Question Is this rigged right?

This is rigged per the Scott Kyle matrix. The halyard is at the 10th clip (just below) and the gooseneck is at 17” from the apex of the front of the boom. But man the tack is so close to the deck. Is that the way it should be?

I attached other pictures of Small Axe, my Rasta/reggae/Jamaica themed boat. There is a lot I did not get done, but it’s time to sail.

All paint has been of the rattle can variety, and it shows!
 

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Gooseneck at 17" is fine for average conditions.
Having the tack of the rig so close to the deck may lead the scratches. Moreover, the halyard may stretch (depending on the rope used). I typically have the tack 4" or so off the deck (about twice the distance shown in your image).
 
Well I wonder what I could have done wrong with only two measurements. The halyard is below the 10th clip too. Not right above it. Hmmmm ….

Thank you for your reply.
 
Gooseneck at 17" is fine for average conditions.
Having the tack of the rig so close to the deck may lead the scratches. Moreover, the halyard may stretch (depending on the rope used). I typically have the tack 4" or so off the deck (about twice the distance shown in your image).
What are your settings to achieve the tack at 4” above the deck? I guess the only two that control this are halyard and gooseneck.
 
Move the halyard down the upper spar as much as needed to get the sail higher until you are comfortable with the setting.
Make sure the knot for the halyard isn't slipping (some people wrap tape around the upper spar to prevent slip).
Ultimately it comes down to your comfort level (and how much you like ducking during tacks).
img0213_025-gooseneck-area.jpg
 
Move the halyard down the upper spar as much as needed to get the sail higher until you are comfortable with the setting.
Make sure the knot for the halyard isn't slipping (some people wrap tape around the upper spar to prevent slip).
Ultimately it comes down to your comfort level (and how much you like ducking during tacks).
img0213_025-gooseneck-area.jpg
Will do the tape thing. And yours looks like mine so I think I’ll just leave it and sail it and see how I like it. I may have a few extra pounds but getting under the boom shouldn’t be too hard.

Thanks for the responses everyone.
 
Cascadian505 do you race? As you might want to start with the halyard lower and work your way up. Tacks take practice with the boom low with mainsheet tension. On older boats the bolt would scratch the deck. They shifted to using a boom end cap for the outhauls upside down as the loop would extend below the bolt and protect the deck.

Eduardo set up below

 
Cascadian505 do you race? As you might want to start with the halyard lower and work your way up. Tacks take practice with the boom low with mainsheet tension. On older boats the bolt would scratch the deck. They shifted to using a boom end cap for the outhauls upside down as the loop would extend below the bolt and protect the deck.

Eduardo set up below

I do race sailboats, but will not be racing Sunfish as we don’t have any fleets in the PNW. I have a 505. That’s been my racing dinghy of choice since 1998. So I’m no stranger to ducking under low booms!

Even though I’m not racing the Sunny, I like to get the best performance out of any boat I sail. Last year, sailing the boat, I always felt under powered but never got out in more than 8 knots or so. Also I weigh 190#. And I’ve got and older daggerboard which seems smaller than the new ones.

Thanks for the Eduardo tuning guide. More specific halyard height info than the Scott Kyle guide.
 
Went for about a 10 mile sail with my wife today on Small Axe and we had a blast. We sail out of Port Hadlock, which is south of Port Townsend, in Washington State. Perfect weather: sunny and low 70s. The wind kicked up from about 6 kts to 12 kts and my wife was taking the brunt of the spray and we both had wet butts. So after about 7 miles of sailing upwind towards PT we headed back home. The wind died and we had to paddle the last mile in, but we had a blast.

We both barely fit on the boat especially with the rig set for light air. But we never gybed and tacked around. It was just very crowded, as expected! But we had a great time, and were safe.
 
Set the gooseneck and halyard how you like it...

We like the lower boom higher off of the deck (The Geezer Rig) and angled up a little aft. The halyard goes close to the 5th or 6th grommet down, and our goosenecks range from 19-22 inches. It looks like there are several options already marked on your gooseneck.

PHOENIX geezer rig copy.jpg


And then there's the way Alcort did it, with the lower boom even higher.

Geezer Rig Alcort.jpeg
 
Thanks! Looks like I am in the ball park and ready to mess around with it.

What a difference between the two rigging styles in the pics you posted.

Even though this is a boat for me to relax and cruise around in, the racer in me likes higher performance so I’m opting for the higher halyard point. The boat looks a lot nicer like a higher-pointed gaffer does compared to lower.
 

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