Good day crew! I recently partnered into a Spirit 28, that was unrigged: the mast was down, sheets and halyards bundled together, and several buckets of line, blocks, and various bits and pieces. I'm the mechanically inclined partner, so it falls to me to reassemble things. I've spent several weekends trying to put this puzzle together. My partner and I have been able to sail using the main and stay sails, but I'm having a little trouble figuring out the Genoa: The forestay (stainless steel cable) is sleeved with a white plastic sleeve that extends from near the deck to near the masthead. Said sleeve has a channel into which the front edge of the genoa dresses as it is hauled up, thus the front edge of the genoa is attached to the forestay for the extent of the sleeve. My partner believes that the sleeve is part of a roller furling or reefing system. I plainly do not know. There is no evidence of a drum or anything like it, but it's possible that some parts were lost or stolen. My knowledge of sailing is limited. Does this sound like a rolling system, or just another way to fasten a sail to the forestay? Just one more question: Can someone recommend a site or book from which I can learn some sailing terms and concepts (luff, leech, reach, jib, jibe, and so on and so on)? Thanks thanks thanks in advance for helping. Drake.
28 foot puzzle with no instructions
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Quite a puzzle
Rigging, like music, is entirely original. Five riggers will rig the same boat five different ways so there is no exact or right way. I suggest you wonder the docks and look at boats of similar size and try to determine if the parts you have will comply with what you see. If that doesn't work, there is always the option of hiring a rigger but that would reduce the fun. There must be holes in the deck and mast that you can match up with the parts. Probably easier to do with the lines removed. Is the former owner available. Good luck
Rigging, like music, is entirely original. Five riggers will rig the same boat five different ways so there is no exact or right way. I suggest you wonder the docks and look at boats of similar size and try to determine if the parts you have will comply with what you see. If that doesn't work, there is always the option of hiring a rigger but that would reduce the fun. There must be holes in the deck and mast that you can match up with the parts. Probably easier to do with the lines removed. Is the former owner available. Good luck
Foil luff
It sounds from your description you have a boat set up for a foil-type luff on your jib. As you suspect, the jib slides into the slot in the stay (the foil), and the foil holds it to the stay. Headfoils are used on race boats to allow better sail shape at the luff than jib hanks do, and to allow quicker sail changes than you can with hanks. It IS NOT for roller furling. You might try "Sailing for Dummies" for basic inforamtion, although there are probably more books about basic "learn to sail" than any other nautical subject. Good luck!
It sounds from your description you have a boat set up for a foil-type luff on your jib. As you suspect, the jib slides into the slot in the stay (the foil), and the foil holds it to the stay. Headfoils are used on race boats to allow better sail shape at the luff than jib hanks do, and to allow quicker sail changes than you can with hanks. It IS NOT for roller furling. You might try "Sailing for Dummies" for basic inforamtion, although there are probably more books about basic "learn to sail" than any other nautical subject. Good luck!
Luff foil....
Peter is exactly right. Racers use foil extrusions to mount their headsails, however, most decent furling units are set up to remove the drum for racing, using the foil by itself. If you don't see hardware at the base of the foil that may accommodate a furling drum, or if there is no swivel attached to the top of the foil, or no hardware for a furling line, then you have a luff foil only. On the other hand, if there is only one luff groove in the foil then it is useless for racing, and may, in fact be part of an older, cheap furling system. In any event, since you don't have the furling drum it's academic. You're better off getting a new inexpensive unit like those made by CDI. A foil is very cool for racing, but totally inconvenient for daysailors and cruisers. With a foil you must send a crew to the bow to manage the sail. With hank-on sails you can drop the sail on deck without it going over the side, but sail changes are bit more involved. Roller Furling is very convenient as long as the unit is operating properly, very inconvenient when it jams. I highly recommend John Rousmaniere's "The Annapolis Book of Seamship" I think it is an absolute must in any sailor's library, but especially for the novice to intermediate.
Peter is exactly right. Racers use foil extrusions to mount their headsails, however, most decent furling units are set up to remove the drum for racing, using the foil by itself. If you don't see hardware at the base of the foil that may accommodate a furling drum, or if there is no swivel attached to the top of the foil, or no hardware for a furling line, then you have a luff foil only. On the other hand, if there is only one luff groove in the foil then it is useless for racing, and may, in fact be part of an older, cheap furling system. In any event, since you don't have the furling drum it's academic. You're better off getting a new inexpensive unit like those made by CDI. A foil is very cool for racing, but totally inconvenient for daysailors and cruisers. With a foil you must send a crew to the bow to manage the sail. With hank-on sails you can drop the sail on deck without it going over the side, but sail changes are bit more involved. Roller Furling is very convenient as long as the unit is operating properly, very inconvenient when it jams. I highly recommend John Rousmaniere's "The Annapolis Book of Seamship" I think it is an absolute must in any sailor's library, but especially for the novice to intermediate.
Owners association
Good Old Boat Magazine has the following listing for Spirit 28 owners association: Spirit 28 Richard Hudgins 6434 Johnson Ln. Lumberton, TX 77657 USA Phone: 409-963-6928 (days) Phone: 409-755-2727 (evenings) Email Address Richard has agreed to serve as a contact for Spirit 28 owners. You can find their web page at http://goodoldboat.no-ip.com:8080/GOBWeb/GOBAssociations/index_html?search_heading=SSS Jim
Good Old Boat Magazine has the following listing for Spirit 28 owners association: Spirit 28 Richard Hudgins 6434 Johnson Ln. Lumberton, TX 77657 USA Phone: 409-963-6928 (days) Phone: 409-755-2727 (evenings) Email Address Richard has agreed to serve as a contact for Spirit 28 owners. You can find their web page at http://goodoldboat.no-ip.com:8080/GOBWeb/GOBAssociations/index_html?search_heading=SSS Jim
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