Widgeon Rigging Question

[John From Maine]

I have 2 questions related to my used, probably

1972-73 Widgeon that I bought last year. First relates to the boom out-haul for the main sail. On the Widgeon's boom there is a fitting at the end of the boom (see pix out-haul). One is the connection point for the main sheet. That's straight forward. However, I'm uncertain as to how best to tie-off the out-haul line on the foot of the main sail. I can loop the out-haul line through the fitting but there is no way to tie it off. On a prior sailboat there was a cleat on the boom for this purpose, so I'm thinking of adding a cleat to the Widgeon's boom. Does anyone know what is the recommended method to tie-off the out-haul line?
Second question relates to a line attached between the centerboard trunk (top) and the boom with some unknown fitting (see pix-1, pix-2 & pix-3). I'm guessing it's some down-haul for the boom but I'm uncertain how to use it and how it should be rigged. The fitting at the centerboard cap has a swivel pulley. The fitting on the boom has a hole in one end of it and a V-notch on the other end.

Thanks for any help.

 

[John From Maine]

Here's a picture of the boat on the trailer with sails up. I think the wrinkles in the main sail is because the out-haul isn't
pulled tight enough.

 

[cliff02138]

I don't know all the nautical terms for lines and such so you'll have to bear with me.
I have a Widgeon from the early 80's and my model doesn't have the pulley next to the main sheet clear on the center board housing.

What I do is I run the mainsail outhaul through the hole at the stern of the boom, run that line along the boom and through the hardware you have a photo of in your last image. I then pull the line back into the v to secure it and wrap the remaining line around the boom to keep it from hanging down. I don't secure the outhaul to that loop at the stern of the boom.

I'm not sure if the swivel pulley might be some additional gear to run the main sheet through? I don't honestly know since my model doesn't have that any longer.

I still have the manual at home and I can check it out. There is also some info on this site that can be helpful, too - maybe a photo can solve your questions
http://www.iheartodays.com/manuals.html

 

[John From Maine]

Thanks. I'm at least the third owner of this boat so perhaps some of the gear isn't original. Unfortunately my out-haul line is not long enough to reach the fitting in my last picture. But your method would surely work with a longer line. Perhaps I may just add a cleat about 1 foot from the end of the boom tie it off, similar to your approach. I've ordered a widegon manual and brochures from another member of this group hopefully I see the correct methods of rigging. Again thanks.

 

[Jwudgy]

I am the original owner of a 1974 O'Day Widgeon. On my Widgeon the outhaul goes through the top hole at the end of the boom and is tied off to a cleat about half way down the boom. I'm attaching a photo of the rigging sheet that came with my Widgeon with a close-up of that area. I've also made a modification to the stern rigging. The original rigging with the mainsheet. The rigging sheet shows the free end of the mainsheet threaded through the fair lead on the port side, then across to the starboard side, then up through the lower hole on the block at the end of the boom, then through the block in the center of the boom and down to the cam cleat. It always seemed to be a clunky way of doing it. So I ran a permanent line from the starboard and port leads with a traveling block on it through which the mainsheet went. The traveler rolls back and forth easily without any fouling. I hope that makes sense.

 

[cliff02138]

This is great - I found my old rigging sheet and was about to post photos, but you beat me to it. Nicely done!

 

[John From Maine]

Thanks for the info and pictures. It really helps. On my widgeon, at some point some previous owner replaced the main sheet port and starboard fairleads with swivel pulleys. So my rigging is the same as the picture. I will get a small cleat and install it on the boom as a means of tying off the out-haul. My widegon is exactly as shown in your pictures with the covered foredeck, cockpit and mast step (hole). My mast step hole is really in need of re-fiberglasing. Quite mangled. I don't see anything similar to parts A & B in my photos in your rigging sheets, so someone must have added it for some unknown purpose. I may just remove it. Again thanks for your reply.

 

[Jwudgy]

I believe you are correct that your A & B parts are aftermarket. I think the jam cleat on the boom was probably intended by the owner to serve as the outhaul fastener, but the size looks small for the line used for an outhaul. If it was intended as a line for a boom vang (a line that keeps the boom from lifting too high), there is one major thing wrong: it is not in the correct place. A boom vang generally goes from a spot about a couple of feet out from the main mast and is connected to the lowest part of the mast (at least on a small boat like a Widgeon; see attached picture of the rigging on a

much larger sailboat). Your picture shows it set up to go from boom down to the centerboard casing. That would mean it would have be constantly readjusted as the boom moves in an out from a reach to sailing close hauled. Plus it would just be in the way for shifting from side to side. I've never felt the need for a boom vang in the 43 years I've sailed my Widgeon. One last comment, in your photo of your boat fully rigged, the sail does not look like it is all the way at the top of the mast. I don't think that's the cause of the wrinkling in the sail, but just an FYI.

 

[John From Maine]

Thanks for your reply. It's nice to know there are original Widgeon owners out there. I bought mine last year at a local fireman's auction for $200 with the trailer. I couldn't pass it up. I basically bought it for two grandkids that are sailors for when they visit. We used it twice last summer. Grandkids were much better than me at sailing. I see what you mean about the main not being all the way to the top. Next time I'll pull it further up the mast. By the way, I just repaired the masthead pulleys. When I got the boat, one pulley was broken in half and neither of them would turn. I checked with DR Marine and a new masthead with pulleys was $36 or each pulley was $4.10 x 2 plus $16 shipping. Shipping was too pricey for me. So I ground off the bolts and knocked out the pulleys. Then using my Shopsmith lathe I turned 2 new pulleys from trek composite scraps. I reinstalled them with stainless steel bolts and nuts. Now the halyard goes up and down very smoothly. Thanks again for your reply.

 

[Sunbird22358]

John the Manual that you ordered from me should answer these questions. The Outhaul threads through that top eye and leads forward to the v-shape jamb cleat on hte boom. The line attached to the block on top of the CB trunk is part of the CB lowering setup (both covered in the manaul) Here is the CB drawing anyway. OH, from your pictures, I'd say she is a 1973 model, check the HIN on the outside of the transom, but I don't see the built-in cooler/stowage locker near the frward end of the port-side seat and the jib sheets lead through bullseye fairleads instead of blocks. Earlier models had those blocks and 1971-72 models had the cooler. O'DAY mentions in their 1973 brochure that they reduced the price of the WIDGEON for 1973........ guess how they did it? <GRIN!>

 

[John From Maine]

Thanks for the reply and the attachment. It's a bit confusing and I'll have to look at it in the boat and see what's what. I'd say that some of the CB fitting might be missing. Yes, you are correct there is no cooler built into the seat. The jib lines do go through bullseye fairleads (one on each side) and then to jam cleats on the CB top. I don't see any HID numbers on the outside of the transom, although my boat was repainted (red to blue) so maybe the paint is covering the numbers. On the inside of the transom are the class & hull numbers. We previously discussed that I may have a missing digit on the class number.

 

[CentralMich.]

Here is a video that goes over the rigging that I made. It's for my 1974 widgeon.