What do y'all prefer to us for a Cunningham, a set of fiddle blocks or a set of double blocks. Also do most run the Cunningham from a hook in the cringle to an eye in the mast collar or do you prefer another arrangement. Thanks Dave M Good Winds s/v DAMWEGAS
Attaching a Cunningham
- Thread starter damauney
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Depends on the boat and its purpose....
For a racing 'dinghy' (large racing scow), I use a stainless 'bail' *through* the cunningham hole and three blocks - One block attached on each end of bail and the other one pinned to the mast base .... making it possible to pull the cunningham line from either side of the boat when hiking out. 4:1 purchase. ...... Perhaps this is a better detailed description: from starboard side of cockpit to block at mast base (starboard side), to block on bail (bail is *through* the cunningham hole), to a block mounted at the bottom aftside of the mast, to a a block at the 'other' end of the bail through the cunningham hole, to a block at the portside base of the mast, back to the portside of the cockpit. For my keelboat, the single control line is pinned to the mast base, then led to a block that is attached to a strong "S" hook (The "S" hook attaches to the cunningham hole/grommet, then back down to the mast base and back to the cockpit. 2:1 purchase .... also doubles as a reefing line for the tack (I always 'set-up' for the 'next reef' .... 3 reefs and cunningham).
For a racing 'dinghy' (large racing scow), I use a stainless 'bail' *through* the cunningham hole and three blocks - One block attached on each end of bail and the other one pinned to the mast base .... making it possible to pull the cunningham line from either side of the boat when hiking out. 4:1 purchase. ...... Perhaps this is a better detailed description: from starboard side of cockpit to block at mast base (starboard side), to block on bail (bail is *through* the cunningham hole), to a block mounted at the bottom aftside of the mast, to a a block at the 'other' end of the bail through the cunningham hole, to a block at the portside base of the mast, back to the portside of the cockpit. For my keelboat, the single control line is pinned to the mast base, then led to a block that is attached to a strong "S" hook (The "S" hook attaches to the cunningham hole/grommet, then back down to the mast base and back to the cockpit. 2:1 purchase .... also doubles as a reefing line for the tack (I always 'set-up' for the 'next reef' .... 3 reefs and cunningham).
Cunningham
Dave M: Originally I had a Garhauer soft vang which I replaced with the Garhauer Rigid Vang. I then used the soft vang as a cunningham. I attached one end to the lowest reef cringle and the other end to the bottom of the mast. Very simple set up.
Dave M: Originally I had a Garhauer soft vang which I replaced with the Garhauer Rigid Vang. I then used the soft vang as a cunningham. I attached one end to the lowest reef cringle and the other end to the bottom of the mast. Very simple set up.
Dave, I tie a line somewhere on the mast below the gooseneck, then up through the cunningham cringle, back down the mast and back to the cockpit. This setup starts as a 2:1 and can easily be added to the coachtop winch if needed. It is fast and theres no need to climb out of the cockpit.
Dave F. --
Not really, as the first reefing tack cringle is bit too far up along the luff to be useful and the result will be that the bottom portion of the sail below the first reef point will become even 'baggier'. Adding a cuinningham cringle, a pressed eye and adding a reinforcement 'patch' is not an 'involved' job for a sailmaker. If the corner patch on your present sail is extended on the luff up into the sail for more than 18", then a grommet/ring can be easily added to the existing 'reinforcing patch' ... a "few minutes" job with the proper 'die set'. If this is an 'old' sail (and your are 'fastidious'/neat), apply several 'reinforcing patchs' of sail cloth by 'glueing' their edges (the glue seams about 1/4" wide to the sail with 3M 5200. Use masking tape to prevent the 5200 from squeezing out all over the adjacent sail cloth. Then get a **solid brass** 'spur grommet' set from a fabric supply or hardware store and install the grommet yourself - these 'kits' also contain the dies that you use with a hammer to put them together. The grommet must be supported underneath by several layers of sail cloth - never just add a grommet to a single layer of sailcloth. Use 'Fast Cure' grade of 3M 5200 and put in on 'thin'. www.sailrite.com for supply of 'tubes' of Fast Cure 5200. This is great stuff for permanent sail repair of 'rips' - all you need is sailcloth 'tape' and the 5200. Hope this helps.
