Sunfish Halyard rigging to raise/lower sail on the water

Melnic

New Member
I have a 1969 Alcort Sunfish I just got used.
I just started sailing last summer w/ a Walker Bay sailing dinghy
I keep my sunfish at my house on a Canal so I have to drop it over a bulkhead and sail off from the canal. The winds are nasty in the canal the closer you get to the bulkhead and often change direction on a whim.
I'd like to be able to rig my sunfish, then drop it into the water w/ the sail down.
Then paddle into the canal where the winds are more constant and raise the sail then move on out.
My thought was to put a pully on the halyard line so that I can get more mechanical advantage.
Attached is now I have it rigged now.
 

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Actually is a pretty simple thing to set up.

You just need a separate piece of line (paracord is fine) to tie the gooseneck to the deck and a cleat of some sort at the cockpit for the halyard.

I stuck a "serpentine cleat" (probably some other name for it) in the cockpit of my Minifish for the purpose.

The added cam cleats are used to hold the main sheet after looping it on the OEM hook when I'm wanting to go hands free a while. Bungee and clip (stored clipped in a cam cleat) are for keeping the daggerboard in the boat if it flips.

Unseen: a bungee stretched across the back of the boat can attach to the tiller to hold it for me.

In light winds I can let go of everything, sit back and sail clear across the lake (about 1.5 miles)
 
First, you'll need to find an "S" hook for the tack; otherwise, the sail can rip when raising the sail.

Is the basic problem that the sail is too hard to raise from within the boat?

I solved that problem by mounting a cam-cleat as far forward as I could—within easy reach of the cockpit, and used my body's weight within the cockpit to raise the sail. I have a lot of weight, and Gravity is on my side! :)

To get a mechanical advantage, you'll need a double-sheave block and a lot more halyard. :confused: Even then, I'm stuck as how to rig it without putting an unsustainable vertical load on the present block. :(
 
That is a fixed "adjustment" for the Tack.
Adjust the size of that paracord loop for wind conditions when you are setting up to launch. (leave it as-is all the time is fine for recreational sailing)

My Minifish's sail (appx 38 yrs old) is so stretched that the loop is tied to the eyebolts without the S hook and as tight as it will go ALL the time. Still a saggy sail.
(Yes, the ties on the other corners are as tight as they'll go too)

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Rip avoidance is simple... Just don't apply excess force to the halyard.
I'm using a 38 yr old sail with some sun fading and a few pinholes showing...

There's no reason to use pulleys (blocks) to multiply force when raising the sail. I'm not all that strong (right hand at appx 30% usable, one leg, bad back...) and can haul a Sunfish sail right up from the cockpit running the halyard down through the line guide and straight back.

Get the sail stretched out most of the way, then use one hand on the halyard and the other to push up the lower boom, shaking the boom a bit so the gooseneck rises on the mast.
Tie off the halyard.
Then tie the paracord on the gooseneck to the deck cleat, snug so the wind can't pull the boom up but don't haul it down hard and its fine.

From there you can leave the gooseneck paracord alone and raise/lower the sail at will with the halyard.
 
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That is a fixed "adjustment" for the Tack.
OK, but it's not "factory", and isn't it twice as much as would ever be needed? :confused:

There's no reason to use pulleys (blocks) to multiply force when raising the sail. I'm not all that strong (right hand at appx 30% usable, one leg, bad back...) and can haul a Sunfish sail right up from the cockpit running the halyard down through the line guide and straight back. Get the sail stretched out most of the way, then use one hand on the halyard and the other to push up the lower boom, shaking the boom a bit so the gooseneck rises on the mast. Tie off the halyard. Then tie the paracord on the gooseneck to the deck cleat, snug so the wind can't pull the boom up but don't haul it down hard and its fine. From there you can leave the gooseneck paracord alone and raise/lower the sail at will with the halyard.

