I read here a quote by the redoubtable Mr. Riccelli that someone's (might have been Craig in reference to the Saralee) topsail "was a real workhorse in light air."
So how hard is a topsail to rig on a Weekender? How light of air are we talking for it to be practical? I assume it'd be near the top of the list of sails to be furled as wind increased. For that matter can you furl one without messing with the main? I doubt I'll make this a launching day mod, but I'm curious about it.
Also, I was wondering about handling a Weekender without any motor. If I don't have a motor, or only use an electric I don't have to register the boat with the state, so there's a bit of a paperwork incentive to avoid using a motor. Besides which I figure I'll learn more about sailing if I don't have a motor to fall back on.
Bill, There are a number of ways to rig, hoist, douse and arrange a topsail on a gaffer. Craig's topsail was an interesting creation, which used a top mast and a topsail yard (I think). If I remember correctly the yard was carbon fiber, which eventually broke, likely to flexural loads (something carbon doesn't like much).
On a "pole" mast like Weekender, I'd recommend the "Cornish" arrangement, which sets a relatively smaller amount of area then other arrangements, but it's more controllable and less likely to jam or break down in use. This is a sail that is carried in low to moderate wind strengths and is generally the first one doused as winds build and heel or weather helm increases past comfortable.
The use of a topsail requires some sail handling "gymnastics". Most setups have to be lowered to the deck and rehoisted for each tack or jibe, though many carry the sail to weather with the fabric bearing against the peak halyard tackle, if it's a reasonably short tack. I know Craig did this and he reported little noticed wear on the sail from the tackle. I suspect if the use continued, it would have started popping seams and chaffing the fabric though.
To furl the sail, it's simply doused and brought to the deck, usually in the lee of the main, so it's easy to handle underway.
I have seen pretty fancy setups where the topsail was able to flop over the halyard tackle, while still aloft, for tack changes. This involved extra lines and coordinated crew efforts. I've also seen reefable topsails, where the sail was "brailed" up and left in place to be re-deployed when needed. I've even seen a set of topsails on roller reefing gear, which was very cool. All of these treatments are typically done on much larger craft, where additional tackle and crew requirements could be absorbed with little harm to ship board SOP. On a small craft, dousing such a small sail isn't much difficulty, though not for a novice sailor.
If you install the electric trolling motor (a good idea) then you will have to register the boat with the Nebraska DMV. The fee is $27 a year and you'll carry the states "NE" number on each side of the forward quarters, just like everyone else. 27 bucks a year is a small price to pay if you don't have to wait hours for the wind to fill in enough to push you back to the launch ramp.
Oars and paddles are an option, though I wouldn't want to row a Weekender very far if I didn't have to.
Learning to sail causes you to abort some outings, because of conditions or maybe a crew member that just can't bring themselves to using the "bucket" and "I HAVE TO GO NOW, DAD" is voiced in no uncertain terms. In the event of dead air or light winds that push you along at stately 1.3 MPH or the afore mentioned "insistence", a motor of some sort becomes mandatory equipment.
Yep, you'd learn a lot more about sailing if your butt relied on your ability to get back to shore under sail, but practical options are usually a wise investment.
Another point about motors and an important one is the ability to pick your way through a crowded anchorage without having to short tack (a learned skill), line up a landing at a dock or get the boat on the trailer with a cross wind working against you. This when you should skip the pride of doing so under sail, save your rub rails, douse the sails and approach with the motor so you don't bang up stuff, like yours or some one else's boat or property.
Bill, while tops'ls are cool and do help immensely in light air on boats this size they are hardly worth the effort and cost. The trouble with being an engineer is you have to follow every nutty idea you have to its natural conclusion just to see where it goes. Itâs a weakness I tell you. MY yard was wood and worked well, the problem was a wooden top mast that was too heavy to raise without A-frames and tackle to assist. Even with the mast ant top being birds mouth the lever arm got just too much to handle alone by hand. The next idea as to reduce the 8 lb or so that the pot weighted and replace it with a foam cored carbon fiber/fiberglass top. This would have been OK but the BEER came before the back stays were fabricated but I used it anyway. It was stayed to the main mast sides stay area to a chain between the two. For the tops'l it was fine but that big fore sail proved to be its undoing. The wind came up and I missed the first little puff and the next one was a ~10 knot gust that took the bow sprit almost to the water and broke the top at the partners. Lessons learned are to finish the mod before you use it, don't over power the rig, don't junk up a small boat with too much cool that it ceases to be functional. At the Vac's mast head real estate is at a premium and the four extra lined needed for the Yankee and tops'l were too much rally for the space. It all worked but not smoothly. Recommendation: Play with a cutter rig if you must but forget the tops'l. Not worth the effort and $$.
But it sure looked cool! 8)
I thought I had replied to this once, but apparently I never hit that little "submit" button.
I think Paul may have given me an aneurysm with that brain dump. I think it condenses down to "topsails are cool, and work well in light wind, but they're a lot of work, and you don't even want to think about one if you have to tack frequently (like on a small lake.)" Scratch one idea until much much later.
How about a gaff vang? :-)
I hadn't considered the aspect of "we need to get to shore so someone can go" so that's probably a good point. I suppose I could just pitch them over the side and let them use the lake like all the other critters. :-) "Be back for you on the next beat kids." My uncle always had to take "breaks" while water skiing when I was a kid.
On a larger boat where you have the room to flip the topsail yard over the tackle or enough crew, they're great light air sails. On a small boats (under 30") the masthead can get pretty crowded with blocks and lines, making it a less practical option.
A nice ~4 ounce 130, maybe on a roller with the 6 ounce 90 or 100 on "stand by" in the fore peak locker for heavier air, is a better idea and more manageable, especially with a short handed and/or inexperienced crew.
A gaff vang is a good idea. On a Weekender it doesn't need to be more then a line attached to the outer end of the gaff. It's tied to the weather side to resist leeward gaff sagging. It's a control that will get you better sail shape, but you have to know what good sail shape looks like too.
I learned to swim by being tossed over the side along with my brother on an outing in one of my dad's boats. He was with a friend and I remember Pete saying to dad, "so how did you learn". Both my brother and I were pitched in the drink shortly there after. It was spring time on the Chesapeake and the water was maybe 60 degrees. In today's climate of political correctness and social service agencies, it might be best to crank up a motor, rather then explain yourself to a judge. :lol: