Bought an old sailboat, no idea how to rig it.
Posted by duncanmarshall@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 27 comments
I bought an old sailboat. I know my way around canal motorboats, but I've never once been sailing. I've learned as much as I can from youtube videos and theory, but I'm struggling to put some of the pieces I have together, especially around the mainsail. I'm really hoping someone feels like killing some time.
I'll just describe the anatomy I have available, and hopefully someone has some idea how it all fits together.
[The gooseneck looks like this. It's on a vertical track, and it's constrained by split pins (cotter pins). There's that double pulley thing going on it. The halyard is shackled to it, but I think just for storage. That dirty rope goes up to a small sheave at the masthead, and comes back down on the staboard side. There's nothing on the other end but a bitter end.]()
[The back of the boom has three eyelets. Two of them on a verticle plate. The mainsheet and pulley things were attached to it as pictured.]()
[I'm particularly confused by how the boom is supposed to swing out of the boat. This is as far as I could get it before the mainsheet hits the life lines. Is that normal? I feel like I've seen pictures of yachts with the boom right outside the boat, close to perpendicular.]()
[The main sheet goes through this, just where it connects to the traveler. Not really sure what traveler]()
I've got a bunch of lose ropes in the cabin as well, varying sizes and types. Of most interest are these two, and I have no idea how they all fit in with the rest.
Notable that I haven't taken the main out of it's bag, because I haven't got a big area to do that in, and don't know how I'll get it all back together after. It's possible there's more stuff attached to the corners of that sail.
So if anybody feels like taking the time, I'd really like to know how attach the main's bottom two eyelets to the boom. How the topping lift is supposed to attach to the boom, and just generally what all this stuff is.
And yes, I know this is a dirty old boat that needs a power wash, and a few bits of replacement rigging, but I can't do that at it's current location.
Anyway, thanks for reading the long read.
johnbro27@reddit
Your best bet is either beer for someone with an old sailboat at the marina who looks like they aren't a hopeless bum or hire a rigger to get it squared away. But threads on reddit aren't really going to get you going.
spinozasrobot@reddit
Wow, wooden cam cleats.
Dry-Permission6305@reddit
wow, those are old blocks and sheeves from the \~40-50s. this first pic look a lot like a boom vang. if that helps. look for an attachment point on the underside of the boom, about 1/3rd or so of its length from the gooseneck, where it meets the mast.
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
Interesting. There is just one thing on the bottom of the boom.
It's maybe 30-40% of the way along the boom, from the inboard end. I don't really know what it is. That gap is half an inch, and the whole thing is maybe 2 inches long. My best guess. You *could* fit a line through there, but it doesn't look like it's made to have a line put through it. My best guess was it was an attachment point for a sail bag? Dunno.
Another commenter remarked on the floating gooseneck, and that there should be tackle straight down from the gooseneck to the mast step. That makes sense, and the tackle that's there - what you're guessing might be a boom vang - would fit that much better, and wouldn't make it all the way to this flat under boom thing in the above picture.
Thanks for the help.
Dry-Permission6305@reddit
looks like a slot for a metal fitting on the boom end of a vang. the fitting itself may well be missing. Do you know the class of boat and can you look up a class or manufacturers website ?
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
It's a Kingfisher 26. There's not much info online, and I think the manufacturer went bust a long time ago. I also don't know if the mast and rig is original. I've seen another kingfisher 26, and it has an entirely different mast and boom.
Since there's a line that runs from the gooseneck to the mast step, tensioning it downwards, what would a boom vang do? I have a few pictures of the boat with the sail on but in the sail pack, and there's no vang.
Dry-Permission6305@reddit
In general the vang holds down the after end of the boom, while the mainsheet bring it in and out., so the vang keeps the leach tensioned and helps control the overall shape.
texasrigger@reddit
The mainsheet hitting the lifelines is normal.
You have what is called a floating gooseneck. You hoist the sail with the halyard but then use a tackle under the gooseneck to pull down on it and that's how you get your luff tension.
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
I see. To what extent? Because it's like 30 degrees from centre line before it touches the life lines. I'm sure I've seen people with their booms at close to 90 degrees.
Attached to what? There's no connection point down there for anything.
Thanks for the reply.
texasrigger@reddit
Totally normal. The further from the centerline you get the less of a downward component the mainsheet is providing. The stress on the lifelines really isn't what you'd expect. Also, the boom will sit higher when you have the sail hoisted because of that floating gooseneck. Also, depending on the cut of the main the boom met set above horizontal. The higher that boom end the more clearance you'll have before it starts to bear on the lifelines.