But the OP could use a thinner halyard and secure one end of the halyard to the top of the mast, secure a small block (pulley) to the upper spar, run the halyard down through that block (pulley), then back up again through the top of the mast, and use that new spar block (pulley) for mechanical advantage. He would need an additional 10-feet of halyard, but would have an easier time of raising the sail.

Good point on shaking the boom. :cool: That's often a "sticky" operation with our worn or saltwater-corroded masts. I spray white lithium grease on the lower mast, which is non-staining and lasts for a few days. Wouldn't Teflon-coated goosenecks be a great addition among our hardware choices?
 
You might consider a cleat on the mast for the halyard. I found that it enabled me to raise and cleat the sail quickly and easily. Then run it through the existing deck block to the deck cleat so you don't loose the rig if you flip.
 
You might consider a cleat on the mast for the halyard. I found that it enabled me to raise and cleat the sail quickly and easily. Then run it through the existing deck block to the deck cleat so you don't loose the rig if you flip.

I've seen that done.
With a little planning for the cleat placement, the cleat becomes your basic block to prevent the gooseneck from rising more than an inch after the sail is raised properly.

Just not as convenient for quickly raising and lowering at will from the cockpit compared to running the halyard through the line guide and back to a cleat at the cockpit.
 
I've seen folks run the halyard back to the cockpit, drilling a hole in the coaming for it to pass through and then add some type of cleat just forward of the cockpit, maybe a cam cleat so you can pull the halyard a bit, let it loose to rest and position the spars, then pull again. Cookingwithgas had similar canal issues so maybe he'll wander by and post a pic.

You could add blocks(pulleys) to get the mechanical advantage you want, but another tip is to help the spars up with one hand as you pull on the halyard, vs just trying to horse it up with halyard only, especially the lower spar as the gooseneck tends to hang up sometimes. If you do add blocks (pulleys) be sure not to haul on them too hard, you could pull the halyard deck block screws right out of the backer block.

The early Sunfish mast had a block at the top for the halyard to run through on a through bolt, but those came loose and pulled out a lot. Then there was the switch to the plastic cap.
 

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I stuck a "serpentine cleat" (probably some other name for it) in the cockpit of my Minifish for the purpose.
The cleat is called the "Gripper", is manufactured by Stearns (among others), and is available in metal or plastic. As an "aside" for bigger boaters, after just four minutes, you stop the video, because you have gotten all details on proper cleat tying from this 10-minute video:


I've seen folks run the halyard back to the cockpit, drilling a hole in the coaming for it to pass through and then add some type of cleat just forward of the cockpit, maybe a cam cleat so you can pull the halyard a bit, let it loose to rest and position the spars, then pull again.
One of the Sunfish knock-offs—is it the Phantom?—comes that way from the factory. I've modified my combing/splash rail , and added a cam cleat to do the same thing. Getting the hole through the right place is difficult. :confused: For those make this modification, install the cam cleat last.

The early Sunfish mast had a block at the top for the halyard to run through on a through bolt, but those came loose and pulled out a lot. Then there was the switch to the plastic cap.
My Porpoise II knock-off had a block at the top of the mast for the halyard. It pulled out miles from home, and dropped the entire rig. The manufacturer: Wilcox-Crittenden! Fortunately, I'm never far from a small collection of cable ties (including stainless steel cable ties). One plastic cable tie got me home. :) The plastic cap is a work of genius!
 
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My Phantom had a fairlead next to the mast step, and opening in the coaming and a cleat right behind it. You could easily drop the sail from the cockpit, but raising it was another story. I used to raise the sail on the water, but I had to climb out on the deck next to the mast.
 
I always thought using two hands to raise the rig was the way it had to be done. I never thought that was overly annoying. Vertical force on the deck-mounted fair-lead or block (whichever you have) is a possible concern and the cleat on the mast solves that but, as noted above, belay a line to hold the rig in the pocket in the event of a turtle. You can use a line from the boom at the gooseneck to the deck cleat as a gentle downhaul / preventer (on one tack or add a cleat to the other side of the mast) / rig belay combo.
 
