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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

What does this mainsail "hardware" do?

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:36:42

Hi everyone,

I've seen several sailboats with these weird looking gizmos on the mainsail ... what do they do, and how do they work?

Thanks!

Buzz Maring

~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68
Lake Dallas, TX

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:48:35

Those are "wishbone booms" which act like a super-loose-footed rig. They hold the clew out, generally at a level above the tack. Notice that the furled sail is in a somewhat loose roll--there's no boom in there. I guess the advantage is that part of the sail area can be below the level of the head-knocker, therefore the C/E can be lowered without increasing the odds of knocking heads (as, for example on a Star (DUCK!!) or a C-25 TR

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 07/22/2004 12:50:57

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2004 : 12:48:42

Those look like wishbone booms. Apparently, they make for easy sailhandling.

Edited by - on

Tony Dillon
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2004 : 13:18:28

I think the are the norm on Cat Rigged boats like the one in the photo.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2004 : 15:39:43

I've usually seen them on boats with in-mast or rotating-mast roller-furling mainsails, which looks less weird than the boat above.

Brooke

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3323 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2004 : 17:43:00

Tony is correct - they are cat rigged. We have one in our marina.
Derek

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2004 : 01:21:02

Yes those are wishbone booms. I think that is a Freedom Cat-Ketch. A very interesting design. One that Randy Repass of West Marine used on his new Yacht. Check it out in the front of the West Marine catalog for 2004. When the boat tacks there is nothing to do but turn the wheel.

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 04:11:21

Todd,
Isn't it a Whiley (sp) cat made in Santa Cruz that RR had made?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 09:00:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by MattL
 Todd,
Isn't it a Whiley (sp) cat made in Santa Cruz that RR had made?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Could be--I don't think it's a Freedom--I've never seen one with wishbones, although they've made some cat-schooners (equal-sized masts). Cat rigs don't necessarily have wishbones--most (like catboats and C-scows) don't.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 13:11:28

I hope that boat sails better than it looks.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2004 : 13:25:10

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I hope that boat sails better than it looks.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Behold the eye......

Oscar, on the admiral's pewter.....

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 02:51:23

Found a picture of a Freedom Cat Ketch, a 28 footer, and it does not look like the boat above. I now think it might be a Herreshoff Cat Ketch, but the one I found did not have the wishbone rig either.

While looking I came across this site that describes the advantages of the rig: http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/catketch.htm

Also came across an article regarding the launch of the first Wylie 66, a research boat. That boat led to the Repass's boat.

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jm
Captain

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Canada
290 Posts

Response Posted - 07/26/2004 : 10:48:49

On the Great Lakes, there is a similar class of this sailboat called a 'NonSuch'. Very well made, with luxurious interiors.

[url="http://www.nonsuch.com/"]Nonsuch[/url]

Click on the how and why link..

Lots of advantages, (easy to sail single handed, minimum mast rigging, huge interior space because the mast is so far forward. The biggest disadvantage is their COST ! But I guess you get what you pay for.. Even on the Used market, these boats fetch a fair dollar.

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