Hello all-. I have an O-day International Tempest. This boat was a basket case, but most of the stuff was there... I am missing a few things I believe... Of the most important would be the Mast Heel. I have the spar and most of the rigging sorted, but I would like to at least see a picture of the mast heel, so, I can grasp the engineering of design. I can't find a picture of one even.... I understand these boats are all rigged a little different, Mine has the Diamond spreader, and stays ... I don't quite understand how the mast partner works, as mine seems to have a compound lever attached to Move the mast? Maybe a Cunningham? Maybe its for keel adjustment... Anyway, I am not new to sailing, having owned compac 16, Norman Cross 37, sunfish, laser, Vancouver 25, Hobie 16, and walker bay 8'. I am just looking for the right person that is interested in sharing some History with me of this old boat.. Thanks in advance, I am in Livingston Texas if anyone just so happens to be close and wants to spend a weekend at the lake!
Tempest International
- Thread starter BigDream
- Start date
Pics of your mast partner with compound lever would help. For a mast heel suggest contacting Rudy at DR Marine DR Marine Product List to find out where you can source one.
https://usitalongbeach.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/The_Sandbag_10-31-10.pdf this is an interesting read if you want to know most things about an International Tempest
Ok, figure I would update as it would seem that anyone that owns an International Tempest are in hibernation...
I will start with the mast heal. When I purchased the boat it had the broken mast along with a good used one. I didn't get much info, from anybody the suggested resources... So, I suppose it would fall on my development skills... Since, I am not interested in racing, just a nice boat that will handle my lake well, I decided to experiment. I started by finding a portion of the ruined mast that was similar to the heal size of the good one.. I cut off a piece the cut out a small piece so the I could compress to fit inside the mast.. I had some 5mm aluminum flat stock laying around, that was just wide enough. So, it was tacked onto the mast insert. I left everything long to help with heat while welding, and make clamping in different angles easier... I am a self taught diy welder... Thus, my welds are not pretty, but most often they stick... . I used an Eastwood Tig 200 (not digital) for the welding. After everything was welded up. I cut to shape with a band saw. Then ground to fit... On bottom is two pieces of 1"x1/2" aluminum bar stock. This fits inside the rails on the cockpit floor. It should all for adjustment of the mast heal .. I suppose by that compound lever. I finally found a picture of that rig, but it's still vague... The mast heal is my own design...
I will start with the mast heal. When I purchased the boat it had the broken mast along with a good used one. I didn't get much info, from anybody the suggested resources... So, I suppose it would fall on my development skills... Since, I am not interested in racing, just a nice boat that will handle my lake well, I decided to experiment. I started by finding a portion of the ruined mast that was similar to the heal size of the good one.. I cut off a piece the cut out a small piece so the I could compress to fit inside the mast.. I had some 5mm aluminum flat stock laying around, that was just wide enough. So, it was tacked onto the mast insert. I left everything long to help with heat while welding, and make clamping in different angles easier... I am a self taught diy welder... Thus, my welds are not pretty, but most often they stick... . I used an Eastwood Tig 200 (not digital) for the welding. After everything was welded up. I cut to shape with a band saw. Then ground to fit... On bottom is two pieces of 1"x1/2" aluminum bar stock. This fits inside the rails on the cockpit floor. It should all for adjustment of the mast heal .. I suppose by that compound lever. I finally found a picture of that rig, but it's still vague... The mast heal is my own design...
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The Second fix was to the top of the mast, which the new mast would have used a cast masthead, but I haven't been able to find one, so I decided to cut the welded masthead one off the damaged mast, and weld it atop the good mast... Apart from a slight rake forward, I think t will work out just fine... Again, as I don't intend to race this thing, nor bend it like a banana to squeeze every once of speed out of her.. I need to find an image of the lever for the back stay. So, I can determine how long it needs to be.. (That would be the welded piece on the back of the mast head in the pictures.. I also received my spool of Samson 1/4" dyneema I intend to use for standing and much of the running rigging. Should be a bunch of fun as a project. Free boats aren't so free. 
You may have already reached out to these folks: Welcome
I owned one for a few years then sold it to my dad's neighbor who's left it sitting on a trailer for a few decades. I'm headed that way this weekend and may stop by to check on it. It was a blast to sail, especially single-handing from the trapeze while flying the spinnaker.
I owned one for a few years then sold it to my dad's neighbor who's left it sitting on a trailer for a few decades. I'm headed that way this weekend and may stop by to check on it. It was a blast to sail, especially single-handing from the trapeze while flying the spinnaker.
Yes, I have heard they are a blast to sail from many people... Just, currently, hard to find active people that are still sailing them... I have been to that website, but I have just now taken notice to the restoration and for sale sections. A bunch of good pictures there. Thanks to you both for the recommendations.. Moving forward to stepping the mast and addressing the rigging part. In the "The Sandbag" Pg. 4 figure 4 it shows different rig options.. My mast was setup for Diamond stays. It would seem the Mader redesign around 1990 has some merit... I really think the baby stays just above boom, might have saved the original mast as that is where it is pretzeled.
Thanks again for the help and information... Looking for good pictures of the fore stay, Ideally, the short section from chain plate to just above deck.. (I believe some had a running tension adjustment for the forestay, also. Mine came with the bottom part of furler, but no tube or halyard bearing.. That ought to be fun to make.. Also, looking for pictures of the running back stay tensioner geometry. Pictures of baby stays. Mader design spreaders and how they attached, Maybe a close up of the hounds... Do the Trap wires hang from there, also. How many traps 2 or 4? Good image of rigged cockpit at traveler, at mast step, at mast partner, and at boom goose neck, would all be awesome, also... I understand that so many rigged them differently, but just seeing it helps get the idea's rolling.. Fun Project..Some did and some did not have back stays, it would seem that a running backstay with tension adjustment is a good idea when sailing downwind while flying a spin in winds above 15knots... I don't know yet... just what I have read..
Nice work BigDream. No Tempest experience but the basic step you took seem solid.
The use of Dyneema for the standing rigging is done to provide strong yet light lines to hold the rig aloft. Care is needed with all terminations. The dyneemais is slippery and requires proper locking knots. It also is susceptible to breaking when put under strain over a sharp angle. There are rounded terminals specified for use with dyneema that help to resolve this issue. Johnson is one manufacturer. You may get some ideas at riggingonly.com.
This site discusses some of the issues associated with the use of dyneema and the nature of tensioning the line to address constructional elongation. https://syntheticstandingrigging.com/
The use of dyneema in running rigging is dependent on the task. Halyards possibly. The line size and slippery nature make control of the line at termination difficult. (tends to slip off cleats when tensioned). The small diameter used is difficult on the hands.
Good luck. I am following your work with interest.
Thanks for the reply.... I am with you. I got like 600' dyneema for $125 on what I am sure you was a mistake... so I have a ton of the stuff to play with. Pictures below of some of the stuff I have been trying out. On is buying a cheap double braid polyester, replacing the core with the dyneema. You can see on the rigging list that most of the is rather light lines anyway.. might work out a whipped partial cover for the halyards. Much like the old cable rope to line transition you see on many boats. This will be a braided dyneema core all the way, then braided polyester over the dyneema for the tail whipped to the core with sail thread at one end and fused at the other .. I dunno it may not work at all .. it's about the adventure for me, not so much the destination.. thanks for the website link I am diving into it...
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Haven't made much headway waiting for some more line to come in...but here is some pictures of the main and jib halyards.