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
This is extremely helpful information, thanks. And yes, in the two pictures I have from the previous own, the boom is very "ticked up". Like the nike Logo kind of angle.
texasrigger@reddit
Sure. That plate that the mainsheet hangs from... the hole in the other end of it is meant to be where you'd attack the boom topping lift. The end in the casting is meant for your outhaul. Originally that arrangement was set up so that you could rotate the boom to reef the sail. That's pretty much always abandoned as an idea but it's why the sheet/topping lift arrangement is able to pivot.
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
Right. And how do you attach the topping lift? Just a knot? A knot to a shackle?
texasrigger@reddit
Depends on the topping lift. If its a "dynamic topping lift" (basically a spare main halyard) then its just tied or shackled and adjusted at the mast. If its a static topping lift (common on small boats like that) then typically its a length of coated cable the length from your masthead to the gooseneck. By the time you swing it out to the end of the boom it'll be a couple of feet above the boom end. Tie a light piece of line between the eye on the cable and a shackle on the attachment point on that plate.
If you have it adjusted correctly the topping lift should just be a little loose when the sail is fully hoisted and trimmed in tight. You want to be pulling against sail when trimming, not pulling against the topping lift.
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
Yes, there's no cable, and I can see this line being use as a topping lift in pictures of the boat I have.
Thanks again.
texasrigger@reddit
Yeah, you also have 40 years worth of someone's good idea at the time. Originally it would have been something like 1/8" (4mm) vinyl coated 7x7 cable.
Columbo1@reddit
Is that an Achilles 24? You’re in luck - I just finished restoring the one I bought. Took me 11.5 months, but I launch on Sunday.
Happy to answer questions 🫡
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
No, it's a Kingfisher 26. Also, I'm not sure what's after market and not. There's a video of the same boat on YouTube, and it has a completely different boom and mast step setup.
Columbo1@reddit
Weird, they look *alarmingly* similar! 😅
Yes, mine is rigged the same. I’m 90% sure that’s the exact same mast as my Achilles, and the boom looks very similar too.
First things first - what’s your sailing experience level? Have you sailed other boats before?
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
Lot's of boating experience (qualified passenger boat skipper, born on a canal boat), zero sailing experience. I've read several books on the subject, and understand the basic concept, but no practical hands on experience.
Columbo1@reddit
Okay, that’s going to be a problem. I’d suggest taking a class. I think on your side of the pond it’s called ASA101?
The reason it’s an issue is that as well as teaching you *how* to sail, the course will also teach you the names of all these ropes and parts - it’ll be a lot easier for someone to walk you through this if you understand the words they use.
How long since this boat was last on the water? You’ll need to consider age + storage conditions to determine how far you need to go. If it’s an old boat but was on the water last year, it probably needs minimal replacement parts. If like mine, it’s an old boat and has been out of the water for an extended period, you’ll need to replace more. I ended up having to replace every single rope on the boat.
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
It's on the water now, and taking it out the lock to its salt water mooring tomorrow. It was on the hard stand for a year. Half the rigging (halyard, topping lift) looks like it was added yesterday. Pristine and new. The rest is in a sad state, but quick arithmetic suggests replacing it is well within my budget. The mainsheet is border line.
I have learned a lot of terminology through study/books/youtube videos, so I understand from a physics perspective how a boat sails, and the basic operation of a sloop using a mainsheet, winches and rudder, as well as the name and function of some of the other lines. I also have a big piece of safe water to practice on.
Theory only takes you so far though, and I can't really learn anymore without an actual physical boat.
With what another commenter said, I think I now know what's up with the gooseneck, and mainsheet situation. Still not sure what those other disconnected ropes are, or exactly how the topping lift connects (at the moment, I just have a knot.).
Independent-Donut376@reddit
If you are near Portland I’d be happy to stop by and help you figure it out.
It’s going to take a real Good Samaritan to dive into all those photos and write you dissertation you can understand, through Reddit.
Have you considered hiring a local for a day in cash?
duncanmarshall@reddit (OP)
Really appreciate the offer, but nowhere near, sorry.
the-montser@reddit
Yeah, OP this is an in person problem.
Relevant-Diamond2731@reddit
I hope you understand that what you paid for the boat will be minuscule compared to what you’re going to pay bringing her back to life
Senior-Jellyfish-452@reddit
Yeah you need in person help. I could go though most of it by the pictures but it would be a long ass essay and unfortunately I do not have the time to do it. But good luck.