Chick Ludwig Posted July 19, 2018 Report Share Posted July 19, 2018 That IS a good looking boat! I tighten up the sheet to tension it and the topping lift. That usually keeps the sprit from swinging too much. If not enough, you can wrap a bit of line about the sheet where it exits both sides of the block on the end of the sprit. This will keep the sheet from running back and forth through the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted July 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 9 hours ago, Paul356 said: I haven't rigged topping lifts, although I saw Chick's setup at the messabout and it is pretty slick for masts in tabernacles. But my masts are freestanding. That is, I pick 'em up and drop 'em in the hole. This is on a regular 17, not a 20 or a mark 3. A topping lift would be one more piece of string to untangle. So, I let the sprit ends fall into the cockpit when the sails come down, and it's not a big issue. I have used the halyards a couple of times to hold the sprit ends up and make room in the cockpit, as in the photo. One issue there was sprits swinging kind of wildly in a chop. How do the topping lift guys control that swinging? That makes sense Paul. Thanks for the reply. Since I already have the mast caps screwed and caulked in place (I would have to remove them in order to attach a cheek block for a topping lift), I think I will try using the halyard. @Alan Stewart, how do you control the sprit while at anchor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer Posted July 20, 2018 Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 Amos, I cannot tell a lie, I have been using lifts on Carlita. Rather than rig special topping lifts, I already have enough clutter, I have been using the mizzen staysail halyard for the mizzen lift. On the main I am using about 4' of 5/32" line with a small S-hook at the bottom attached to the forward side of the mizzen mast at the right height so that I can slip the S-hook thru an eye at the aft end of the main sprit. The main lift tends to be self centering and stays put when I tighten the main sheet. If the mizzen starts to dance around at anchor I run a line thru the spinnaker block on top of the coaming aft over to the sprit. This triangulates with the lift and mizzen sheet and the system is rock solid. If it got bad enough to bother the main sprit I could do something like I do with the mizzen. For a quiet night at anchor I make sure that the centerboard is hauled up tight and all halyards are tied away from the mast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul356 Posted July 20, 2018 Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 Mike and Chick, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Stewart Posted July 21, 2018 Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 Amos, On my Dad's boat Dawn Patrol we would often tie the sprits up with the halyard after un-tieing it from the head of the sail but only if the boat was sitting for a while and usually just the mizzen sprit to get it out of the way. The main always seemed fine just bundled up and slightly off to one side of the cabin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted July 22, 2018 Report Share Posted July 22, 2018 Chick has them for sure and uses them to keep the spritz pulled parallel to the mast when trailering. Maybe he can elaborate, but when I was at the messabout I saw this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Ludwig Posted July 22, 2018 Report Share Posted July 22, 2018 On 7/19/2018 at 9:13 AM, Chick Ludwig said: I always rig topping lifts. I can adjust them from the cockpit. I use them to hold the sprits up when the sails are down, and raise them out of the way when anchored for the night. When trailering, I unclip the sheet block from the end of the sprit, loosen the snotter, raise the sprits all the way up against the mast, tighten the snotter, lower the masts, and then use bungees to strap the sprits against the mast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted July 23, 2018 Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 Sorry Chick, I was reading on my phone and missed your thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted August 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 My 5 year old "helped" me raise both sails for the first time. The sail slides did snag on the track in a few spots, but after slightly hollowing out the backside of the plastic sail slides they slid like greased lightning (the sail slides don't have flat backs, they have a slight ridge on them that tends to catch in the countersinks for the rivets). Currently working on non-skid: I'm going with the following approach: 1) roll a coat of paint, 2) sprinkle non-skid, 3) apply coats of paint over the non-skid. This is how it looks after the first coat of paint and non-skid; I'm going to add two more coats of paint after this. I'm curious as to how well this will hold up long term. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Ludwig Posted August 12, 2018 Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 Amos. You're doing just right with the non-skid. Just looking at your sprits, especially the Fore (or as we call it these days, main), Can you tighten your outhaul and snotter enough to flatten the sail. It looks like you can, but just wanted to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted August 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 1 hour ago, Chick Ludwig said: Amos. You're doing just right with the non-skid. Just looking at your sprits, especially the Fore (or as we call it these days, main), Can you tighten your outhaul and snotter enough to flatten the sail. It looks like you can, but just wanted to be sure. Good question; I forgot to test that. Guess I'll find out on the first sail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted August 12, 2018 Report Share Posted August 12, 2018 2 hours ago, Chick Ludwig said: Just looking at your sprits, especially the Fore (or as we call it these days, main), Hmmm, when did we not call it the main? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted August 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 The non-skid came out looking pretty good, but it is pretty aggressive. If I had to do it over again I wouldn't put down as much particulate. It was so much fun sprinkling it on that I just kept sprinkling, and sprinkling, and sprinkling. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul356 Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 Everything looks great, Amos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Ludwig Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 On 8/12/2018 at 5:08 PM, Hirilonde said: Hmmm, when did we not call it the main? In the old traditional sharpies, the aft mast was called the main, and the front mast was the fore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 2 hours ago, Chick Ludwig said: In the old traditional sharpies, the aft mast was called the main, and the front mast was the fore. Could be, but because they were schooners. Sharpie is a hull style, and does not effect what parts of the rig are called. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 Building a boat with young children.......amazing. I am impressed. Amos, I'm going to order paint for my boat. I'm guessing a quart for the hull is plenty, and two quarts for above. Can you confirm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted August 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 One quart of Alwgrip was enough for three coats of the red paint. As far the white paint (Devthane 379) I can't give you an accurate number; I mixed it up from gallon containers (still have some left) and as a result I don't have good sense of how much I used. What color are you going with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted August 14, 2018 Report Share Posted August 14, 2018 I was up in Maine sailing and I saw an Eddy & Duff Stonehorse painted grey and white with the small bit of wood varnished bright. Sorry Chick, I changed my mind from green. I'm going to use Interlux perfection as I've had good experience with it before and I haven't found a good dealer for the paint you used locally. The color will be Platinum (hull) and I'm trying to decide between Matterhorn white Mediterranean white for above. I think the teak rails and the Spanish cedar I used for the few bright parts will really look sharp against these colors. Oops.....color chart https://interlux.com/en/us/boat-paint/topcoat-finish/perfection I'll order two quarts and if I need another it's not hard to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmosSwogger Posted August 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2018 We completed our first two sails this weekend: one launching from downtown Elizabeth City, NC (great boat ramp and park), and one from Hertford, NC (put in at a friends house right by the Route 17 Bridge over the Perquimans River). Everything went well, I made some small mistakes but nothing serious. I sure am glad I had the non-skid applied before I went. The boat generated a lot of questions and compliments as I was rigging it up at the park. One guy even watched us launch, than came back with a camera when we pulled in and got some pictures of the boat. I can't thank everyone on the forum enough; this wouldn't be possible without you guys. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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