Boom, Boom.......

Boom on, makes the boat look like a sailboat, finally.

Longer than the original due to the conversion from a Ketch to a Sloop.  17ft 4 ins.

Garhauer mainsheet track, sighted in.

Habemus bowsprit.........

After all my bowsprit machinations I found the impossible.  A complete, "Tops in Quality" manufactured bowsprit made by the original steel fabricators to the Canadian Whitby Boat Works.  It was destined for a stalled project boat in Tampa.  Its now in my yard.

While there I naturally bought the Garhauer mainsheet traveller on offer. 

Time to get installing, that was the last major part of the jigsaw.

Mast overhaul....

When I splashed TIH three years ago, I re rigged the mast but did not overhaul the fittings.  I took the opportunity during this hurricane season to pull the mast again and carry out some work.  This will include adding 32 mast steps (folding type), overhauling the sheaves and replacing the tangs.

 

I am still trying to ID the mast manufacturer, all suggestions welcome.  Dimensions are 9 7/8" by 6 3/8".

I will install a spinnaker bail on the forward end of the masthead (right hand side of this photo). This is to take a roller furling Code Zero (Facnor FX 2500). 

I really, really want to remove the SS bolts that hold the tangs on the mast (masthead and spreader) but they are proving a bear to move.  The Kroil releasing fluid is excellent.

Spreader holder.  The four rivets on the upper side had corroded away.

Spinnaker boom track.

Masthead sheaves (2 by 5"diameter by 3/4" rope sheave + 1 by 5"diameter by 1/2" wire sheave in the middle.  As I don't plan to use wire halyards I may try and swap this sheave out.

Dual backstay connection.

Movable goosneck connection for boom.

Working on OPBs' (Other peoples boats)...

So not much time for TIH.  I did manage to get the mast pulled.  Three years ago (time flies when you etc.) when I splashed TIH the mast was stepped with new rigging and new wiring in the usual  boatyard scramble.  I had always planned to have a second go at some of the 34yo fittings.

The first part is the very nice fiberglass mast step molded into the hull.  For any W42 owner who has not gotten up close and personal with these, this is what you will face.

Mast step which may or may not have an aluminum plate on the bottom.  Teak chocks to stop the base of the mast moving around.

Aluminum plate removed.

Chocks removed.  They may have been gooped in place at some stage but I'm not sure it was necessary.

Now the fun part.  The holes (arrowed) were the original limber (drain) holes which are;

a.  Too small
b.  Covered by the aluminum
c.  Then covered by the chocks.

This resulted in a nice stagnant pool of water covering the base of the mast.

I have now drilled 4 larger holes, enlarged the originals, I will notch the aluminum plate and ensure the chocks do not obstruct the drain holes.

Bowsprit on a Whitby 42......

The bowsprit on the Whitby 42 was an optional extra and by all accounts a necessary one. TIH, naturally does not have one. She does, however, have a very serviceable bow roller.





Because I have removed the mizzen I will HAVE to have some means of increasing the J dimension. The bowsprit, as drawn by Ted Brewer, takes the J from 15.5ft to 18.5 ft.



The factory installed bowsprit (as installed on Gaia, seen above) is a thing of beauty but it does beg a few questions;

1. Why do we put heavy anchors on the end of a bowsprit, surely it just adds stress to the rig and increases any tendency to hobbyhorse. I will admit that these forces may be minor.

2. Do we need the working jib that far forward except in winds under 15 kts, because above that I certainly tend to start reefing.

3. I plan to have a cruising chute for light airs. This would require a short sprit under the existing bowsprit design for the tack.

4. Might a removable sprit be a solution;





http://www.newjsi.com/bowsprits.aspx

I am putting these questions up because this is an active discussion on the Whitby Web Site and all ideas are welcome. I have not arrived at a decision as yet and am not in a major rush.

The arch / dinghy hoist on our last boat...

As they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".... but it worked.

The case for a sloop rig on TIH

Even thinking about converting your sailboat from a ketch to a sloop, while surrounded with ketch owners can be a dangerous activity. I cast no aspersions on ketches in general and my thoughts about converting TIH are governed by my planned use of the boat. From my research on the subject the benefits of a ketch rig are as follows;

1. More manageable sail size split between both masts.
2. Heavy weather option of Jib and mizzen.
3. Redundancy in the event of loss of rig (assuming they are not connected by a triatic stay).
4. Place to hang radar and/or wind gen.
5. Nice on a reach.
6. Permits the use of a stay sail between masts.


The drawbacks are;

1. More complicated rig.
2. Will not go to weather as well as a sloop.
3. Mizzen doesn't work well on a run.
4. More expensive (mizzen sail costs $1,500 approx).
5. Interferes with wind vane.
6. The mizzen makes it difficult to mount solar panels / install dinghy davits etc. aft.


Specifically on my Whitby 42

1. The stays are pretty close together requiring running back stays on the mizzen and the use of a triatic stay. At least two W42 have lost their mizzens and I believe that I would have to install a beefed up compression post under the mizzen mast.

2. The main boom is the old style tube type (designed for rolling reefing) which I would have to replace as I want to use slab reefing. This will permit me to increase the main boom length from 14.5ft to 18ft.

3. I will be installing wind vane steering and the mizzen would complicate this.

4. I am a huge believer in a dinghy arch which incorporates a mount for solar panels etc.

Converting from a Ketch to a sloop!!!!!!

If only real life was as easy as photoshop?

Mast re rigged....

The previously mentioned Jim E. has re rigged the masts and they are due to be reinstalled first thing tomorrow (Monday 10 Nov.).