DSK wrote:
Gaff rigs are cool. I keep toying with the idea of getting
a gaff




Scotty wrote:

for your tugboat?


No, like this
http://www.shrimperowners.org/Home/i...wake718_fs.jpg


DSK

Oh cute...there's one of those out at the city marina in Cape Char;es...

Heh... I wasn't thinking of putting it on my boat...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Maxprop" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
So, what are the downsides to gaff rigs? I know about weight aloft and
possible handling issues with the gaff, but anything else?

Go for it, Jon. I think a gaff rig would look great on a Sabre 30. In
fact, why not consider turning the boat into a schooner with four or five
headsails . . . :-)

Max

Taddy and Doug... great answers! That's what I was looking for...

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
Capt. JG wrote:
So, what are the downsides to gaff rigs? I know about weight aloft and
possible handling issues with the gaff, but anything else?


Of course! There's always "something else!"

Flying Tadpole wrote:
The main downside, poorer pointing, is also a function of the main
upside, which is lower center of effort and greater ease of holding the
boat up under a press of canvas.


Yep... performance not so good to windward, GREAT off the wind.

A secondary downside is controlling twist. If the twist really upsets
you, the paraphernalia of downhauls and vangs needed to reduce it to
modern desires, you might as well go for a modern rig.


You can vang a schooner's foresail pretty well, but I've never seen a gaff
vang run to the aft quarters that was worth a durn. It does help bend the
gaff for flattening, though... just make sure your crew doesn't confuse it
for the running backs!


There is no point however in imitating the lightly sparred racing gaffers
of long ago: their rigs were every bit as prone to disintegration as a
modern highly-strung (!) bermuda racing rig.

Rather more so, I would think.
But let's mention in passing that the gaff-rigged maxi racers of yore
would shock many sailors with their speed off the wind, several were
clocked in the high teens and rumors abounded of 20 knot runs.


..... THe virtues come in cruising, on heavier boats (yes, Flying
Tadpole II was a quite intentional aberration, and she was terrible to
windward in any sort of a seaway). (Lady Kate's gaff by the way is
almost identical to Flying Tadpole II's mainmast).


Aerodynamically speaking?

The added weight of the gaff at the top of the sail can be advantage, the
sail definitely comes down when you want it to. It also can be shortend
down very quickly and easiy, much faster than a marconi can be reefed (of
course, it's sort of an emergency measure and you do have to straighten it
up later). Just cast off the peak halyard and let the upper half of the
sail drop into the lee of the lower half... "scandalizing" it's called.

Another advantage, often proclaimed by my grandfather as the reason why he
just couldn't get any enjoyment out of racing marconi-rigged boats, is
that between the peak & throat halyards you have a very fine adjustment
for sail shape.

Disadvantage... extra rope & pulleys flopping about on the mast.

Gaff rigs are cool. I keep toying with the idea of getting a gaffer
instead of a modern boat.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Capt. JG wrote:
Heh... I wasn't thinking of putting it on my boat...

Thank you..I am relieved....mucking up a Sabre like that would have made
me question your sanity (not that I haven't questioned it
before...smilie thing...)

Jon,

My major objection, after weight aloft is maintenance. Jon, In all my
years of sailing, I can't remember a Gaff rig without Gaff boom Jaws,
which means a greased main and a absence of a sail track which means
sail hoops on the Luff of the sail, which also increases the chance of
jamming, which also increases the need for a slippery mast, which is a
PITA.

In its defence though, on a cruising
rig the sail shape is closer to the shape of the Max. area of the effort
of the sail.


http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ILLDRINKTOTHAT





http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage

No problem... I question my sanity every morning.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"katy" wrote in message
...
Capt. JG wrote:
Heh... I wasn't thinking of putting it on my boat...

Thank you..I am relieved....mucking up a Sabre like that would have made
me question your sanity (not that I haven't questioned it before...smilie
thing...)

Yes, I see what you mean. I was just curious, since the gaff rig is a lot
like a huge roach.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Thom Stewart" wrote in message
...
Jon,

My major objection, after weight aloft is maintenance. Jon, In all my
years of sailing, I can't remember a Gaff rig without Gaff boom Jaws,
which means a greased main and a absence of a sail track which means
sail hoops on the Luff of the sail, which also increases the chance of
jamming, which also increases the need for a slippery mast, which is a
PITA.

In its defence though, on a cruising
rig the sail shape is closer to the shape of the Max. area of the effort
of the sail.


http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ILLDRINKTOTHAT





http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage

Thom Stewart wrote:
Jon,

My major objection, after weight aloft is maintenance. Jon, In all my
years of sailing, I can't remember a Gaff rig without Gaff boom Jaws,

..... which shows that, despite your years of sailing experience, it's
relatively narrowly based. Otherwise you'd know about saddles -
basically a leathered metal section that closely fits the mast off of
which the gaff pivots. Quite a neat arrangement.

which means a greased main and a absence of a sail track which means
sail hoops on the Luff of the sail, which also increases the chance of
jamming, which also increases the need for a slippery mast, which is a
PITA.

Also untrue. You can lace the sail to the mast. The absence of
sailtrack also means the absence of track jams when trying to lower the
sail.

In its defence though, on a cruising
rig the sail shape is closer to the shape of the Max. area of the effort
of the sail.

There's an excellent book on all things related to the gaff rig by John
Leather IIRC. Called 'The Gaff Rig Handbook' I think.

PDW

Thanks Peter... I'll check it out... I have a friend who is really
interested in this sort of setup.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Peter" wrote in message
oups.com...

Thom Stewart wrote:
Jon,

My major objection, after weight aloft is maintenance. Jon, In all my
years of sailing, I can't remember a Gaff rig without Gaff boom Jaws,

.... which shows that, despite your years of sailing experience, it's
relatively narrowly based. Otherwise you'd know about saddles -
basically a leathered metal section that closely fits the mast off of
which the gaff pivots. Quite a neat arrangement.

which means a greased main and a absence of a sail track which means
sail hoops on the Luff of the sail, which also increases the chance of
jamming, which also increases the need for a slippery mast, which is a
PITA.

Also untrue. You can lace the sail to the mast. The absence of
sailtrack also means the absence of track jams when trying to lower the
sail.

In its defence though, on a cruising
rig the sail shape is closer to the shape of the Max. area of the effort
of the sail.

There's an excellent book on all things related to the gaff rig by John
Leather IIRC. Called 'The Gaff Rig Handbook' I think.

PDW

Scotty posted to Doug's comment:
Gaff rigs are cool. I keep toying with the idea of getting a gaff

for your tugboat?

Go for it Doug; A Gaff Rigged Steadying Sail.-------That would be Cool.
A PITA
but Cool!


http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ILLDRINKTOTHAT