MickG

My masts are aluminum and have sail tracks. I understand that tension of the snotter, downhaul all have an influence on the sail shape.What I don't understand is why is this not problem with main or when the mizzen is on the other tack and the sprit is not touching it. Also, in talking to the sail maker, he was quite upset that the builder had not told him these sails were for sprit set up. He has assumed that they were for loose footed sail on a boom. He id not put a bolt rope on the foot of the sails. He had me send them back and added the bolt rope. No I hear from some people that the sail should not haave abolt rope on the foot. All very confusing. Again, does anybody have any ideas??? Thanks, Mick

Hi: I have a CS 20 91 and I have mizzen sail problem. As built, the snotter attachnent on mizzen mast was as indicated on the plans. I did verify this spec with Graham. However, when sailing with the sprit on the leeward side of sail, there is a huge "pocket" under the sprit and alongside the mast. Aprox two feet by two feet. I talking to the sail maker, he said to move the attachment down so as to change the thrust of the sprit.I moved it down one foot, and this solved 85% of the problem. There is still a "pocket" buat much smaller.I do realize the by moving the attachment point furthur down, I can eliminate the problem. But why? This would place the attaachmeant at least 18" below the indicated position. Th main sail "sets" fine as designed. Anybody have any ideas???? Thnks, Mick

Hi: As a old Lightning sailer, I prefer the idea of a center mounted swivel cam cleat and dead ended main sheet. I fastend one end of the main sheet to a SS loop mounted on the mizzen thwart close to the mast. The sheet then goes through a block also mounted on the thwart, then to the block on the end of the sprit, then down to another block on the thwart, this time on the other side of the m ast, and then to a swivel cam cleat mounted behind the mast, in the center (right to left) of the thwart. A simple figure eight knot keeps the sheet from running through the cleat, The helmsman ke eps the sheet in one hand, the other on the tiller. The sheet is thus always ready to be released wihtout looking around for it. It works great.

I will be the shocking white guy that looks as if spent the winter in Buffalo, NY Mick Griffin

Thanks everyone. I am in the Buffalo NY area, but will be in the Sarasota area for the month of March and I have always wanted to see some of this event. I have a CS 20 #91, and I would like to some other CS 20s. I would imagine that Friday, the day for inspection would be the best time to see the boats????? Mick

Hi: I haven't seen anything on the Everglades Changlege for 2009 and Google doesn't come up with anything. No race this year?????????? Mick

Tom:mThanks again for the information. If I am seeing correctly, he block on the mast needs to be mounted towards the side of the mast to clear the track??????? Is it mounted with a "eye strrap" ????? Mick

Tom: Thanks for the reply. Basicly, it is the same as the Lightnings are rigged except the the sprit needs that fairlead to lead the main sheet to the block on the mast. It would be nice to be able to rig the main the same way, but the mizzen mast would be in the way. On the Lightnings, the main sheet in attached to the end of the boom)clew end), down to a swival block on one side of the aft deck, across the aft deck to a second swival block, and back up to the end of the boom. From there, the sheet travels along under the boom to a block on the bottom of the boom, and down to the swival cleat located on the rear of the centerboard cap. Just about the same idea as yours.. Thank again, Mick

Tom: Thanks for the photos. I understand the two cleats that are toward the front of the thwart. What is the third one used for. I am familiar with this type of cleat as they ae used on the main sheet of Lightnings, but there is a boom and the sheet is single ended. That is a very simple and easy method, but I can't see how it would work with a sprit. Anyway, if you could give me some guidance on that third cleat. Also, I am still looking for the mizzen alterations. Thank again. Mick

Hi: This is Mick again. There must be someone who can tell about the main sheet set up on the Lapwing and Brent's m odification on the mizzen.Thank you in advance

I must have missed it, so what are the Lapwing mainsheet and Brent's modification to the mizzen. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Mick G

Wes: Many years ago I spent June, July, and August at Ft Gordon, just outside Agusta. I remember that it never cooled off during that period. The temp would "drop down" to 94 sometime in the early morning hours.And, of course, NO air conditoning. At that time, just North of Augusta, that was a large lake called Clark Hill Dam Reservoir. I believe that it has been re-named, but it is probably the lake that you sail on. Mick

Wes: Thanks for the reply. I assume that you made the tiller longer to enable you to sit furthur foreword without using the "hiking stick" or tiller extention as some call it. I am sorry to hear of your computer crash. I did put your Building Log in my computer as a "favorite" and if it would be of any use to you, I could try and send it to you. Let me know. Thanks again. By the way, where abouts do you live? I believe that you mentioned ,GA, but where abouts/ Mick

