A few Questions from a new fish sailor

A

Andrea

Guest
Ok...I have a few q's since I've started sailing sunfish.....

1) the upper spar (proper term- sprit?) is really bent...does this happen regularly because of the strain from the rig being tilted?

2.) I currently have the REALLY old rudder system..and need a new tiller/extension...what is the best one to buy? (extenision length??? 30" 36"??)

3) how do you rig a vang and outhaul on the fish? (maybe this has been answered on the forum before but the search mechanism isnt working for me...)

Thanks :)
 
Someone mentioned that the current outhaul using a pully and cleat mounted to the deck is not a very good way to go. It pulls the deck upward trying to seperate the deck from the hull. Mounting a cleat or snatchblock on the mast was recommended. Anyway, that's what I'm planning on doing. Just remember that when you tie off the uphaul the extra line has to be tied to the deck cleat else ya might loose something when you tip over.

Try this for tiller dimensions:
http://www.sunfishclass.org/admin/ISCA_Regs/isca_class_rules03012003.htm


Sailed a waterlogged fish in 40 mph winds in the 1980's. Never bent the spar, even when the kids got the mast stuck in the mud. Maybe it was bent during storage?
 
Andrea:

1) As pointed out by Webfoot, the upper spar (gaff) typically gets bent by righting a fish with its mast stuck in the mud. You can try to straighten it, but one has to be careful.

2) The length of the tiller extension is a personal preference. A 36" extension needs some getting used to. I think that you will be happier with a 30" or 32" one. Make sure that the extension fits the universal.

3) In addition to the links already provided by cshoffmann, you might learn a lot from David Loring's DVD (Back to Basics); it has info on how to tie a vang and optimize sail shape with the outhaul and C'ham (and much more).
 
Thanks all :)

Are there any sites that sell tiller/tiller extension set-ups for cheaper than the 170-something going rate? ....or could I put an aluminum universal extension on the original wooden tiller?

for racing...do you generally prefer sail ties or the plastic rings to clip the sail on?
 
Andrea said:
Thanks all :)

Are there any sites that sell tiller/tiller extension set-ups for cheaper than the 170-something going rate? ....or could I put an aluminum universal extension on the original wooden tiller?

for racing...do you generally prefer sail ties or the plastic rings to clip the sail on?
Click to expand...

The metal tiller was introduced quite recently; you can certainly use the good old wooden tiller to mount an extension.

Most racers prefer the ties because they slide a bit more easily on the spars, which is important to get the 'perfect' sail shape. One can also just replace a few of the clips, especially the ones on the gaff, close to the top of the mast.

 
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