OK, so thanks for all the suggestions so far.
I took the sunfish out 2 times this weekend.
Some more info
The end of the canal is 6 houses down. So I'm not that far from the river that feeds into the bay where I will sail.
I'm on the East Coast in Ocean City MD and the wind predominantly comes from the East or South east here so very often I've found the houses blocking the wind in the canal. So, no mods this weekend as I wanted to try it as is to see what I will do. Only thing I did different was to use an extra small line to limit how high the gooseneck will go so that the mast won't come out of the step if I were to flip her over. I have a small expandable paddle and I placed the boat in the water with the sail down on the deck and the tiller extension under the sail so that as I paddle, the sail is holding the rudder straight so it does not swing around while I can't have my hands on it. I figured this part about 10 seconds after I went into a spin :) Obvious part is I practiced raising and lowering on the land and wrapped the sail around the boom so I can unwrap and haul up quickly. One bungie to hold it all together. (As I get more experienced, I'll just use the Halyard or Mainsheet lines). This sunfish makes for an UBER stable paddleboard that tracks as straight as an arrow! Light winds both days so I did not hit any air until I got out of the canal. When I came back, I got just enough wind to sail in front of my house and lower the sail and paddle to the bulkhead. Once again, I don't want to sail to the bulkhead as the jet ski lift bottom beams stick out and are natural sail slashers. That plus the guy's boat lift next to me has some sharp edges as well just asking to tear me to shreds.

I'm going to install a zig zag clear or plastic cleat closer to the cockpit, that will make things a lot quicker.

Interestingly enough on trip #1, the Rudder was not clamped in good and pivoted out on me yanking the top screws out of the wood. I already had some access plates so I installed one and through bolted the plate on. This was my first look into the inside of this 1969 Sunfish and I was amazed how clean the inside was. No Moldy foam. foam was pretty much white (forgot to take pic). The inside was bone dry!
 

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A search for "halyard" brings up many links to this topic. So, before we leave the topic, I'd like pass along a suggestion by an engineer/sailor.

He suggested using a bowline knot to tie the halyard to the upper spar. (Just run the "bitter end" through the bowline loop, and around the spar 3-4 times). Anytime you want to move the attachment point up or down, just push on the loop, and the knot will instantly release. The attachment point can then be moved at will.

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Hey Melnic,
I'm thinking about using a paddle too. The thing is, what do you do that when you're actually sailing? I was thinking about installing a couple of clips on the deck so that I could just clip it to the deck when I was t paddling . What do you do? Where might I get clips. Got any pictures? Thanks
 
I use a collapsible paddle occasionally, and stow it in some loops I made from velcro stuck to the front of the cockpit. After 4 years I need to replace the velcro as its coming loose, but its reasonably cheap, quick to do and best of all requires no screw holes.
 
This is what I use as seen in the vids.
Unimar Telescopic Mini Paddle - Walmart.com
It collapses and I throw it in the cockpit.
I had started to think about clips to hold it on the deck up front but have yet to decide to do so.
Right now, my wife or son are usually on the Jet Skis when I'm out in the bay. It will take something drastic to ask them to tow me in though LOL.
If my paddle falls out and I can't get back, its not the end of the world for me as I can still call them to get me. (bring me another paddle that is).
I was hesitant to put it on the deck fearing it may get my lines tangled in it.
Even so, with it loose in the cockpit, it sometimes needs to be kicked around.
I had thought about clips putting it somewhere on the sides of the cockpit if I could manage to also keep it out of my way if I have to hike. (winds have not been strong enough to have to hike out yet)
 
I use a long canoe paddle, and store it between the mast and the halyard.

See the grip, shaft and blade at the extreme left in the picture?

That's a tip I got from this forum. :)

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