MacGregorSailors.com

The shorter bowsprit in the top photo of the two John posted is the BWY prototype version. I bthink I sent John that photo, thanks for the post John. I would think that a bobstay on the short one would add to strength and stability but as John pointed out, his can be used with the anchor rode still in place whereas the short one must be removed to use the anchor roller with rode. In any event, some sort of extension mimicking a bowsprit would simplify the use of a spinnaker.

I added a forestay mast hound 18" above the actual forestay hound for a spinnaker block, and used another small block just like the jib halyard. I'll switch it out this spring with another one that has a swivel, which may or may not be needed, but it will allow the block to align itself with the spinnaker without chafing the halyard. My last boat had a fairlead to serve the same purpose, because the block was in the mast.

$20 at Blue Water Yachts for a matching hound. P/N 3453-1V0. Comes with the bolts and nuts.

For the tack, I put a small block into the extra hole at the stem fitting, and ran the line back. Not ideal, but it got me started. When I have a better feel for how it handles under various conditions, I'll make some decisions on improving the setup.

For the sheets, I just use the genoa blocks. The PO used the jib blocks on the same rails so they didn't have to undo the genoa sheets. I may go to ratchet blocks with stoppers some day, but for now, I take a turn or two around the winch just so it's light in my hand.

In other words, other than adding the halyard and tack line, I haven't added anything.

tkanzler wrote:I added a forestay mast hound 18" above the actual forestay hound for a spinnaker block, and used another small block just like the jib halyard. I'll switch it out this spring with another one that has a swivel, which may or may not be needed, but it will allow the block to align itself with the spinnaker without chafing the halyard. My last boat had a fairlead to serve the same purpose, because the block was in the mast.

$20 at Blue Water Yachts for a matching hound. P/N 3453-1V0. Comes with the bolts and nuts.

This is what I found on the BWY Parts List:

1967 - 2003

M25, V25, V24, V23, V22, M22, V21, M21, V17,26C,26X,M19

Rigging 3453-1V0 TANG, FORSTAY PAIR WITH BOLTS

Notes: THIS IS USED TO ADD A SECOND HALYARD FOR A SPINNAKER ON ALL BOATS EXCEPT THE 26M

Kit Contents: TWO FORSTAY STRAPS, ONE 3/8" X 4" HEX BOLT, ONE 1/4" X 1 1/2" HEX BOLT, AND NUTS FOR BOTH

Shipping Weight: TBD lbs.
Packing Charge: $0.00

$ 20.00

Doesn't look like it will work for 26M. Has anyone used this on a 26M?

Thanks,
Jim

More than likely to do with the swiveling mast. Perhaps a shackle of some kind between it and the stay.
Running or a broad reach doesn't use this feature much anyway.
Are there other possible reasons?

c130king wrote:

tkanzler wrote:Notes: THIS IS USED TO ADD A SECOND HALYARD FOR A SPINNAKER ON ALL BOATS EXCEPT THE 26M[/color]

I didn't notice the requirement - too used to thinking in terms of the , I guess.

Parrothead talked about adding a hound to his for the assym in this thread. http://macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewt ... =9&t=10945

Maybe there's something useful in there. I don't see any reason you can't add a hound and use a block with a swivel so it self-aligns. Use a single piece hound if you don't like the (cheesy) 2-piece Mac unit, like Parrothead did.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... &langId=-1

What I do like about the Mac hound is that it's open between the hound and the mast, so my spin halyard comes straight down through the jib/genoa hound.

I don't know of any reason why the BWY 2-piece hound wouldn't work, but I did use precisely the WM item identified by tkanzler, to which I have a lightweight carbo block attached with a shackle. No need for a swivel there in my case, since there is a built-in swivel at the top of the spinnaker sock.
FYI - when I replaced the block [originally I had used the stock jib halyard block], I downsized the halyard to 1/4" / 6mm. My spinnaker halyard secures to the base of the mast via a small Harken swivel cleat, and is just long enough to reach the bow pulpit, which is where I keep it clipped as a sort of redundant headstay when the spinnaker isn't in use. That leaves no excess line to get in the way of anything, and works for me, since I do my spinnaker hoisting and dousing while standing in the open foredeck hatch. Single-handers will need a more complex setup to get the halyard and the sock control loop back to the cockpit.

