new at this - 17' Spindrift Day Sailor 1 question

[bnnauti]

Would appreciate any help with this - have an old manual that is not quite clear to me and Sailing for Dummies doesn't cover the type boat particulars.

First, my son and I stepped the mast with front and side stays, but I couldn't tell if a back stay is required.

Second, hoisted the main and figured out the boom vang rigging, but could not tell if travelers are to be rigged?

Thirdly, the jib sheet only had a clip at the top and bottom for the front stay and seemed to have pockets for stays but had none inserted. Shouldn't there be clips all along the luff edge of the jib. And should there be stays inserted. The jib sheet is a Mikibbin and seems fairly new.

 

[Sunbird22358]

First, I think you mean JIB, not jib sheet, JIB is the sail, jib sheet is the line(s) used to control the jib.
Yes, there should be snaps (AKA hanks) along the luff (leading edge) of the jib, it sounds like your jib was set up for use on a jib-furler (rolls jib up like a window shade to furl.) You can add hanks, they are available from places like Sail-Rite.com or many marine stores, or a local sailmaker could add them for you. The DS jib does not usally have battens (what you call "stays") so this might not actually be a DS jib, it may fit...and can be used if so. I am surprised that a jib set up for roller-furling would have batten pockets though...... battens would prevent roller-furling.....strange!
The Spindrift DS I does not have a traveler as standard equipment, one may have been added, but it was not original.
I'll include a few pics of a Spindrift DS I for help. The boat with the red jib must have a replacement jib, since that one looks too small. I also posted a pic of my boat's jib to show the hanks (clips).

 

[bnnauti]

Thank you for the reply. I have begun to believe this is correct; the jib was just sold with the boat. It seems to fit and I've had snaps put in now and will purchase some hanks. And thanks for the great images.

If I could request some more help. I'm not sure how to attach the back edge of the main to the boom end. There is a small pulley wheel inside the end of the boom and a long slot on the side of the boom just before the mid boom block. Is the line routed inside the boom to be brought out of the long slot and threaded through the mid-block before going down to the floor block and cleat set-up?

 

[Sunbird22358]

There should be a cleat on the side of the boom to tie off the line (outhaul) that pulls the foot of the sail out along the boom, The mainsheet will be separate from that.
I'm not sure if the Spindrift DS I Manual that I have (in PDF form) is the same that you already have, but I'll attach it anyway. It seems that Spindrift used 2 different ways to rig the mainsheet (different years?) so, I will attach a couple of pictures on that. The pic of the mid-boom mainsheet is actually an O'DAY DS II ,but the general idea should be similar.

 

[bnnauti]

Thank you for making the boom (main sheet rigging so clear). I was confused thinking the outhaul had to be tensioned and held for quick release. I do not have the end boom block for a traveler arrangement. Would that be a more desireable rig?

Also, should I attach a line to the top of the mast to hold the boom when the main sail is droped. A top haul I think it's called?

And should I purchase the small boom vang hardware for this boat?

 

[Brian S]

A few answers:

The line from the mast to hold up the boom is called a "topping lift." They can be nice. It's nice to douse the main, and NOT have the boom fall into the bottom of the boat. On the other hand, depending on the geometry of the rig and the amount of roach in the main (curvature in the sail behind an imaginary line from top of sail to aft corner "clew" of sail) the topping lift can catch on battens, and rub and wear the sail. On my small daysailer, the PO had installed a Boomkicker, which holds up the boom. Then I unshackle the main halyards and lead it to a D ring on the aft end of the boom for a more secure hold on the boom, because with downward pressure (as when grabbing the boom to maintain balance) the Boomkicker alone will pop off the boom. It is best to make your topping lift adjustable. This way, you can slack the line while sailing, and also use it to lift the boom on light wind days to set the amount of twist at the top of the main, for more advanced trimming options.

Although you do not need a traveller or a vang, these are nice to have. In my opinion, the vang is the most important. The vang is primarily important on broad reaches and runs, to prevent the boom blowing up with wind, putting too much curve in the main. The vang can also be used in conjunction with the main sheet, to approximate the level of control a traveller can exert in shaping the twist of the main (so called "vang sheeting.")

Back to your outhaul, the outhaul does need to be adjustable, but not in a "quick release" kind of way. You will decrease outhaul tension to increase the draft in the lower 40% of the sail, for more power in lighter winds, but pull on more outhaul to flatten for less power and more speed in higher winds. Some people use a standard horn cleat for the outhaul. Others have been able to rig a small cam cleat. I happen to have a plastic clam cleat on mine, and some 3/16" Dyneema cored line for my outhaul, which has managed to strip the plastic clam cleat. Mine will be replaced by an aluminum. There's nothing like sailing in stronger winds, hiking to keep the boat level, only to have the sail continually blow out to unacceptable amounts of draft...

Hope this helps,
Brian

 

[agprice22]

I would suggest Royce's Sailing Illustrated for learning boat rigging. There are many ways to rig a boat, and there are many reasons to rig different ways. Cruisers rig differently than daysailors, and racers rig differently still. Once you look at options and decide your path, you can buy standard blocks, cleats, and fairleads and lines to create any rig you like.

Right now, you, like almost everyone else who gets a boat at first, are trying to understand / recreate the Previous Owner's (PO) rig. It may not have been the standard rig, ie. battened, furling jib (!???).

My experience with having owned many small sailboats is to set it up so that it is safe and easily sailable at first. Sail it for a season, and make changes to the rigging as you go. After a season, you will probably have it set up the way you like. My advice, spend the time to make it easy and convenient to set up and sail, and you will sail it more. Year after year, I find that when my boat is near the water and fully or almost fully rigged, I will sail several times per week. When that happens, I am happy and proud to have the boat, and the boat is happy and proud to have me!

Several very important places to concentrate: mast step, stays/shrouds, centerboard/daggerboard, and rudder. Get these wrong, and your day can go very bad, very fast!

So check out Royce's for all the standard control systems, and see how they are rigged.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[bnnauti]

I would suggest Royce's Sailing Illustrated for learning boat rigging. There are many ways to rig a boat, and there are many reasons to rig different ways. Cruisers rig differently than daysailors, and racers rig differently still. Once you look at options and decide your path, you can buy standard blocks, cleats, and fairleads and lines to create any rig you like.

Right now, you, like almost everyone else who gets a boat at first, are trying to understand / recreate the Previous Owner's (PO) rig. It may not have been the standard rig, ie. battened, furling jib (!???).

My experience with having owned many small sailboats is to set it up so that it is safe and easily sailable at first. Sail it for a season, and make changes to the rigging as you go. After a season, you will probably have it set up the way you like. My advice, spend the time to make it easy and convenient to set up and sail, and you will sail it more. Year after year, I find that when my boat is near the water and fully or almost fully rigged, I will sail several times per week. When that happens, I am happy and proud to have the boat, and the boat is happy and proud to have me!

Several very important places to concentrate: mast step, stays/shrouds, centerboard/daggerboard, and rudder. Get these wrong, and your day can go very bad, very fast!

So check out Royce's for all the standard control systems, and see how they are rigged.

Thanks,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew. Have taking it out once now and will study the books this winter.

Bob