Boom Support/Rigging
- Thread starter 26macsailer
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We always sail with the pop-top up cause that's how the Admiral likes it. We made a little pad that fits over the companionway lip so she can sit there and remark on how good/bad I'm doing! After reading everything here I am going to install a lift. Think I have enough pieces/parts to do it. I like Time Bandits idea to use it for the flag. Only have to wait until March 20th. to launch Pure Pleasure and spend Spring Break on it. Wish me luck on the weather!>><CaptTripps
Nope.. for me, the main purpose of the boom kicker is to hold the boom up when I'm reefing the main. The boom kicker will bend if the boom is pulled down by something like a tent under tension.
Im not sure what other do but I have a pig tail off the backstay which I can clip the boom end to when the sail is in the bag. In this case, the backstay is used as a topping lift with the same strength. The diference is that when the back stay is clipped to the boom, it will not let the boom rotate - it is fixed to center - so you can not use the pig tail for reefing. But its nice that it keeps the boom to center when the main is not in use.
Ive sailed the 26S a lot with the pop top up (I always use the 1/2 up because I can keep the boom kicker and vang in place all the time).
If you look at the 26C, the pop top being up increases the companion way opening width by maybe 4 inches on either side. I know the manual says to not sail this way.. but my experience has been that its not a problem. Don't know about any other Mac boats however. Last fall, a Catalina 22 swing keel got swamped somewhere - they got knocked down with the pop top up. Don't know the details but the keel may have retracted shifting the boats righting moment and with the pop top open, water came in. Certainly something to have a lot of respect for..
When you are reefing the main, you don't want any wind pressure on it - ie, it needs to be able to swing freely. Especially true in my case where I'm reefing at the mast (ie, I'm just in front of the mast). Having the pig tail off the back stay hooked up is similar to keeping the sail sheeted to center. If you could keep the boat pointed straight into the wind, I guess the pig tail off the back stay would work. But as soon as the boat fell off the wind a little, trouble..
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You been sailing John?, or is it no fun with no ice on the lake, or did it finally freeze completely over 
. We still hope to be up the middle to end of July if things work out right,
Sum[/quote]
Hi Sum. I am definitely sailing, went last Sunday by myself. I had a goal to get my cutter rig set up so I could single-hand it and make it look like I knew what I was doing....Because I had 5 or so hours, I was able to work with spacing my headsails up and down their individual stays to find the optimum jib sheet angles. I have new sheets for the foremost sail to allow room to go around the cutter stay and back to the downwind clew (before I had to let the sheet fly and retrieve it on the next tack, with subsequent loss of steering while I went forward). I found that the inner sail sheeting likes to be barberhauled for best sheeting angle with the sail as high on the stay as possible. The foremost sail likes to be as low on the stay as possible, and the factory bulls eyes are great for sheeting angles. I have not used the bulls eyes since years. Even though the headsail would normally be a 130 genoa, because it is on the stay off the sprite, it is so far forward, that the factory bulls eyes work. You might ask why I would go to so much trouble? Well the boat sails so much more powerfully in light winds that I really like it! I just made a turtle/sailbag today so I can douse and store the foremost sail more handily-I still plan to fly a spinnaker downwind from the masthead as well. A lot of little details: my cockpit cushions were just a little too long and could shift forward and foul the traveler (trimmed 2 inches off today). Re-installed the wind indicator mounting bracket so I can see the relative wind on both tacks. Learned buntline hitch for tying sheets to clew. Installed a sail slug near the tack of my loose-footed mainsail to keep the boom from sagging when the foot is loosened by the boom outhaul. Trimmed excess track from the end of the boom where my outhaul track overhung the end and created a hazard. Installed telltales on the trailing edge of both headsails. Sewed mainsail gaskets with quick release buckles to aid in storing the mainsail and boom. Details, details John S
. We still hope to be up the middle to end of July if things work out right,Sum[/quote]
Hi Sum. I am definitely sailing, went last Sunday by myself. I had a goal to get my cutter rig set up so I could single-hand it and make it look like I knew what I was doing....Because I had 5 or so hours, I was able to work with spacing my headsails up and down their individual stays to find the optimum jib sheet angles. I have new sheets for the foremost sail to allow room to go around the cutter stay and back to the downwind clew (before I had to let the sheet fly and retrieve it on the next tack, with subsequent loss of steering while I went forward). I found that the inner sail sheeting likes to be barberhauled for best sheeting angle with the sail as high on the stay as possible. The foremost sail likes to be as low on the stay as possible, and the factory bulls eyes are great for sheeting angles. I have not used the bulls eyes since years. Even though the headsail would normally be a 130 genoa, because it is on the stay off the sprite, it is so far forward, that the factory bulls eyes work. You might ask why I would go to so much trouble? Well the boat sails so much more powerfully in light winds that I really like it! I just made a turtle/sailbag today so I can douse and store the foremost sail more handily-I still plan to fly a spinnaker downwind from the masthead as well. A lot of little details: my cockpit cushions were just a little too long and could shift forward and foul the traveler (trimmed 2 inches off today). Re-installed the wind indicator mounting bracket so I can see the relative wind on both tacks. Learned buntline hitch for tying sheets to clew. Installed a sail slug near the tack of my loose-footed mainsail to keep the boom from sagging when the foot is loosened by the boom outhaul. Trimmed excess track from the end of the boom where my outhaul track overhung the end and created a hazard. Installed telltales on the trailing edge of both headsails. Sewed mainsail gaskets with quick release buckles to aid in storing the mainsail and boom. Details, details John S
Wow, I guess you have been busy to put it mildly
. I think it is time you posted more pictures. I understood some of that, but not all of it. Hope to see the boat this summer,Sum
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