Bowsprit Footing

[Heli-Pilot]

Prudence (55' LOA/42'LOD) Alden schooner has had her new laminated Sapele bowsprit now for a couple years. The question is, now that skipper and crew are getting older and less agile, what would be an aesthetic way to attach some footings for "getting out there" to the reave the asymmetrical spinnaker's tack line through the block at the end of the cranze iron?

We have some laced footropes underneath--not exactly confidence inspiring footing. I've seen some other boats that have conventional teak handrails attached to each side and running the length of their 'sprits, but drilling holes in my new bowsprit? I dunno...opinion(s)/suggestions?

Roy

[pelorus32]

Being just in the process of refurbishing our spars, including the bowsprit, I couldn't bring myself to drill more holes in things. Nor could I face damage to the 12 coats of varnish!!

We have the same problem on a smaller scale - we have a 32 foot Lyle Hess. The first thing that came to mind was to reverse the process: Instead of taking the crew to the bowsprit end, why not bring the tack block to the crew? Is there some way you could rig a traveller to bring the tack block in to the deck? I'm not thinking of a track and hardware, but more of a software solution? A block at the end of the bowsprit which has an endless line rove through it. The endless line carries the spinnaker tack block. You reeve the tack strop through the tack block then you use the endless line to take the tack block to the end of the bowsprit. When it comes to blowing the tack for a take down you bring the tack block home to you, make it fast and blow the tack.

Just a thought.

BTW we want pictures of Prudence please. There's a sloop rigged 57' Alden in build in the shed where we refurbished our mast. She is the same design as Cock Robin but without the yawl rig.

[Heli-Pilot]

...I don't think I can bring the block back to the deck, as you suggest, too much hardware in the way; but, I may be able to rig some sort of continuous line. It would have to be tied to the tack of the ACS and then be able to be adjusted while being flown depending on the apparent wind angle. Hmm...I'll have to ponder this.

There's many photos of Prudence by doing a google search, and her story is on a blog called Doryman. Most interesting is comparing an original photo of her on a mooring in Boston Harbor back in the '60s when she was new and gaff-rigged after launching from the Morse Yard (google "Alden design # 993") to her photos of today.

[Heli-Pilot]

After much research and thinking about your soft-traveler idea, Pelorus, all done away from the boat as I'm stuck at work in Astoria this past week, I have a plan. Bear with me as the explanation might be lengthy:

Prudence's cranze iron is of the "two hole" variety at the top portion. The aft of which is presently occupied by the pin for the jib's Profurl. The forward hole has a swiveling block used for the tack of asymmetrical spinnaker--the one that's a PITA to get to with the ACS's tack line in your teeth as you precariously go forward on the 'sprit. Thus, the ACS is flown "outside" instead of "inside" with the spinnaker halyard block being above and forward on the foremast and the Profurl's halyard reeved through a block at the foremast just below that.

But, what if I switched the arrangement; reeving the jib sheet from the top of the Profurl to the spinnaker halyard's higher block on the foremast and the spinnaker halyard to the present jib's slightly lower halyard block? Naturally, I'd then switch the pin on the Profurl to the forward hole on the cranze iron and the ACS' block to the aft. I saw a BCC 28 named 'Shanti' that has rigged a "soft traveler" which is essentially a leather wrapped, galvanized ring with a fitting so that a line/block can be attached and reeved to the block at the aft end of the cranze. This traveler then is free to slide fore and aft with the ACS' tack line attached. They're readily available by that outfit in England that sells classic hardware.

Thus, the ACS would then jibe inside the jib stay/Profurl. Couple of issues right off; is there enough wire remaining in the turn buckle of the Profurl to accommodate the extra length? I think there is; we'll see upon my return. And, the jib sheets will have to be slacked and secured on the foredeck to allow the ACS to gybe inside the fore-triangle.

Anxious to see how this might be a solution. All opinions welcome, of course.

[pelorus32]

I see exactly what you are thinking...I greatly favour having the asymmetric "outside everything" and gybing outside as well. I think it really helps in going deep with the asymmetric if you can get the tack line nicely slacked away and rotating out to windward. I'd be concerned that, though you might be able to do this, when you gybed you'd have to firstly run the tack strop home then tend the luff to ensure it didn't foul the furler.

The "traveller" I had in mind was only connected to anything at your existing tack block. You would use that tack block for an endless line to which would be attached the "real" tack block.Through this "real" tack block would run the tack strop for the spinnaker.

On deck you would have the endless line running out to the bowsprit end, you would start with the "real" tack block on deck, reeve the tack strop through it and clip on to the spinnaker tack, then using the endless line you'd run it out to your existing tack block. Now you have the tack, on its strop out at the end of the bowsprit. Hoist away, sheet in and adjust the tack strop.

When you come to drop, go to the foredeck, use the endless line to bring the tack and its strop and block back to you. Do whatever you do: blow the tack, secure it, whatever takes your fancy.

Maybe I'm missing some difficulty but I discussed this with someone knowledgeable yesterday and they thought it a sound solution.

That's the trouble with work isn't it - gets in the way of the important things.

Edit: There would be a need for two endless lines probably. Whilst once you have it launched you can gybe it, without two systems you would be faced with a trip out to the end of the bowsprit to pass the tack strop if you were to launch on the "other" gybe.

[Heli-Pilot]

Well Pelorus, after careful scrutiny of the whole bowsprit area, the "inside" idea won't work; won't bother you with the various reasons.

After giving your idea of utilizing a continuous line, that may be just the ticket, and a double continuous line might be even better.

The problem I'm having (other than the precarious footing on a nicely varnished bowsprit in reeving the tack line) is that after gybing, the tack line chafes badly on the lower plates/furling hardware as the tack line is now on the other side. A second continuous line might solve this, but ideally, I'd not to bring the tack back to the stem head to gybe each time. Perhaps some leather chafe protection on the lower furling area?