Just stumbled across this video. I have sailed gaffers for over 30 years, both large (30m +) and small. Having spent a lot of time looking at novel solutions for a similar reason, I was intrigued to watch your process through. You seem to have started out with an interesting concept to simplify your rigging. The plastic mast collars are a novel and cost effective modern interpretation of the traditional mast rings. However, your single halyard system seems to have come unstuck under reefed conditions sending you down a bit of a "rabbit hole" process of adding an additional control line to bring your gaff span bridle closer to the mast when reefed. Now you have a halyard on the gaff span and effectively a snubber... 2 lines..... However, looking at the sail, it still does not have enough Peak tension. The check I was taught for this was to set the Throat halyard taught, then "Peak up" until a crease starts to appear diagonally between the Peak and the Tack when the sail is in ions. Why not just use the centuries old solution... Throat and Peak halyards...? Problem solved. I am not seeking to insult you, as I share your sentiment of using a simplified version of a gaff rig, however, on this occasion I think the answer was there all the time. I have some modern interpretations of a Gaff Main & Topsl operating together on a single Halyard, but not the gaff sail on its own. Happy sailing, and stay safe.
Sure going to the traditional two halyards would make reefing dead simple. I'd have to add a block at the mast head, cleat down at the forward thwart, not a big problem. I reef very rarely but if it becomes an issue I may go down that path!
@@rudywoodcraft9553 I've had a minute to think about this. I might have a suggested solution that may work and still keep it relatively simple making best use of your gaff bridle arrangement. If you re-rig the top "traveller" ring you have already made so the Halyard is reeved through the pulley block, it will always lift it easily to the desired height. Then simply rig a single-line downhaul to the traveller ring to set it to the reef height. Under full sail condition, this downhaul can simply be set with no tension and the traveller sit idly at the top of the mast. When you need to reef, lower the Halyard, lock off the mast traveller ring to a pre-marked reef position, (this can be a whipping on the ring downhaul line), set the first reef luff cringle and then simply tension the halyard. This should set the reefed gaff similar to its full sail angle. The imperative is to try to secure the mast traveller pulley block as close to the traveller as possible. I notice in the video you still have a bit of "stand off that may well be able to be reduced by securing the pulley block directly to the traveller. This may be possible by externally lashing it to the traveller ring. This system would also work well on a Gunter rig where snugging the yard to the mast is an issue under reef condition without moving the halyard attachment point up the yard. Happy sailing.
@@DivvaXJ900S Thanks a ton--I will give that a try. You're right--to get the last bit of tension on the peak under my non-optimal approach, that last inch/inch and a half in toward the mast makes all the difference. (I will say that the line I'm using has more stretch than is ideal too.)
Nice solution Doug. I suppose the real reason for not getting to this sooner is you were having to much fun sailing. Glad to see you finally got weather nice enough to go sailing close to home. Thank you for sharing and have a great week ahead.
Hello! Thanks for the great series! Regarding your crease in the mainsail, which you had at the very beginning and now again. Instead of attaching the halyard to the bridle with a knotted loop, have you tried attaching a block to the halyard and letting it run freely on the bridle so that it can move back and forth when the throat of the sail gets tight? If you want to restrict the block's freedom of movement, you may tie stopper knots into the bridle line at each side of the block.
Well done, tx for sharing the whole process. Just curious what you think of a spare heavy weather Leg-o-Mutton Sprit rig? Ever try it on that boat? Ty.
I haven't tried it but yes, I've wondered about that, partially because I have just a bit more weather helm than I like, and moving the center of effort forward with a higher gaff/sprit angle is something I may try someday
Thanks...I'd done some searching on the proper terms for this a while back; I didn't see "gunter" exclusively used for this option but maybe that's what I should call it
Yup, looks like you’re ready for the Elbow Run, Doug. Look forward to seeing you on the water in July.
Just stumbled across this video. I have sailed gaffers for over 30 years, both large (30m +) and small. Having spent a lot of time looking at novel solutions for a similar reason, I was intrigued to watch your process through.