Not really, as the first reefing tack cringle is bit too far up along the luff to be useful and the result will be that the bottom portion of the sail below the first reef point will become even 'baggier'. Adding a cuinningham cringle, a pressed eye and adding a reinforcement 'patch' is not an 'involved' job for a sailmaker. If the corner patch on your present sail is extended on the luff up into the sail for more than 18", then a grommet/ring can be easily added to the existing 'reinforcing patch' ... a "few minutes" job with the proper 'die set'. If this is an 'old' sail (and your are 'fastidious'/neat), apply several 'reinforcing patchs' of sail cloth by 'glueing' their edges (the glue seams about 1/4" wide to the sail with 3M 5200. Use masking tape to prevent the 5200 from squeezing out all over the adjacent sail cloth. Then get a **solid brass** 'spur grommet' set from a fabric supply or hardware store and install the grommet yourself - these 'kits' also contain the dies that you use with a hammer to put them together. The grommet must be supported underneath by several layers of sail cloth - never just add a grommet to a single layer of sailcloth. Use 'Fast Cure' grade of 3M 5200 and put in on 'thin'. www.sailrite.com for supply of 'tubes' of Fast Cure 5200. This is great stuff for permanent sail repair of 'rips' - all you need is sailcloth 'tape' and the 5200. Hope this helps.
Flattening reef
What is the difference between a flattening reef and using the cunningham and first reef on mainsail leach?
What is the difference between a flattening reef and using the cunningham and first reef on mainsail leach?
Can be done ... but
A flattening reef is a very small reef that is taken in to reduce the amount of draft at the bottom/foot section of a mainsail. Typically there will be a single purpose 'grommet'/cringle at the leech and (most usually) the cunningham will be used as the 'tack' cringle. The height of the flattening reef leech cringle will be 'just above' the same height as the cunningham. The sail area reduction will be minimal but the sail will become very flattened along the foot / boom. Modern loose-foot mainsails have made flattening reefs obsolete. Here's the 'rub' - The cunningham is usually attached so that the reinforcement - patches of sail cloth or 'triangles' - is oriented so to match the job of the cunningham: straight downward pull on the luff. I'm not sayhing you 'can not', but its not a good idea to pull a cunningham cringle perpendicular to the mast/luff. A dual purpose cunningham will have larger 'reinforcing' patches AND will have extra sail slugs mounted to the luff to 'react' to the rearward pull of a leech 'reefing line' as an example. So, getting to the 'meat' of your question: by simply pulling the leech to the first reef point and attaching the cunningham to the reefing hook, etc., the boom will not be horizontal and the aft section will be at very 'high' attitude, the center of effort will not move downward (as would be the case with 'standard' reefing) hence the heeling force will be essentiall the same, you'll only get 1/2 of the sail area reduction of a 'standard' first reef ...... and unless 'beefed up' for this purpose (pull from the aft of the sail) you risk tearing out the cunningham cringle and splitting the sail. It can be done but these are the risks. hope this helps.
