rigging questions

F

fullkeels

New Member
Thanks to all who have given me priceless advice on my restoration. Just a few more questions:

How snug is the mast supposed to be in the mast step, ie. how easy/difficult should it be to turn the mast by hand under moderate twisting pressure?

What type of "spacers" are necessary, if any (ie. tape around mast inside mast step) to reduce the amount of "play" of the mast in the step?

I plan on rigging the boat with a Harken 019 hexaratchet with topdeck mounted cam or clam cleats off to each side. The Sunfish Bible recommends installing the cleats on blocks to raise the height for ease of cleating. The book recommends raising them a couple of inches or so which to me seems to be quite high although it would seem to give a more favorable cleating angle. What do you recommend? Thanks again.
 
I use the Harken spacers that raise the side cleats one inch. I think they are high enough although I don't use them that often.

The mast tape is optional. The only stuff I've found that works is the two inch wide UHMW tape that APS sells. You should clean the mast well and be careful fitting it. I use a wood block to rub it as I'm putting it on to prevent air bubbles.
I use one wrap, top and bottom. I cut the ends square and the length carefully so I don't get much of a gap. It shouldn't overlap the mast end cap.

Bill McInnis
 
Some examples found on Sunfish Sailors web
 

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We found it isn't height but rather angle that the main sheet needs with the Harken Ratchet block. We use the angled spacers with both side mounted cam and clam cleats.
As for the mast it should turn freely with NO restriction as it needs to when tacking & gybing and any real restriction forces the rigging out of alignment.

And as an FYI the rotation of the mast will cause stretch in the main sheet and thus allow the rig to drop lower and in cases when it's rigged really low to start with can cause the infamous half moon gouge on the front deck.
The cure is to mount a a cleat on the mast so all the pressure is on the cleat and the rotation of the mast doesn't effect halyard tension/stretch.
 
mike4947 said:
And as an FYI the rotation of the mast will cause stretch in the main sheet and thus allow the rig to drop lower and in cases when it's rigged really low to start with can cause the infamous half moon gouge on the front deck.
The cure is to mount a a cleat on the mast so all the pressure is on the cleat and the rotation of the mast doesn't effect halyard tension/stretch.
Click to expand...

The rotation of the mast causes stretch in the HAYLARD, not the sheet. My Sailing OCD forced me to correct that. Otherwise fine point. :)
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm a little confused about a couple of things. First, if I install a halyard cleat on the mast itself and cleat the halyard to the mast cleat instead of the deck cleat, what would prevent the mast from completely falling out of the step if the boat were to turn turtle? In other words, would I then run the halyard from the mast cleat to a deck cleat? I would very much like to avoid the infamous half moon deck gouge. Thanks again.

Mike
 
Yup, you just leave it loose enough so the mast will still rotate. I actually started using a mast cleat not for the stretch but so I could rig and unrig a vang using the tail of the halyard and not have to try and run three turns through the deck cleat. Not having the halyard stretch was a bonus I learned once I had done the mod.
 
Re: mast and boom cleats

What is the best method of installing the mast cleat and boom cleats for outhaul and cunningham lines? Thanks again.

Mike
 
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