You seem to have started out with an interesting concept to simplify your rigging. The plastic mast collars are a novel and cost effective modern interpretation of the traditional mast rings. However, your single halyard system seems to have come unstuck under reefed conditions sending you down a bit of a "rabbit hole" process of adding an additional control line to bring your gaff span bridle closer to the mast when reefed.
Now you have a halyard on the gaff span and effectively a snubber... 2 lines..... However, looking at the sail, it still does not have enough Peak tension. The check I was taught for this was to set the Throat halyard taught, then "Peak up" until a crease starts to appear diagonally between the Peak and the Tack when the sail is in ions.
Why not just use the centuries old solution... Throat and Peak halyards...? Problem solved.
I am not seeking to insult you, as I share your sentiment of using a simplified version of a gaff rig, however, on this occasion I think the answer was there all the time. I have some modern interpretations of a Gaff Main & Topsl operating together on a single Halyard, but not the gaff sail on its own.
Happy sailing, and stay safe.
Sure going to the traditional two halyards would make reefing dead simple. I'd have to add a block at the mast head, cleat down at the forward thwart, not a big problem. I reef very rarely but if it becomes an issue I may go down that path!
@@rudywoodcraft9553 I've had a minute to think about this. I might have a suggested solution that may work and still keep it relatively simple making best use of your gaff bridle arrangement.
If you re-rig the top "traveller" ring you have already made so the Halyard is reeved through the pulley block, it will always lift it easily to the desired height. Then simply rig a single-line downhaul to the traveller ring to set it to the reef height.
Under full sail condition, this downhaul can simply be set with no tension and the traveller sit idly at the top of the mast.
When you need to reef, lower the Halyard, lock off the mast traveller ring to a pre-marked reef position, (this can be a whipping on the ring downhaul line), set the first reef luff cringle and then simply tension the halyard. This should set the reefed gaff similar to its full sail angle. The imperative is to try to secure the mast traveller pulley block as close to the traveller as possible. I notice in the video you still have a bit of "stand off that may well be able to be reduced by securing the pulley block directly to the traveller. This may be possible by externally lashing it to the traveller ring.
This system would also work well on a Gunter rig where snugging the yard to the mast is an issue under reef condition without moving the halyard attachment point up the yard.
Happy sailing.
@@DivvaXJ900S Thanks a ton--I will give that a try. You're right--to get the last bit of tension on the peak under my non-optimal approach, that last inch/inch and a half in toward the mast makes all the difference. (I will say that the line I'm using has more stretch than is ideal too.)
Nice solution Doug. I suppose the real reason for not getting to this sooner is you were having to much fun sailing. Glad to see you finally got weather nice enough to go sailing close to home. Thank you for sharing and have a great week ahead.
Thanks--that's part of it for sure!
Ive been searching for something like this for a gaff rig, thanks!
It works well enough--I reef fairly rarely. A less stretchy line would help keep tension on the peak when it is reefed...
This was really interesting to watch! Well done! I'm glad you didn't settle with that diagonal across the sail. That would have bugged you (& me).
Yeah glad I didn't settle
Hello! Thanks for the great series!
Regarding your crease in the mainsail, which you had at the very beginning and now again. Instead of attaching the halyard to the bridle with a knotted loop, have you tried attaching a block to the halyard and letting it run freely on the bridle so that it can move back and forth when the throat of the sail gets tight? If you want to restrict the block's freedom of movement, you may tie stopper knots into the bridle line at each side of the block.
Thanks I'll give that some thought I haven't tried that approach
Well done, tx for sharing the whole process. Just curious what you think of a spare heavy weather Leg-o-Mutton Sprit rig? Ever try it on that boat? Ty.
I haven't tried it but yes, I've wondered about that, partially because I have just a bit more weather helm than I like, and moving the center of effort forward with a higher gaff/sprit angle is something I may try someday
with one halyd, this is a gunter, not a gaff
Thanks...I'd done some searching on the proper terms for this a while back; I didn't see "gunter" exclusively used for this option but maybe that's what I should call it