Moving the Mast Hound

[The Mutt]

A question for the brains trust:

Can the mast hound holding the spinnaker hailyard on the top of the mast be connected higher up the mast, at present it is connected 14 inches above the upper shroud connection, I'd like to take the mast hound to about 27-28 inches above the shroud connection.

If I move it higher up the mast will that effect the stresses/dynamics or whatever you want to call it on the mast and cause any problems?

Thoughts anyone?

Glenn

[opie]

Glenn, if someone answers your question can they also declare if the hound has to be drilled and bolted through the mast, or can something like this be pop-riveted?

In other words, after figuring out if the spinaker halyard can be mounted higher, is it safer to pop-rivet it or drill and bolt a hound (also called a bail?)

[Highlander]

Glen

Here's a pic of the top of my mast I fly my Jib off the original masthound thats where I added my extra top spreaders
my genny fly's off the next masthound up & my Spin fly's off the masthead hound these are all mac factory masthounds I ordered through my dealer
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010036.jpg

I certainly would not use that fitting above for a headsail unless it was on a dinghy ! you want something with a 3/8 SS bolt & nylon lock nut through the mast for sure that would be my option you already have a backstay on your X to help with support , but I would not fly more than one head sail unless you added a third set of masthead shrouds & a second set of spreaders
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010140.jpg

J

[The Mutt]

This is the style of mast hound on our boat

Connected to the mast by a single nut and bolt.

Thank's Highlander, correct me if I'm wrong, looks like you added to the original shroud from the original spreader (How did you do it) to the new spreader then up to additional mast tang's up top.

Glenn

[Highlander]

Glen

Here's my link to my photobucket site
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0023-1.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010020.jpg

bottom spreader end caps modified to eccept two sets of shroulds side by side "not on top of each other" original top shrouds are now middle shrouds and I added a third set of shrouds which now become your top shrouds or masthead shrouds
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0007-2.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0005-1.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010004.jpg

here's a short video of my set -up
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0033-1.flv
Here she is sailing, I still have to install 4 sets of double clutches yet to run more lines aft. but that will be in the late fall or early next spring I also have since changed headsail angles so as the head sails will catch more air when sailing cutter rigged also maybe add longer genny track next yr
http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010093.flv

J

[The Mutt]

Thanks Highlander, a picture does tell a thousand words, you've supplied about 5000 plus 2 vids, the pics leave no doubt how you assembled your rigging.

Glenn

[Rick Westlake]

This is the style of mast hound on our boat

Connected to the mast by a single nut and bolt.

I put an identical mast-hound, or "tang" if you prefer, at the top of my mast, just for my spinnaker. But I'm not a tenth as ambitious as Highlander. I run the spinnaker's tack-line through a block on the bow pulpit, bolted between the "ears" for the mast base. Since I only use the chute in light airs, it's worked acceptably well for me.

[The Mutt]

But I'm not a tenth as ambitious as Highlander.

Who else is as ambitious!

Highlander is very good at showing and explaining how he does his mods.

All I'm doing at the moment is researching as to what I need to do to connect the spinnaker higher up the mast, I'm about to add sheave boxes to send the hailyards inside the mast to quiet things down a bit when at anchor, if I put the spinnaker sheave in the current position then I cannot add a larger spinnaker later on, possibly an oversized "Ghost" spinnaker for very light winds, I know someone that races 8 metre (26 foot boats), they replace their sails regularly, I have a chance of getting one.... it would be great to be sponsored.

Another mod that interests me is adding Eric's traveller for the genoa furler mast connection to slide up so the bottom of the sail straps up to the bottom of the mast no overhanging which is standard ..... still making my mind up about that one.

What I am currently doing is putting together as many techniques as possible to speed up the time taken at the top of the boat ramp, I want to go sailing not spend my time playing with Lego until it looks like a sailboat.

Sorry about the rant guys.

Glenn