OK, I'll try to answer... (and notes on some things that did NOT work)

Posted By: Sam Hunter, '93 Mac26S, Atlanta & Pensacola
Date: 5/5/09 4:45p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: thanks, and more questions (pic) (mr bill)

The sprit is laminated from 3-4 thicknesses of 3/4 Oak, totally encapsulated in epoxy. All bolt-holes were pre-drilled oversize, filled with thickened epoxy, the redrilled to bolt size after the epoxy cured. From the side, you can make out that the fwd section is thicker than the aft. You can't see it in these pics, but that extra thickness fwd has a concave curve to match the curve of the bow. This extra thickness was mostly for looks, to get a better visual "balance"; but was also for some extra strength out front, where the anchor roller is. I've been through a couple of really nasty storms, and fully understand that a sprit holding an anchor needs to be STRONG!!! The mast support and the furler support are really two separate "things". The mast support came up because, at least in the '93 models, you cannot open the fwd hatch when the mast is in the factory trailering position. The only reasons for that mast support is to raise the mast trailering position that couple of extra inches to allow the hatch to be open, plus to get it all up several inches higher to make cockpit and cabin access easier while trailering. (The new mast support strut on the transom is also a couple of inches higher. It is not a big thing, but I can already see the difference. That forward, upper, "sprit" or whatever it should be called (anyone know?), sprang from earlier ideas to support the furler. The best idea I had previously seen was to simply slide a "stick" (piece of wood, broom handle, etc) up the mast a few feet, with about 3 feet sticking out forward (with the mast in the down/trailering position) and secure the furler to that stick. I kept playing with ideas to support the furler and NOT have to store or handle or set-up / take-down the support. I was just kind of thinking and fooling around one day when it occurred to me that I could just run wood struts along the bow pulpit, merge them forward, and have my support. When I mocked it up, it became obvious that this concept, made strong enough, would (I hope) work as a sprit for my spinnaker tack as well as for the drifter I hope to have, one-of-these-days. (The current spin tack is on the bowsprit. This moves it another 2 feet or so fwd, increasing the clearance from the jib/genoa.) So, I laminated them in place (ply/epoxy/fiberglass), then added one more thickness, finished them up enough not to look "bad", and secured it in place w/rope. I do not take the headsail off for transport. Just too much extra time, and I am trying to reduce time, not increase it! So, I did need something for support. This is probably overkill, but if it does also work as a tack point for spinnaker/drifter, it will be well worth the effort! One experiment that failed was my attempt to leave the boom and mainsail attached to the mast (covered) when trailering. I've seen other boats with this, including one of the new "M" models, and it makes a BIG difference in setup time and simplicity!!!! It seems to work best with Gaff rigs, but I have seen it done with Bermudan, too. I changed out the topping lift so that I could brail up the boom against the mast just by pulling up on the topping lift. Unfortunately, I have full battens, and the strain on them was more than I believed was good, so that Idea went to the circular file. However, I have always left the main on the boom (cover on) and put it in the cabin. In the future, I am going to leave the boom/mainsail/cover on deck, lashed to the port stancions. I've already made a Sunbrella "bag" to cover and secure the front of the boom/sail/cover while trailering (looks kind of like a soldiers bag). Last but not least, I got rid of the old 4-part block and tackle system for raising / lowering the mast. That too, was just too much work for this "old guy", and took too long. I used the same gin pole, added a winch, added a boom bail to the mast at the side-stays, and simplified the whole thing. Now, it does not use any halyards, etc, it just clips into place (seconds, not minutes), is much less physical effort, can be stopped in any postion up- or down-bound, and frankly is MUCH easier and faster. Hope this helps!