Stay sail

[jkeenan]

So great to see so many Bluejackets coming together and being used. After a 140 hours on our Bluejacket 271, all of them beyond expectation, we are considering what we can do (if anything) to improve the usability of the boat.

One thought is the addition of a stay sail to reduce motion on the hook. Being a light boat with a good amount of wind-age, stability could stand a little improvement.

Thoughts please

[PAR]

Steadying sails are a tried and true way to "calm 'er down" on the hook or working on the boat. You don't need much and several of my designs employ them too. If you build the mast stiff enough, you can use it to hoist heavy stuff into the cockpit, like massive 10 case beer coolers and such.

[jkeenan]

Thank you PAR, I love your designs. I guess one of my immediate questions is: Can I place the mast off center and still be as effective?

[PAR]

Yep, it can be mounted a lot off center and still work. You could even mount it to the corner of the transom if you wanted, though it might look odd. The original commission for Cooper Jr. had an enclosed pilothouse, with a centerline companionway door. The mast and boom are about 16" off the centerline, to starboard of this door.

[Tom Lathrop]

As PAR said, having a steadying off center will still work.  In fact, it may even work better than one on centerline.  I often unbalance my anchor rode for the same effect by tying a rolling hitch on the rode abut 15' or so forward of the stem.  This line is taken to the stern and used to pull the boat off center from the the anchor.  It does put more load on the anchor but a good one will handle this.

 

You need to leave room for the sliding pilothouse door forward of the mast and the top will probably need some beefing up unless you use stays on the mast which I would not bother with for normal use.  If you wish to use the boom as a dinghy crane, it will get more complicated.  You will also need to make changes to the cockpit sole covering the tank(s) to support the heel of the mast.  I would not personally want the mast heel on top of the pilothouse as that would mean that it has to be stayed.  That would create extra issues in removing it for trailering and storage as well as beefing up the top.

[Action Tiger]

I think a nicely executed steadying sail would look great on these boats. Too much sail makes a powerboat look sad, but just enough makes it look smart, I think.

Peace,

Robert

[PAR]

Tom raises good points and my cockpit mast setup uses a fixed tabernacle, so the boom/mast assembly can lay on top of the pilothouse roof. Some stays can be employed, though for steadying sail only work, none are necessary. The tabernacle is through bolted to the bulkhead and it's heel is resting on a significant inverted U shaped structure, just under the cockpit sole, to transfer loads to the boat. If you want to use the boom to load Harley Davidsons, you'll need the mast/boom/staying engineered for the weight it'll handle (500+ pounds), but for a steadying sail, a length of relatively thin wall T-6 will do just fine.

[jkeenan]

Great input, I was thinking of placing a mast to the Starboard side of the sliding door. Securing the mast to the rear bulkhead and footed on the cockpit sole over a longitudinal member. BTW no Harleys, just a dinghy on the cabin top or a SUP or a Kayak

[Tom Lathrop]

Jim,

 

Looks like you are well along to getting what  you need for a steadying sail.  A tabernacle that drops the mast forward should leave little folded height above the PH top.  One issue is that with a dinghy or other on PH top, folding will probably be restricted and bridge clearance can suffer. 

[Chas231]

Great topic. I designed the pilothouse on my Bluejacket28 with the door off-center so I could add a mast. The masts on PAR's boats appear to be just what I want. I know I'll have to do some re-engineering for my boat, but are plans available for these masts?

[PAR]

I'm sure Tom can pen something up for you. If not, contact me by email.

[Chas231]

Resurrecting an old thread. The Betsy Lee has a mast and boom!  I'd been wanting to try the birdsmouth joint, and really enjoyed making the sticks. I can't put more on the boat, so am thinking I need a flagpole in the front yard. The mast is about 20', stepped on the cockpit floor and also bracketed to the cabin top. It lays on the cabin top for trailering. No staysail yet; I'm going to need some rigging help if I want one. More pictures at www.flickr.com/photos/chas231