can I add a higher halyard block?

[daveb]

I was just given an asymmetrical spinnaker from a Mac 26 and want to fly it on our Mac 25. Our boat is a fractionally rigged boat, could I add a halyard for the spinnaker a couple of feet above the front stay where the jib halyard is or could this damage our mast? This is our first boat and I have never flown an asymmetrical on any ones boat. Lots of great ideas from other postings.

 

[THECUSCUS]

12 to 18 inches above shouldn't be a problem.

 

[finding41]

My 26D is fractionally rigged. So are the other 26's The difference in your jib halliard is about 8" lower than mine.
Here is a ok site to check boat data. sailboatdata.com
Good luck and welcome to the site.

 

[Joe]

If you have a backstay, it shouldn't be a problem. The backstay will counteract the spinnaker's force.

 

[Jackdaw]

In general you should be fine. I'd just watch out for heavy reaching. During a reach, a spin halyard above the shrouds/hounds puts a lateral load on the mast that the backstay cannot counter.

I'd think twice about going full masthead, but part way should be fine.

PS normally you'll put the spin sheve a bit higher than where you plan to fly it, and then pull it down to a halyard restrainer attached to the mast. The sail flys from there.

 

[daveb]

Thanks to all for the info, I feel a little more confident going ahead with this project. To Jackdaw, I haven't seen this configuration and am not sure what a halyard restrainer is. is it like a second block?

 

[Jackdaw]

Most sheave boxes are not designed to have a spinnaker pull on them from the side, like while reaching. The chafe and strain are much more than the straight, static load of a stayed jib. If you CAN find a chafe protected box that you can mount on your mast from the outside, you can use that. Otherwise, mount one of these below the box and run the halyard down to it.

http://www.charlestonyachting.com/M...PROD&Product_Code=SCH78-75&Category_Code=13AB

 

[Joe]

Thanks to all for the info, I feel a little more confident going ahead with this project. To Jackdaw, I haven't seen this configuration and am not sure what a halyard restrainer is. is it like a second block?

A halyard restrainer is primarily a device to control "halyard wrap" on a roller furling device. In it's basic form it is a clip or small eyestrap, mounted a few inches below the sheave on the mast. I've pictured a couple of solutions below. With the halyard run through it, the restrainer keeps the swivel in line, rather than following the rotation of the foil extrusion.... and thus keeping the halyard from wrapping around the headstay.

I'm not sure how they would apply to a spinnaker halyard, unless it was an internal sheave, perhaps. I'm hoping Jackdaw could be more detailed in this area, because I'm interested in learning how it works also.

Normally, an externally run spinnaker halyard would employ a swivelling block at the top end. On a fractional rig, I have seen them setup with a mast "hound" http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?14154 to distribute the force better, then a swivel block is shackled to the hound. The shackle insures full motion with the swivel block(like a toggle) , so the block can slide in the direction of the sail's pull.

 

[daveb]

I am starting to get the picture. We have no actual sailing stores near us, the nearest is a four and a half hour drive to the coast so I keep leafing through various catalogs to find the appropriate hardware. I'm finding the terminology a little tricky. We have external halyards and I am trying to find a chafe protected box or a picture of a mast "hound". We will be making the trip to the coast before we launch for the season so I hope to have a parts list to take with us.

 

[daveb]

Just like magic the pictures appeared as I was composing my last reply, thank you Joe.

 

[Jackdaw]

Guys,

What I'm describing is one of the most common setups for modern fractional rigged boats with non-masthead spinnakers. All current beneteau firsts are rigged this way. It allows the spin halyard to be a useful distance from the forstay and jib. Masthead rigs can be different because they can have a free flying block at top. A masthead spin rigged to a fractional mast not designed for that is a great way to snap your mast at the hounds.

I could type more, but a great place to get more info is to have a look at the most awesome Selden rigging book. The whole thing is a great read, but the action we are talking about starts on page 18. The PDF is a bit hidden on the selden site, so I'll post a copy here.

http://db.tt/Whs0FXlX

Joe, yup, the other big use for restrainers is to stop wrap on furlers.

 

[Joe]

jackdaw... I took a look at the link, good info ... especially if you're building an internal spinnaker halyard... thanks..... anyhow, please excuse my ignorance. I'm sorry that I'm unfamiliar with your beneteau first, looks like a cool boat..... but Daveb sails a Mac 25, and it seems obvious his plan is to rig an external spinnaker halyard... In which case using a restrainer to route the halyard would seem unnecessary... since the top block would be swiveling anyway. Wouldn't you agree?

 

[Jackdaw]

jackdaw... I took a look at the link, good info ... especially if you're building an internal spinnaker halyard... thanks..... anyhow, please excuse my ignorance. I'm sorry that I'm unfamiliar with your beneteau first, looks like a cool boat..... but Daveb sails a Mac 25, and it seems obvious his plan is to rig an external spinnaker halyard... In which case using a restrainer to route the halyard would seem unnecessary... since the top block would be swiveling anyway. Wouldn't you agree?

You're right... I didn't catch that mention in the later post that he wanted to go external. But it would not have seemed obvious to me; I don't know if I know a fractionally rigged boat with external halyards... Is the mac 25? In any case you are right a well anchored block will be fine. Good discussion.

 

[daveb]

I am learning to be more specific with my questions and am picking up a bit on the "lingo". Yes all the halyards are external, so I don't need a restrainer and can fly the spinnaker directly from the block? This might not be as difficult as I thought for our first modification.