A flattening reef is a very small reef that is taken in to reduce the amount of draft at the bottom/foot section of a mainsail. Typically there will be a single purpose 'grommet'/cringle at the leech and (most usually) the cunningham will be used as the 'tack' cringle. The height of the flattening reef leech cringle will be 'just above' the same height as the cunningham. The sail area reduction will be minimal but the sail will become very flattened along the foot / boom. Modern loose-foot mainsails have made flattening reefs obsolete. Here's the 'rub' - The cunningham is usually attached so that the reinforcement - patches of sail cloth or 'triangles' - is oriented so to match the job of the cunningham: straight downward pull on the luff. I'm not sayhing you 'can not', but its not a good idea to pull a cunningham cringle perpendicular to the mast/luff. A dual purpose cunningham will have larger 'reinforcing' patches AND will have extra sail slugs mounted to the luff to 'react' to the rearward pull of a leech 'reefing line' as an example. So, getting to the 'meat' of your question: by simply pulling the leech to the first reef point and attaching the cunningham to the reefing hook, etc., the boom will not be horizontal and the aft section will be at very 'high' attitude, the center of effort will not move downward (as would be the case with 'standard' reefing) hence the heeling force will be essentiall the same, you'll only get 1/2 of the sail area reduction of a 'standard' first reef ...... and unless 'beefed up' for this purpose (pull from the aft of the sail) you risk tearing out the cunningham cringle and splitting the sail. It can be done but these are the risks. hope this helps.
Flattening reef
I have a Peterson 34 and the boom is rigged with three reef lines and the mainsail has three reefs points along the leach and three cringles along the luff. Given this information, could I assume the mainsail does not have a cunningham and setup for three reef points? Could the first reef tack point be used as a cunningham in an unreefed mainsail?
I have a Peterson 34 and the boom is rigged with three reef lines and the mainsail has three reefs points along the leach and three cringles along the luff. Given this information, could I assume the mainsail does not have a cunningham and setup for three reef points? Could the first reef tack point be used as a cunningham in an unreefed mainsail?
Flattening reef
Rick: Use the first reef cringle. To keep this simple, whether you use the halyard or cunningham to adjust draft position your only dealing in INCHES of adjustment. As a point of info - the only thing the cunningham adjusts is DRAFT POSITION and nothing else. In other words, you would not use the cunningham to adjust draft depth, twist or angle of attack. Draft position is kind of a pain to deal with because it involves adjusting the boom vang, cunningham, main sheet, outhaul and if your mast is bendable mast bend. Why you have to mess with draft position is that as the wind starts to pipe up the DP starts to move aft and you don't want it to go too far because you lose efficiency. Conversely, when the wind dies down DP moves forward and you don't want it to go to far forward. You use the controls to bring it aft. It is like using the accelerator on your car. For a lot of sailors the above is too much work and I can understand that. For me, I get my kicks by tweeking the sails but I realize it is not for everyone. Whether you tweek the controls or not, if you own a sail boat you should at least understand how everything works and then if you don't want to mess with the controls it is your choice.
Rick: Use the first reef cringle. To keep this simple, whether you use the halyard or cunningham to adjust draft position your only dealing in INCHES of adjustment. As a point of info - the only thing the cunningham adjusts is DRAFT POSITION and nothing else. In other words, you would not use the cunningham to adjust draft depth, twist or angle of attack. Draft position is kind of a pain to deal with because it involves adjusting the boom vang, cunningham, main sheet, outhaul and if your mast is bendable mast bend. Why you have to mess with draft position is that as the wind starts to pipe up the DP starts to move aft and you don't want it to go too far because you lose efficiency. Conversely, when the wind dies down DP moves forward and you don't want it to go to far forward. You use the controls to bring it aft. It is like using the accelerator on your car. For a lot of sailors the above is too much work and I can understand that. For me, I get my kicks by tweeking the sails but I realize it is not for everyone. Whether you tweek the controls or not, if you own a sail boat you should at least understand how everything works and then if you don't want to mess with the controls it is your choice.
I have a loose footed main and rather than add a cunningham cringle to the sail I opted for a 'floating' tack. When the main is hoisted, the tack slug is lifted about 4 to 6 inches above the boom. The cunningham line is run from a fixed point below the gooseneck and up through the tack cringle, then back down the mast and aft to the cockpit. Now I can dial in fom 0 to 6" of cunningham at a moments notice.
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