Wes: I sent you a PM a few days ago concerning your "Tiller Tamer". I am assuming that either I sent it incorrectly or you never received it. My question concerned the length of the tiller. Mine is 49 in long as spec'd on the plans. If I place the screw eye 3 inches forward of the comming, I only have aprox 10 left before the jam cleat would be in the way of getting a grip on the tiller. Your tiller must be longer???. If so, how long?? Also, do you think your system would work with the distance between the jam cleat and the screw eye considerably shorter? BTW, the workmanship on your boat is outstanding. Thanks for any help that you can give me. Mick #91

Thank you both for the reply. I sort of figured that might be the case, but was not sure. I didn't build my boat and just got a copy of the plans a few days ago. The builder did some things a little bit different and I am trying tok change some to make the rigging go smoother and faster. Thanks agin, Mick

Hi: While this thread is about a Lapwing, I have a rigging question that would apply to all boats with sprits. How is the aft end of the sprit attached to the clew of the sail. I have read about pins at the end of the sprit, but I am not sure exactly how they work. Is the pin an exrention of the sprit and the sail is turned at a right angle and the cringle simply slipped over the pin???. Any help would be appreciated, I have a CS 20. Th ank you, Mick

Ray and Graham: I do think my masts should be longer, but how long??? The idea is great except I don't believe that I have the expertise to make the additions. The track would have to be longer and the entire top of the mast changed. That is why I had the boat built.My masts were made with internal halyards. Any ideas. Thanks, Mick

Whisting: Thanks to you and all the others that have replied to my questions. I see that the picture you have posted is of your CS 20. May I ask what the color is? It looks to be identical to mine, along with the natural finished decks. I will try to post a picture of my boat as soon as I figure out how to do it. I am afraid my masts are too short (19 ft), but I did not build my boat and don't know what the plans call for. I also had a problem with the mizzen sail not setting right and I have found out that the attachment point for the snooter is aprox 12 inches too high although it is the correct distance from the heel of the mast. If the mast were 20ft the sail would set correctly without moving the attachment point. Mick

I guess I am still very much confused. I see several measurements on the lenghts of the mast and the luff measurement. What is correct. It seems that I remember someone a few months talking about a bimini top on a CS 20. With my boat I don't see how this could be done????????? The idea of a window in the sail was suggested. I have raced Lightning s for over 25 years and we always had windows in the main and sometimes in the jib. If one rolls the sails paralel to the foot, the window will not wrinkel. However, this does not answer my questions concerning the correct specs for the masts and sails, particulary the luff. Again, any help would be appreciated. By the way, my sails have battens and are on a sail track. Thank you, Mick

I have a CS 20( #91) and I have trouble seing forward whe I am sitting on the lee side. The mizzen sail is in the way. I know that I could sit to weather, but sometimes the boat is not balanced correctly, depending on wind velocity. It seems that the pictures that I see on this forum show that the bottom or foot of the mizzen sail is higher than mine. Does any one have a spec for the distance from the mast partner to the bottom of the mizzen saillat the tack. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Mick

I have a CS 20 (#91) and I am haaving trouble seeing where I am headed when I sit on the leeweard side. The mizzen is in the way. I know I could sit on the weather side, but sometimes the boat is not balanced correctly, depending on wind velocity. I have noticed in pictures on this forum, that the bottom of the mizzen sail seems to be higher than mine. Does any one have a spec for the distance from the mast pertner and the bottom of the sail at the tack? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Mick

Great photos. It looks as if you had some "checking" problems with fir plywood. What product did you use to control that problem? Thanks, Mick Griffin

Thanks all. I now see the reasons. I guess it work, but to what purpose. MIck

GRaham: I did not realalize that the gunter rig would have to have boom vs the sprit spar. It seem to me that the gunter rig would act the same as a regular one piece mast, just having a "joint" in the mast. Where has my thinking gone wrong? M ick

HI: I have wondered why no one has mentioined the idea of the Gunter rig on the CS boats. It would make t he masts much shorter, t hey could probably be stored inside the boat, and would be very easy to rig. Many of the designers of prior generations as well as some of the best of the modern designers have used this setup.Herreshoff and Iain Oughtred both come to mind. I have never heard an actual discusion or read about any test where the two rigs were tested on identical boats.I hope to hear many comments, perhaps somthing from Graham. Mick G