Eastport Pram rigging

Hello!

I just got a CLC Eastport pram (with sailing kit-2018) to introduce my kids to sailing (read: for myself), but the gentleman from whom I purchased the build misplaced the manual. Does anyone have a copy of the manual, any guidance, or resources that can be shared with regard to proper rigging?

Thank you! We can't wait to get out on the water!


8 replies:

« Previous Post       List of Posts       Next Post »

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

Check the Eastport Pram page on the CLC website.  You can purchase a construction manual for $15, plus there are lots of photos of EP's with sail rigs.

hokker  

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

It's been 5 years, but I don't remember a ton of info regarding rigging in the back of the manual, meaning I think there are a few ways to skin that cat.  Here's something I wrote up after I built mine.  I'm also a rigger, so feel free to ask for details.

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Wood-Sailboat/

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

 

Thanks  Hokker and CaptainSkully! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out. 


Hokker, I've heard that the manual doesn't help much with rigging, and I'm also concerned I might be stuck with the decisions the builder made (for now anyway).

CaptainSkully, your website is awesome and was super helpful! Thank you for the link, and for sharing all of that with the world.  I may reach out to you with some questions, which at present are two: 1. The pram is set up with a lug sail, and the sail is lashed to the boom and sprit, but not tied separately at each grommet, just threaded through and around each with knots at either end of the boom and sprit.  I've never seen this before, but maybe it's okay? 2. There's no downhaul of any kind, and mast just sits in the footer on the deck and is supported by the seat, with the boom's gooseneck just floating in space. Again, never seen a boat rigged like this, but may it's okay?  I may have abused the terminology here, so sorry, in advance. I might take some pictures to clarify what I'm concerned about, but if you have any ideas, I'd love to know. 
 

Thanks again to you both!! 
 

 

 

 

RE: Eastport Pram rigging


here's a photo that shows what I'm talking about: 

   

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

   If you check this site a bit earlier, there is a lot of info on balanced and regular lug sails. A reference to "Lug Sail Racers" will probably bring you more info than you need, but that's a good thing,too. Get sailing and have fun.

 

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

I'm glad it helped.  I'm certainly not an expert on lug sail trim, the 4th corner complicates things exponentially.

1.  Yes, lacing the sail to the spars is normal and helps evenly distribute the tension along the edges of the sail.

2.  You will definitely need a downhaul.  I drilled a hole in the gooseneck right next to the boom, then threaded some small 3-strand through it that lead to a Harken 244 V-Jam block.  This gave me some purchase to really pull the wrinkle out.  You don't have to go that fancy.  You can just tie your downhaul off to a cleat and adjust the luff tension with the halyard, but I found that inefficient.  

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

I dabbled with wind surfing in the 80s and with a Sunfish in the 90s. I'm not so much a novice as knowing just enough to be dangerous. I just got my Eastport Pram. I didn't build it, I bought it. There is no rigging per se. I was provided the mast, spars, and sail unassembled. I've managed to put it together enough to dare a shakedown cruise. As it is now I have attached a crude sheetline to the lower spar. I want to set it up like my old Sunfish and Capt Scully's link.

QUESTIONS:

What EXACTLY do I need to buy and install as far a couple of blocks in the lower spar goes? Do I drill into the spar?(!) or should I lash the blocks to the spar? If I have to drill, what guage and length hardware to have proper strength. What exact size blocks?

Again, knowing just enough to be dangerous, I imagined tying a line to the two back handles as a sort of traveler but Capt Scully says to put that loop in there so the sheetline stays in the center? How important is that? Just curious.

I get that I shouldn't install a cam cleat for the sheetline as it's only an invitation to capsize in a gust, but should I install some sort of hardware on the center seat just aft of the daggerboard? What? Exactly? Not only do I only know enough sailing to be dangerous, my handyman skills are non-existent. That's why I bought instead of built the boat. So any response (greatly appreciated) will have to be like telling a child.

Thank you.

 

 

 

RE: Eastport Pram rigging

As you can see in the pics from my link above, I installed two cleats on opposite sides of the mast that were appropriately sized with the faces of the mast, within 6 inches of the top of the forward thwart/partners.  One is for the halyard and one is for the downhaul/cunningham.

Because of the size of the sail and the risk of capsizing, I didn't use any purchase (blocks) on my mainsheet.  I held the bitter end in my hand, using gravity to aid with control, it then ran up to a padeye/block on the boom, aft to the end of the boom with another padeye/block and down to a bridle I made to span the handles.  The blocks I attached to the padeyes are from Harken keychains.  The line has to be small enough to fit the blocks, but large enough for good handing.  The max line diameter for the 22mm micro block is 1/4 inch.  No cam cleats for sure. 

« Previous Post     List of Posts     Next Post »


Please login or register to post a reply.