Issue 5
April2012
Section 5
Mast & Standing Rigging
Original
Both versions were originally provided with black
or gold anodised masts and booms, made by
SSSpars – now a long time out of business. A 'lake
rig' 30ft high mast was offered in place of the
standard 26ft item. The mast heel was originally
an alloy block fitted into the bottom of the mast
and which carried the sheaves over which the
internal running rigging was routed. The slot in the
base fits over a matching upstand on the alloy
deck plate. All the rigging is (normally) in 5mm
stainless steel, with three shrouds each side, and
a single backstay connected to two chainplates on
the transom by a wire bridle. The upper shrouds were routed to the masthead via two alloy
spreaders.
The compression load of the mast and rigging is transferred to the hull via the bulkhead door
frame which, in turn, is bedded on the hull via a large dollop of fibreglass.
The original round boom had provision for
roller reefing the main by use of a
cranked handle (the picture is of a DIY
handle) that was inserted into the
gooseneck. The latter fitting had an eye in
a lug on the underside, with a downhaul
attached to it and to the bolt in the mast step, so that the luff of the
mainsail could be hauled tight, once the main had been raised.
Two split pins inserted into the sail track provided resting stops for the
boom and for the sail when lowered. Many owners have dispensed with
this roller reefing in favour of slab reefing, which provides a better set
to the sail when reefed. It is also possible to reef without the need to
leave the cockpit, as is described in the Section 7 ‘Sails, Running
Rigging and Reefing’.
On some boats,the kicking strap function (to prevent the boom rising)
was provided by a roller reefing claw, a horseshoe with internal rollers,
which allowed the boom and rolled sail to rotate within it. This was
lashed to the aft end of the boom so that it lay a roughly 1/3 of the
boom length from the mast. A downhaul was fitted between the claw
and the bolt in the mast step.
Many boats now sport different masts and booms because of mast
breakage or damage. Some have suffered damage to the alloy mast heel and deck plate, both of
which are quite brittle, and are easily damaged if, for example, the mast slews sideways when
being raised or lowered. Ways of making good such damage are included in this Section.
The mainsheet runs on a RWO track through-bolted through the companionway. The car is locked
in place by two spring loaded plungers. Replacement parts are still available for this kit from
some chandlers.
Foresail roller reefing was not supplied originally – sails were simply hanked on – but many
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