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Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
Hello-
I have four related questions about sail rigging. . . They seem simple but I searched around the forums and couldn't figure out what to do.
1 - Lashing Mainsheet Block - On Page 140 of the manual, it says "The mainsheet block should be lashed to the boom at the location shown. . . Use a few loops of strog 1/8" (3mm) twine." What kind of a knot does "lashed" mean? I've tried a few different knots from my knot book but none of them seem as neat as the drawing, which admittedly obscures the actual knot, but makes it look like you loop the line around the boom 4 times and is tight and clean. What is the right procedure here?
2 - Orientation of Mainsheet Block - In the drawing, the mainsheet block hangs so that the axel of the wheel is perpendicular to the axis of the boom. However, if you were to tightly lash the mainsheet block included with the kit, it would orient the hardware so that the wheel axel is parallel to the boom (because the twine would pass through an opening which is perpendicular to the axel of the wheel). On the other hand, if it is loose enough to hang as drawn, it seems like the mainsheet block will slide back and forth on the boom. Obviously it will work however it is supposed to work, but I'm just not sure how to intepret the drawing.
3 - Mainsheet - In practice, how is the mainsheet positioned in/through the blocks? There is a mainsheet block attached to the boom, and a Mainsheet Becket Block attached to the center seat. My first thought is to put a stopper knot in the end of the mainsheet, thread it through the "Becket, so the stopper keeps it from running all the way through, and then up around the mainsheet block, back down through the becket block, and into my hand. But, thats just a guess.
4 - Belaying Downhaul - On page 105 of the manual, it says "The downhaul for the sail is belayed to a 3/8" hole. . . " I understand how to build the thing, and I have the downhaul attached to/through the boom; but how is this rigged in practice? I run the downhaul through the hole in the seat, pull it tight, and then cleat it on the mast? Or is there a block involved?
10 replies:
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
I guess that's why the thread is called the Skerry Lug Rig. Oops, sorry, getting old.
3. Tie the sheet to the front shackle on top of the becket block. Lead the other end (or "reeve" it, if it's talk like a sailor day) through the block on the boom, reeve it through the becket block and into your hand (bottom picture),
Be careful with the stopper knot. Make sure that the sheet is not stopped while the sail is still powered or a stong gust that pulls the sheet out of your hand could knock the boat down.
4, We'll need a skerry owner to chime in with the downhaul info, My plans are the old onesm pre-lug rig.
Laszlo
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
For my Skerry downhaul, I basically setup both as I had the PDF version of the manual and the hard copy of the manual. The two manuals had different ways to do the downhaul. I mounted a cleat for the downhaul (opposite the cleat for the halyard). I also drilled/filled/drilled the hole in case I wanted to try the other method. In practice, I just use the cleat. Downhaul is pulled taught and then cleated. I would imagine that a block would give you more leverage but I haven't found it necessary.
The one advantage of using the hole per John Harris is that theoretically the downhaul secured through the hole prevents the mast from pulling out of the mast step (i.e. it keeps the mast secured and tight).
I'll give one warning to that: this past weekend I was out and cleated both the halyard and downhaul as I usually do. I decided to try taking the free end of the halyard (mistake - should have been downhaul), pull it through the hole and finish with a stopper knot as a way to secure the mast. Later on, I got caught in a weird current/wind shift/act of nature and was pushed up against a bulkhead and dock. My sail got caught on the railing of the dock. As the wind was pushing me against the dock, I couldn't back out or get free. I figured I would just drop the sail. However, with the sail under so much power, it had pulled the stopper knot so tight, I couldn't get the halyard free. Fortunately, I had a sailing knife and just cut the halyard above the hole and everything came free.
So multiple lessons learned (would have been just better to use free end of downhaul and always have a sailing knife). Still not sure how I was knocked so far off course but that is a different issue.
The rest of my setup is as described by Laszlo.
Scott
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
Erik –
I started out rigging the downhaul in a temporary location, just lashed to the boom, until I found a spot that gave me a bit of weather helm from a light breeze to a fairly stiff wind. Once settled on a location, I bored a hole through the boom, tied a stopper knot on the top, and ran the downhaul to a cleat on the side of the mast. I found that I had to grab the boom and pull down really hard to get the sail properly trimmed, so this past spring I lashed a block to the boom, bored a hole through the seat in the location specified in the manual, and ran the downhaul up through the block and back down to the cleat. I’ve been very pleased with the result. I still have to physically grab the boom and pull down on it a bit, but the whole process is much easier. I will attempt to add a few photos I took today after we came in.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4299/36277489235_63b1cb00d6_q.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4307/35445017924_b0d05b7a74_q.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4302/35445014404_61e3c98e7d_q.jpg
hokker
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
Trying again…
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4299/36277489235_63b1cb00d6_q.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4307/35445017924_b0d05b7a74_q.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4302/35445014404_61e3c98e7d_q.jpg
hokker
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
Just a test to see if I've finally figured out how to post a picture.
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
Hokker, Thanks for your most excellent pictures. I can see how, in your last picture, showing the downhaul coming up through a hole in the foreseat, then around a block lashed to the boom, and then back down to a port side cleat on the mast, is the way to give you the needed leverage to get the boom drawn down tight. A concern I have with the stopper knot, though, on the underside of the foreseat, is that if too much force is used in pulling the downhaul through the block on the boom, one could split the foreseat. On my own skerry, I put the kit supplied Mast Partner on the top side of the foreseat, and opposite it, on the underside of the foreseat, I glued a laminated half inch thick homemade mast partner, for additional support to the foreseat against the pressures of the mast. I suppose I can put the downhaul hole, in the foreseat, through both partners, but still, that doesn't alleviate my concern of actually ripping the seat upwards, if one gets a little too foreceful in pulling that downhaul line down. Any thoughts? I'm not sure of where else that stopper knot can be put, other than directly under the seat. Thanks
RE: Skerry Lug Rig - Mainsheet Block, Downhaul, Mainsheet
» Submitted by Laszlo - Wed, 7/26/17 » 5:40 PM
0. Which boat?
1. Prusik knot works well on my schooner.
2. If you lash the block with a bit of a tail, it will self-align to whatever orientation is natural.
3. Need boat type
4. Need boat type
Good luck,
Laszlo