In need of rigging suggestions for light air sail

[John Bailey]

My present boat, a Herreshoff H-28, has double forestays.  The main forestry is fractional and the forward stay is masthead.  The problem is they terminate on the bow at the same place and there is no room for tacking when using the forward stay.  I'd like to get a light weight Drifter but need to be able to tack.  I had one on my previous boat, an Alberg 30, and it was my favorite sail.  Normally this sail would be rigged on the forward stay, but as mentioned, there would be no way of tacking through.  Herreshoff called this sail a "ballon jib."  I sail a lot single handed, otherwise I could have crew thread the Drifter through.  My normal sailing area has flukey winds and tacking often will be a necessity.

Thank for any suggestions.

John

[Jim_ME]

I've always admired the short bowsprit on the Cape Dory 28, allowing it to carry a large headsail in addition to a boom-footed (self tacking) staysail. It also works well for anchor storage and handling.  

[CharlieJ]

many people I've seen don't "tack through" They "tack around"

By that I mean having double sheets (like a Spinnaker, and letting the sail go forward of the stay. Works well for gybing, not so easy  tacking, but doable.

You could also rig a Johnson lever on the inner stay and simply disconnect it when flying the drifter

Moving the stay forward a significant amount will change the balance of the boat. Something to consider.

[Jim_ME]

Maybe the Cape Dory 30 cutter rig is a better example...with a bit longer bowsprit...

[Jim_ME]

[Edit: This sail plan came up on an H28 search, but checking that the H28 was designed in 1948, it seems unlikely that it would have a gaff rig. So this must be an earlier similar boat by Herreschoff? or Alden? Still perhaps the point about the bowsprit and two headsails being a common earlier sail plan, still applies?]

[Jim_ME]

And what must have been a Marconi Ketch sail plan, and a drawing with both that ketch and a sloop rig superimposed. The ketch rig shows the working jib on a fractional inner stay, and a larger headsail (lightly drawn) on the masthead forestay, both to the same tack fitting...as you described...

[Jim_ME]

Some photos of h28s with bowsprit (some with two headsails)...

[John Bailey]

Thanks all,

Not sure I want to go to the work of a bow sprit.  Seems a bit over my abilities.  The Johnson Lever would seem just the ticket, so I'm going to look into that.

Thanks again,

John

[John Bailey]

By the way, when last I posted our H-28 was red with a bad paint job.  After a year refit, it now looks like this.  I took a lot of heat for changing the color to the traditional Herreshoff white topsides and green bottom paint.  However, I like it a lot, and, after all, it is my boat!!

[CharlieJ]

She looks right Yar :D Ship shape and Bristol. And since it's a Herreshoff design--

Herreshoff claimed there were only two colors to paint a yacht- white, and black.. And he also said- and only a fool would paint one black ;D ;D

[John Bailey]

Yea, well my wife and all my friends who liked the red pointed out that he didn't say anything about "red."

Doesn't matter -- it's still my boat ;)

John

[CharlieJ]

"pointed out that he didn't say anything about "red."

Doesn't matter -- it's still my boat ;)

John

LOL-ask them what part of "ONLY two colors" they didn't hear-grin

Better be a tad careful asking your wife that though- ;D

And yep, tis your boat

[John Bailey]

We stripped out the interior and started from scratch.  The wife scraped and painted everything below decks and did all new wiring for the lights.  In addition, she likes to do all the sail handling.

So, I've got it pretty good -- and yes, I'm careful with the comments and questions! :-*

John

[SalientAngle]

LOL-ask them what part of "ONLY two colors" they didn't hear-grin

Black and White are not colors... they are a major component in how we think of  color...  ;D  :)

[rorik]

LOL-ask them what part of "ONLY two colors" they didn't hear-grin

Black and White are not colors... they are a major component in how we think of  color...  ;D  :)

^^
Making light of dark comments......  ;D

[SalientAngle]

LOL-ask them what part of "ONLY two colors" they didn't hear-grin

Black and White are not colors... they are a major component in how we think of  color...  ;D  :)

^^
Making light of dark comments......  ;D

dark comments LOL, yep, and is red really the "dark side"  ;D