I'm using a tiller, and I have a transom hatch. I plan to use the rigging design shown in Frank Hagan's drawing. My question is, which of these blocks need to be swivel blocks? The lead block, certainly, but does the spring-mounted deck block need to swivel? I have a Harken block for the spot but it is non-swivel.
Dave
They will all need to swivel to some degree. If you mount the single on the end of the boom with a shackle, it'll swivel enough to work. The single on the deck should be a standup block with a swivel. The turning block just inboard of the end of the boom doesn't really need to swivel, but in practice, it'll have "unfair" leads as the boom moves around, so it should be able of some movement. Lastly, the exit block (lead) will also have unfair leads depending on the point of sail so it needs to swivel too. In fact this block would be best served if it also had a swiveling cam cleat attached too.
This setup is marginaly better if you replace the single on the end of the boom and the turning block with a double block. Of course it'll need to swivel, but it solves the unfair lead issue on the turning block.
This tackle is the most common for the novice to employ and not the better choice by a long shot, but suitable for the beginner. It's much improved by making it fall on a traveler or to a common centerline block. This common block (or traveler mounted block) would be a single with becket (swivel if rudder mounted). It improves the "fall leads" considerably and eliminates the dead end and eye too. Also the exit block can be eliminated too, as it's just moving the sheet tail down the boom (where there's less leverage).
There are as many sheet possibilities as there are husbands for pretty women, so experiment with different setups before you get married to one you can't live with. A double ended sheet has much to favor it, though I'm not a big fan, there are plenty that are. On my latest pocket rocket, I have a continuous sheet rigged (and a continuous traveler adjustment). This just means the line is spliced into a loop and it literally revolves around the whole of the tackle with no "ends" visible. In my setup, part of the sheet and most of the traveler adjustment are under the deck, not under foot.
Isn´t a four part tackle an overkill in a Weekender? I suppose my main will be about the same size as a Weekender´s and I plan to get away with a two part double ended sheet.
Am I going to get surprised when on the water for the first time? Â :
Yes, Weekender has extra rigging falls, halyards are typically two or three to one, when a single will do and the main sheet, which is what I'd call a quite disadvantaged 4 part, when a 2 would do, a three in heavy air.
On your boat Timo, the main is larger then a Weekender. It's drawn with 2 part halyards and a two part sheet. In reality, the halyards could be a single part and the 2 part sheet based on your rather light wind strength sailing area. As an ocean going cruiser, Discrete would be better served with a 3 part sheet and 2 part halyards. The halyards often have to serve extra duty, hoisting crew aloft, thing onto deck, in MOB drills, etc.
Timo, your foresail is about the same size as a Weekender mainsail, but it's loose footed, so sheeting arrangements are very different, essentially, landing on a deck (or track) mounted single with swivel, so a 1 or 2 part tackle could be used if necessary.
I think most people do the two part halyards for looks and because they are following the plans and/or don't know any different. On your schooner, I show the peak halyards running on gaff bridles. This was the end development of the peak halyard (during the golden age of sail) and offers a natural "purchase" on the gaff. No matter what the wind strength or point of sail, the bridle will permit the peak to adopt a natural and most "advantaged" angle for the tackle, as well as spread the load evenly across the last 1/3 of the gaff, where it's most desired. In your "Running Rigging" section of the "Spar Plan" Timo, I spec out both a single line halyard (one continuous throat and peak halyard) and a two part (marked as a whip). I think your main sheet will need to be 3 parts occasionally, while 2 parts will be just fine 90% of the time. If you use the 2 part, double ended sheet, as we discussed, you'll be fine, unless you head out into storms a lot.
To further the example Timo, your mainsail will develop 38 pounds (about 17 kilos) of sail drive, in 10 knots of wind. The two part tackle as I've drawn it, will reduce this sheet load, to about 20 pounds (9 kilos), which includes some friction. Following the laws of mechanical similitude (which all designers and engineers curse daily), the line tension will rise to the cube of the base, so if the winds double to 20 knots (small craft advisories have been issued at this wind speed and all but hefty yachts are reefed) the mainsail load is now in the 155 pounds range (70 kilos), which is a substantial pull on a two part tackle (near 80 pounds or 35 kilos), so a three part isn't that uncalled for. In reality, you'll have reefed down well before this point, which reduces the wind load on the sail. Hence the reason I drew a 2 part tackle.
just purchased tandem island, initial mainsheet rigging was "lost". Is there a diagram of this initial factory setup?