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Snotter location


DaveOnCudjoe

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I've recieved my CF masts from Hall Spars and couldn't be more pleased. This is a great company to work with for anyone considering new spars. As I gather my hardware and prepare to fit out the masts I'm in need of advice to locate the snotter hound. This is a custom rig and not a B&B design. My current plan is to start with a length of cord and experiment by trial and error. Thanks in advance, Dave

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Are the sail dimensions the same as the plans? If so just copy dimensions for the snotters. Otherwise put your sails up, and start playing with the perfect location that gives you a nice shape, and prevents luffing. I have to move a bracket on my main mast a little higher as I get a little luffing on my main sail. If that doesn't fix it for me I'm adding a leech line.

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I'm still some time away from pictures but will advise when they are posted. I'm not comfortable quoting my cost but will say that it was less than the $1000 ea quoted by Forte and that Hall engineered their developement considering righting moment, sail area and my specific requirements. The mast engineer and the sailmaker consulted to determine the needed flexibility and location of that flexibility to maximise performance to weather. I don't know of too many companies that go to that extent for a one off.

Edward, There are no plans which was why I asked for advice. At this point I'm resolved to just experiment once the track is mounted to the mast. Dave

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Would a piece of jib track with a sliding car handle the tension loads of the snotter for this sized boat? Multiple attachment points up and down the track would seem stronger and with a sliding car, adjustable too. Might come in really handy at reefing time if the angle of the sprit gets out of whack?

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Randy, Masts are 18ft 10in long each. The main is 11lbs and the mizzen is 9.5lbs. The main is a little stiffer due to the greater sail area.

Howard, I have considered a track and the idea has a great deal of merit but I hate fasteners in tension. It does, however , work fine in main sheet travellers so perhaps I'll give it more consideration.

Dave

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Hey Dave,

My 2 cents.... I think positioning the snotter attachment location should be pretty straightforward. I would (once the tracks are on) raise the sails and just play with some locations by lashing a line around the mast and track between sail lugs.. You can adjust and play with that location with the sails up and sprit hung in the comfort of your yard or something until your happy with leech and foot tension. I agree that it's not too critical. You want to be able to reach the snotter easily while standing which i don't think will be a problem. Doing it this way will also reveal how much the sprit will hang below the actual attachment point on the mast due to the angles and load on the line and such and is a function of how much of the sprit extends forward of the mast. When reefed, it will hang lower.

If your masts will rotate then great. If not then you need to address the issue of increasing snotter tension when easing sheets which can damage snotter fasteners if the snotter is not relieved when easing sheet on a non rotating mast. That problem can be solved by using a loop of line that attaches to eyelets on either side of the track and runs around the front of the mast and to which the snotter purchase is hooked allowing the snotter purchase to "rotate" around the mast as if the mast were rotating. This is also IMO a great way to do it even if your masts do rotate because it distributes the load of the snotter onto two eyelets whose rivets will always be in shear (in a rotating mast).

Finally, I would not consider a track on the front of the mast. IMO that goes very much against what you are striving for. Light weight and simplicity. The Sprit rig is so simple. If you really think you may need to adjust leech or foot tension this can always be achieved by raising or lowering the sail i.e. cracking off on the halyard and re-tensioning the downhaul or vice versa. I don't think reefed sprit angle will be a problem. never has been on any sprit boat i've sailed.

New masts sound cool

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  • 4 weeks later...

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