Messages

Ebb,

 A couple thoughts:

If both halyards are broken you might have to use the klemheist knot - personally, I'd try levitation.  

A Mitchell rig is indeed a very fast climbing rig.  It also is the best down-climbing rig that I have used.  The drawback in using it for mast climbing is that the upper ascender can only be raised to a position a couple inches below the top of the rope that you are climbing.  This is because ascenders need to tavel up the rope a short distance to release the cam when you want to remove it or slide it down the rope.  Also, there is a roller or chest box below the upper ascender.  What does this mean?  If you are climbing the main halyard your head will be at about the height of the main sheave.  It is tough working on your masthead from that position.  Possible though.

For caving and mast climbing I use a frog system - also developed by cavers.  It has a lower attachment point than the Michell.  The Frog does not down-climb well so I generally change over to a rapel device and enjoy the ride down.

Get some instruction and enjoy the fun!

Very nice work!  I now have teak envy.

One caution - I can tell you from experience that you may want effective siphon breaks on those thru hulls below the transom.  It took me a couple days after my first launch to figure out why I kept nearly sinking.  My automatic bilge pump was the culprit.  It was only a problem with 3 or more people in the cockpit or while motoring in following seas.

Here is another link to a mast dropping/stepping site (Alberg 30):


http://www.alberg30.org/maintenance/SparsSailsRigging/UnsteppingMast/index.html

Bill,
I was looking hard to see if you have a vented loop in front of the cooling water injection into the exhaust elbow.  I have an old Yanmar in A416 which is mostly below the waterline (the exhaust elbow is above WL).  Whoever did the install did not put in a vented loop.  It has not been a problem but the books all indicate that there should be one.

Access is great to mine if you only need one hand to do the job....

Can someone shed some light on the effects of different luff dimensions.  It seem that masthead rigs have genoas that are hoisted nearly to the masthead yet working jibs are a couple of feet shorter in the luff.

What happens if you have a 30.5 foot luff (instead of 28) with a 9 foot foot?  Does this affect the balance?  Or speed?  What is the design reason for the Ariel's sail plan?

Okay Mike - this is the other end of the boom.  
Our reefing system is pretty much the same as Bill's except that our topping lift runs thru a block at the masthead.  (Works as an emergency halyard too as we discovered when our wire main halyard jumped the sheave and jammed up hard).
These pics show how one sailmaker addressed the issue of the slides bottoming out on the sailtrack when reefing.  Note the bottom slide is not attached directly to the sail but to a line run through some cringles.  I think the pics are self explanatory (?)

My sail has a cringle for the reefing line to pass arounf the boom.  I'll try to stick a jpeg in this....

Here is a slightly different take on the A-frame hoist:

http://www.alberg30.org/maintenance/SparsSailsRigging/UnsteppingMast/index.html

I think my wire may be Ni-chrome.

The rigging wire figure 8 wrap might do the trick.  Maybe that along with some shims.

Now, how to reach the spreaders...I've been eyeing the railing on the public dock.  If I can balance on that while hanging onto the shroud with one hand and wrap with the other hand, I may be able to pull this off.  Film at 5.

I see from previous posts that many of you have replaced spreader bases, tubes and tips.  But I have not seen any hints on how to keep the spreader at the proper angle with respect to the cap shroud.

On my boat, the spreaders are held in the bases with cotter pins and the shrouds are captured in the spreader tips by rigging wire.  The slots in the tips have enough slop to allow the shrouds to slide freely up and down. When I tack, the spreader on the leeward side slides down the shroud.  

How do you keep the spreader in its proper place?  More shroud tension?  Some type of clamp at the spreader tip?  Shims at the base?  

- Thanks -

{{quiz: who said "Under Way on Nuclear Power"}}

The story I read has it something like this:

The quote was written by Eugene P. Wilkinson, USN Ret., released by Communications Officer Ned Dietrich and sent by Quartermaster Rayl on January 17, 1955 as the first nucear sub, the USS Nautilus, was emarking on her maiden voyage.