Bowsprit

[Bill O'Donovan]

Last year I posted photos and descriptions of how to build a bowsprit for a 29.5 Hunter to keep the spinnaker away from the main blanketing it. My design was flawed, the project failed and I gave up.I'm back now with a shorter version (8 feet instead of 10) and thicker steel. It's easy: 8 feet of 1 1/4-inch galvanized steel pipe, threaded8 feet of 1-inch pipe inside that for extra strengthGalvanized cap on the threaded end1/8-inch stainless eyelet bolted through the capStandard pully to run the tack line easily.For details on a wood chock in the anchor well, etc., email me at editor@vagazette.com

 

[Andy Falls]

Bob Stay line

You faxed me your design last year but I never put it to practice-I chose other projects instead. One of those "others" is the new spinaker sock I just got from HOW (free plug for Bly and crew!). With that, I may want to extend my bow a bit! Now to my question-did you have and cable, rope or etc runnng from the boweye to the end of your sprit? The picture in the book shows such. This rigging may eliminate the excess weight your design is requiring.

 

[Alex]

Why don'y you ask Hunter..

..I have bought back in 96' the optional retractable S.S. bowsprit kit for self assambly offered-then- by Hunter.They might at least offer the drawings.It was a neat elegant and practical solution to widen the gap between the main and cruising spinaker ( at the expense of one bow roller).

 

[Andy]

So Alex, do you like the Bowsprit

The retractable sprit is the ideal solution but was it worth it? Are we talking $200 or $1200?

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Questions answered

To Andy 1 - Yes indeed I crafted a tight bobstay for the old design, and it did a fine job holding the bowsprit from bobbing upward. However, it failed when the spinnaker inevitably pulled the pole sideways. The new configuration doesn't require a bobstay because it's so rigid in the first place.To Alex - Previous posts last year suggested Hunter quit selling the bowsprint kit years ago. Besides, the instructions in the owner manual looked pretty complicated. To Andy 2 - At 8 feet total and 3.5 feet extended over the prow, I don't need to retract my version. I just leave it set up and am careful docking with my new 34-foot boat. And it costs just $30. QUESTION - For you engineers, my only quandary is whether the pipe-within-pipe is too rigid and therefore might snap the roller pin right through the galvanized metal prow. In which case I might be better off with just the single pipe instead of the 1-inch inside it. I figure if the pin/prow setup is good to fly the tack from that point, it shouldn't break just because it's at a fulcrum.EPILOGUE-Make no mistake, the extra 3.5 feet makes a big difference throwing the spinnaker out. Fills quicker, provides less curl, more zoom.