Gaff Rig Modernization advice

[Frank Hagan]

I often get asked about modernizing gaff rigs, and recently got this email:

Has anyone ever designed or tried a modern version of the Gaff Rig that would allow the use of sail tracks - or would that be considered heresy?

I bought a Bruce Roberts' adaptation of "Spray." It is a 47' LOA, (40' LOD) Ketch with a Gaff Main, (38' tall) and Marconi Mizzen. It was built in 1982 and has wooden masts. The main is attached to the mast using one of the spiral lacing methods shown in your web page. The one time I sailed it, getting the main up was like pushing a rope up a hill. I had to encourage the main up the mast by pushing the lacing with with a long boat hook. Since then, I have removed the mast to have some bad wood replaced. Several times, I have thought about nice it would be to have smooth running tracks installed on the refurbished mast, but that would necessitate some sort of contrivance to also replace the Gaff since it would not be able to slide up the mast over the track. I am an engineer and have some imaginative thoughts on how this might be done, but if someone has already developed something along these lines, why re-invent the wheel? Since I have already spent an amount equal to the initial purchase price in refurbishments and repairs, I am not in a position to be a purist.

I thank you for the information on your web page and would appreciate your opinion as to whether I'm barking up the wrong mast.

I'm always hesitant to give technical advice, since I'm no where near an expert. So I usually refer people to Spar Talk and Brion, since he still has some info on traditional rigs in Complete Rigger's Apprentice. Or some of the folks over at the Wooden Boat Forum (although there are some strident folks over there that sometimes scare people away.)

Anyway, I emailed the fellow and told him to pop in here and take a look, right before the forums changed (change for the good, by the way!)

[Osprey2014]

Hello Bruce,

About thirty years ago, I modified Barnegat Bay Sneak Box to use sail track. A router was used to cut a slot along the aft side of the mast to mount an internal type track. With this track flush to the surface of the mast, the gooseneck for the gaff could ride along the mast with no interference from the track. Nylon slides were used, lashed to eyelets along the luff. It worked well, and there was some decrease in the slot between the sail and the mast.

The idea was to use the Sneak Box as a test platform to evaluate the system for use on an old Friendship Sloop. I never did modify the Friendship because I enjoyed being able to use the hoops as a mast climbing aid, and the slides and track just didn't look right on the gaff rig.

Why don't you get rid of the lashing and use oak hoops? Much easier to deal with, and it is in character for the boat.

Fair Winds,

John

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
There are several ways to put the gaff on a track, and I think the only reason it isn't done more often is that it is a lot of work, plus some engineering. My favorite tracks have been heavy-duty ó spinnaker track would work on your boat, with an extra-long car, to spread the loads, and a gooseneck suited to the loads as well. Depending on the mast construction you might be able to recess the track, as suggested in the accompanying post.
Having said that, I wouldn't necessarily go with a track to reduce hoist and lowering efforts, as there are ways to make both lacing and hoops lower-friction. The track would almost certainly be more efficient aerodynamically, but, even more important, it would allow significant rig configuration changes; no longer would you be forced to land the lowers way up on the mast, to make way for the gaff. You'd get better staying angles, shorter unsupported lengths, more even load distribution ó you could have a B&R rig with a four-cornered sail, in other words.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

What about installing carbon mast and/or gaff on a traditional gaff rig? I understand that they produce a "faux-bois" finish on the carbon that looks like wood & that carbon can accept mast hoops...anybody ever consider the implications? The weight aloft could be reduced?

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Ian McColgin]

Ahoy All,

Wianno Seniors have sailed and raced with tracks for over eight decades, so I'm not sure what they do counts as modernization.

The tack is wood along the luff - slides a biggish squared off U shape with inward bend at each open end. - and in the way of the throat and tack heavy duty bronze strapping doubled up to make the same fat T shape as the wooden track.

I think you can get hardware details from the class association web site.

G'luck

Ian

[osteoderm]

The original message seems to be mostly concerned with a lacing problem. Before going all-out and considering a change to tracks, slides, cars, etc., different lacing ought to be tried.
The at-first-obvious spiral lacing up the luff is probably more prone to binding than any other system. The zig-zag lacing, with the lacing never crossing the aft side of the mast, works far better. Also, different lacing material makes a big difference too. My current preference is for that stiff, smooth, synthetic internal boltrope material; it slides nicely, and seems less prone to tangling.
Abandoning traditional solutions, it looks to me like the current crop of "battcars" and track seem up to the task of carrying a gaff aloft, so long as they are sized appropriately. A full-batten gaff sail on ball-bearing slides? Hmmm...
Aloft, i ( and many others, i suppose) have always felt that a stiff, lightweight, aerodynamic-cross-sectioned gaff with a boltrope groove to accept the head of the sail would be lovely; i'm sure certain dinghy/daysailer spar sections would fit that bill nicely.