Raising Topsail on a Gaff Cutter (First Time!)

[angeldean]

Howdy. I am new to this board. My brother and I are renovating a great 40' gaff cutter, trying to piece together the topsail rigging. There is a topsail halyard, fairly clear. There is a cheek block at the end of the gaff. Also fairly clear.

I also have a long lightish line with a small block and shackle running on it that I presume is a topsail sheet. The smallish wooden block is weathered as if permanently attached to the rigging. Can't remember for the life of me.

We have bent on the topsail, made one attempt to get it up and immediately got lost.

I would like to try to raise the topmast and sail soon. Anybody have any ideas about how to proceed? I have some basic diagrams from Hand, Reef, and Steer and The Gaff Rig Handbook, but I would appreciate some advice or another source for some detailed diagrams.

Thanks,
Angel Dean Lopez

[osteoderm]

What sort of tops'l? Laced/hooped to the topmast, or simply set from deck with a tackline? Yarded or not?
The weathered block on the tops'l sheet is likely the one usually found lashed at the gaff jaws; the sheet runs from the sail clew, through the gaff-end cheek block, along the gaff, through that lashed-on block, and down to deck.
John Leather's Gaff Rig Handbook is about the best reference I could reccomend; I haven't encountered many problems that didn't have answers somewhere in it's pages.

[angeldean]

Thanks, osteoderm!

When nobody responded to the post initially, I did some more research and found an earlier thread in which you helped answer almost the same question. I was going to try some things out and perhaps get back to you directly -- but you stepped up.

The sail is laced to the topmast, which is the only spar -- no jackyard. And after reading the earlier thread, I had already concluded that the block must be the one hanging from the jaw. There is no pendant, however.

We will be attempting to get the topsail flying on Saturday.

Thanks again, and any more advice would be great.