My spinnaker sheets are led through carbo blocks that I clip onto the stern cleats with SS caribiners, and then secured to genoa track-mounted "EZ Cleats". The sheets themselves [blue line in photo of my son at the helm] are cheap 3/8" braided line from Home Depot (~$10 / 100ft.) -- big enough to be easy to handle, but very light weight. Some might question the use of such a non-nautical product, but I figure that if the load on the chute suddenly were to increase to the point where the sheet can't handle it - that's what I'd want the failing weak link to be, a $10 piece of line.

I used the original mast hound that comes with the it's made by Garauer
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010036.jpg
I mount one midway between the original masthound the masthead where I moved my genny furler too & mounted another to the masthead for my Spinnaker
I also have a swivel mounted backstay
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010014.jpg

My third forestay mounted to the lower shroud masthound for my storm sail or sta'sail
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 0020-1.jpg
base mount for the third forestay
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010137.jpg

Watch the last half of this video for my standing & running rigging
http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010064.mp4

Hope this helps J

parrothead wrote: FYI - when I replaced the block [originally I had used the stock jib halyard block], I downsized the halyard to 1/4" / 6mm. My spinnaker halyard secures to the base of the mast via a small Harken swivel cleat, and is just long enough to reach the bow pulpit, which is where I keep it clipped as a sort of redundant headstay when the spinnaker isn't in use. That leaves no excess line to get in the way of anything, and works for me, since I do my spinnaker hoisting and dousing while standing in the open foredeck hatch. Single-handers will need a more complex setup to get the halyard and the sock control loop back to the cockpit.

I am not sure as a single hander one needs those lines run aft to the cockpit, might be much safer to deploy while standing on the V-berth with half body through the fore hatch. I have my halyard through a turning block at the mast base then run forward to the bow cleat so I can hoist from the hatch. I have the sock control loop wrapped on a plastic stanchion mounted cleat right on the pulpit stantion so that I can do full deployment right from the forward hatch, then I return to the cockpit for control of sheets and tack line & steering. I also have someone with me at the helm as it is a bit challenging to do single handed.

I have to admit that I used to sail a 26-X out of Casa Reo in Mayo MD and owned a Spinnaker for 5 years and never flew it. When the wind was that light I just fired up the Honda 50 and kept going.

My spinnaker sheets




Its one continuous line, with about the center 20 feet having the outer sheathing removed to lessen the weight of the line hanging on the clew. The rear turning blocks are tied to a short line that is cleated to my rear cleats when flying the spinnaker.

That's a fine idea. What is the line dia. before stripping, and what blocks are those?

The line is Flight Line Polypropylene Double Braid by New England Ropes in 6mm (1/4"). The non absorbent cover stays dry, reducing weight and the 100% Dyneema core is super strong. The blocks are Harken 40mm Carbo Rachet blocks ( pn#5367164)

THE CUSCUS wrote:The blocks are Harken 40mm Carbo Rachet blocks ( pn#5367164)

Thanks. Those are exactly the blocks I was considering.

But I have to ask, is there any reason I couldn't use the cheek block version? The asymmetric's clew doesn't change orientation much vertically, I don't think, so a long, light-weight sheet should not have much angular range of motion from the sail.

Just wondering, as I'd prefer a more permanent rigging scheme. Also less chance of me dropping a block into the drink.

Only problem I can forsee is some difficulty installing them with the flotation foam in there. That, and the need to reverse rotation of one of them.

The blocks stay on the sheet, and there is a stopper knot about a foot from the end and another at the end. The only spinnaker rigging that stays attached to the boat is the halyard and the down haul (which acts as a Cunningham line for my hacked on headsail.

Oh, I see. That sounds pretty easy to rig, what with the blocks already on the sheets and all. Don't have to worry about the directionality of the ratchet blocks, either, as they live on the sheets.

Thanks for the info.