like this--the sheet is dead-ended at the block, runs through a steel snaplink at the clew of the sail, back down through the block, and to my hand from there:
Alaska sheeting.jpg
I use a steel ring to hook on the cleat--easier than using a rope loop, which won't stay open. The line under the tiller is my self-steering set-up, nothing to do with the sheeting. I have a ratchet block on the sheet which is VERY nice and highly recommended--cost about $40. Sheet is 3/8" braid, comfy on the hands.
Now if you really meant a loose-footed sail and not a boomless sail, I have wasted a lot of time explaining things you don't need!
Tom -
Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
Thanks Tom, very helpful. I guess I meant boom-less. I'm leaning towards attaching a v shaped rope as a traveler and putting a block on it. This skiff will be used by my grand kids and I want it to be as simple as possible. Hadn't considered a ratcheted block, but will look into it. Might solve the problem of securing it temporarily."If a man speaks at sea where no woman can hear, is he still wrong?"Comment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
Tom, I need to reply and thank you for responding to my post on a similar query recently. But as you mention here that your main sheet runs from block to clew to block to hand, why not run it simply from clew to block to hand? Is it lighter your way?Comment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
Yes, a rope over the tiller is very simple--the sheet wil slide over on its own without needing to be tended by anyone, which would be good for kids.
The ratchet block doesn't secure the sheet--it helps hold the load. The block rotates only in one direction, so you can pull the sheet in easily, but it will not rotate in the other direction when in ratcheting mode (you can usually switch ratchet mode on and off). This means less strain for the hands. Probably not essential for small kids and a small sail?
I think a boomless rig will be a good one for kids, and the loss in performance if the block doesn't slide all the way outboard on the rope traveler won't matter much.
TomComment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
By dead-ending the sheet at the block (using a becket block makes this easy), then running it to the clew, back through the block, and to my hand, I get a 2:1 mechanical advantage. (I use a snap link at the clew, not a block, so I do lose some to friction--but not much). Running the sheet from clew to block to hand gives only a 1:1 (i.e. no advantage).
My sail is big enough (85 sq ft) that I find the 2:1 advantage helpful in easing some strain, especially when combined with the ratchet block to help hold the line in place.
TomComment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
With a rig that appears to be self vanging,it would be fairly simple to use a bridle across the transom as an anchor point for the ratchet block.The young sailors may ship the tiller above it once,but probably not a second time!A hard eye or a ring in the centre will mean the effective pull is frrom the windward quarter knee and the sheet loads won't be excessive.Comment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
The rig as drawn uses a sprit boom and so would be self-vanging, but unless I misunderstood something, the OP wants to replace the rig in the drawing with a boomless standing lugsail, which (without a sprit boom) would definitely not be self-vanging. So, center sheeting is not going to work well at all in this instance.
TomComment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
Unless already in possession of a sail different to that specified to the designer,I see no obvious advantage to deviating from what was intended to be used.I might be promoting a heretical thought but a boomless lugsail isn't that great an alternative,either in terms of weight or pointing ability and is a good deal less convenient when tacking.Comment
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"If a man speaks at sea where no woman can hear, is he still wrong?"Comment
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Re: Mainsheet Traveler Ideas for 12 ft Skiff
Tacking won't be a huge inconvenience if a rope horse/traveler works well. The sail is basically self-tending then, just push the tiller over and tack. If hooking the sheet at the gunwale--well, you're in the boat anyway. It's not a huge inconvenience at all.
Pointing ability with a lugsail is fine, once set up properly. Not better, perhaps, but not a problem.
The lugsail really shines, though, in 2 areas:
1) It can be dropped in an instant--transitions from sailing to rowing are fast and easy.
2) It can be easily reefed while afloat.
The short spars of the lug rig are convenient as well.
Choices, choices. No perfect rig, eh?
TomComment
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