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I added complexity to my lateen

Posted By: Harry Gordon P14 #234, Manatee, Mtn. View, CA
Date: 11/7/09 8:50p.m.

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In Response To: Lateen (link) (pic) (Dan Phy P15 #1051 Ol' Geezer , M17 #653 "SIX")

I guess I couldn't leave well enough alone, so I added two additional control lines, which in turn required other modifications. Instead of the Sunfish gooseneck, which allowed only limited and awkward adjustment of the boom attachment, I now have a four-foot tube that looks like a towel rack attached to the mast. A line through a block on the forward end of the boom is used to control the position of the boom fore and aft relative to the mast. It works very smoothly and easily and I use it all the time to adjust the helm for different conditions and points of sail. I have another line attached to the aft end of the "towel rack," which functions as a vang. The two lines are secured to what were originally the jibsheet cleats on the cabintop.

Of course, it would not be possible to adjust the boom through a 4 ft range with the Sunfish sail rings in the way. So I eliminated the sail rings from the boom by adding a sail track on the boom with slides and shackles instead of the rings.

I also have a jiffy reefing setup, at the leech only, so the sail is reefed along either of two lines radiating from the tack instead of being parallel to the boom as on a normal rig. That is the reefing method recommended by Larry Brown in Frugal Yachting but it works better on Manatee because of the ability to adjust the boom quickly and easily.

Another modification was the addition of extensions to the spars to accommodate the slightly larger Super Porpoise lateen sail.

I leave all lines and the sail attached for trailering, but that requires lashing everything securely to the cabintop.

Messages In This Thread

Lateen simplicity..... -- John Madill WWP15 Mackinac Dreamer -- 11/7/09 6:58p.m.
Lateen -- Dan Phy P15 #1051 Ol' Geezer , M17 #653 "SIX" -- 11/7/09 8:05p.m.
 I added complexity to my lateen   -- Harry Gordon P14 #234, Manatee, Mtn. View, CA -- 11/7/09 8:50p.m.


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