Stevenson Weekender Ketch

[Andrew_Butchart]

Or would it be a yawl? I can never get that straight.

I'm thinking of adding the bracing necessary to be able to add a small mizzen mast to my Weekender. The purpose of the mizzen would be to assist in keeping the bow pointed into the wind while anchored or raising the sails and who knows - it might also help the boat point higher.

I have already put in the support for two steel brackets (salvaged from a bed frame) that I'm planning on using for a motor mount or reboarding ladder on the port side of the stern post, or possibly I could put the mizzen beside the stern post. I presume though that it's not absolutely necessary for a mizzen to be on the centre-line.

My questions are:

- should I even bother?

- how solid of bracing should I have?

- How large of a rig should I put up (I'm figuring on some sort of sprit sail).

The easiest thing to do would be to have the mount for the mizzen on a separate piece that I would mount on the steel brackets that I already have in place.

Your thoughts?

Has anyone else experimented with a similar rig?

2 inch blocks inside to support steel brackets.

[Charlie Jones]

Well - that would be cute anyway. IF you put it on the transom it would definitely make it a yawl rig. I suspect you'd have to modify the main boom though- it sticks out over the transom as designed.

And no, the mizzen doesn't have to be on centerline. The MAIN doesn't even HAVE to be on centerline- it's just done that way so things will balance on each tack. The main could be off to one side. The mizzen most definitely will work off centerline.

This is a shot of us sailing Chuck and Sandra Lienweber's ( of Duckworks) Caprice 26 several years ago.. Notice the offset placement of the mizzen. The main mast is also offset, only the other direction, to just beside the companionway. It was designed like that because both masts fold at anchor- the offset leaves a totally open companionway.

Both of the sails are lug rigged by the way.

[Joel]

Andrew, I don't know how it would work, but I definitely think it would look cool. I thought about doing this too but don't want to get sidetracked right now. Maybe I will add it after you work out all the details

joel

[Andrew_Butchart]

Ray:

That's right - I forgot about the existing weatherhelm. I am interested in the mizzen for when at anchor though. Has anyone ever done something like a temporary mizzen? Or just tie a kite on to the stern cleat :wink:

[Barry Pyeatt]

A Weekender is light enough and has enough windage that it will always point into the wind when on a hook unless you are in a current. In which case it will probably point into the current regardless. If it is a tidal situation then it will head both directions with the tidal flow. A small mizzen will help but it unless there is a lot of wind, the current will still prevail.