mizzen staysail
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:52 pm
The mizzen staysail has been built and flown. I have been involved in sail trials for about two weeks now. I have used the mizzen itself in various conditions as both additional downwind sail area, and as part of the jib and jigger rig.
I have used the J&J to great affect in the process of coming into and leaving anchor under sail. With a clean bottom, and skillful sheet handling the triton will get up steerage speed fairly quickly. I have tried using the J&J to work my way up wind in the central bay. I was able to get going about 4.5 on an open close reach. the wave action would slow the boat down some times, that is when I would want the main. The J&J on a beam reach and a broad reach it was like the sailing you want to do with granma, nice and easy. I doubt if I will search out the 40 knt + stuff to test it further. I can have a lot of fun in 30.
If you compare my mizzen with Mark's on Tikva you will see mine is further aft, the boom is lower, and the top of the mast is lower.
Here is the mizzen staysail. It tacks to windward and goes forward of the back stay and aft of the main boom. I have lead the sheets from the clew to the end of the mizzen boom, to the boomkin, to the secondary winches in the cockpit. I still have not decided how to cleat them.
I shot these photos at coyote point yesterday. Caught the tide and had a great sail down. The mzstysl was quite helpful. This is the second time I have set the sail. The first time was in about 15 knots of wind and the mast bent a little to much. I went very fast but the luff was falling to far to leeward. I have since cinched up the lashings on the vectran shrouds. she is steady now.
When I can set it depends on the mainsail, once I can let the main out a bit there begins to be room to slide the sail in. It will fly at about 45 degrees of the apparent wind, by looking up at the windex, at wind speeds of up to 15 18 knots. After that the tiller starts to bend and the bow looks like the front of a snow plow pushing a huge load. Fast enough. As I head down towards the broad reach the sail will handle higher and higher winds. And I can then surf the waves to excedt the waterline restriction. Due to the sails effort being behind the CLR and its having luff means my scary round ups have not been to scary, noisy and wet but not to wild. I am devoloping facility at raising and dousing the sail. I am keeping it in the cockpit locker for now. I need more training at using the sail but that is what I put the thing on there for in the first place. At the sheet ends and at the tack I am using winchard spring hooks. At the halyard I have a snap shackle. We have the west marine outlet store near hear and they often have rope at half off, I got the warpspeed sheets for only $30.
Problems to correct:
I cannot see forward when the sail is set.
Possible solutions:
I have the tack location to far aft and will move it forward to the upper shroud base, and set it on a pendant of spectra.
add a window perhaps.
I love the sail. The whole set up adds a lot of power to the boat off the wind It has been great fun documenting the project for you all.
Blessings
R
I have used the J&J to great affect in the process of coming into and leaving anchor under sail. With a clean bottom, and skillful sheet handling the triton will get up steerage speed fairly quickly. I have tried using the J&J to work my way up wind in the central bay. I was able to get going about 4.5 on an open close reach. the wave action would slow the boat down some times, that is when I would want the main. The J&J on a beam reach and a broad reach it was like the sailing you want to do with granma, nice and easy. I doubt if I will search out the 40 knt + stuff to test it further. I can have a lot of fun in 30.
If you compare my mizzen with Mark's on Tikva you will see mine is further aft, the boom is lower, and the top of the mast is lower.
Here is the mizzen staysail. It tacks to windward and goes forward of the back stay and aft of the main boom. I have lead the sheets from the clew to the end of the mizzen boom, to the boomkin, to the secondary winches in the cockpit. I still have not decided how to cleat them.
I shot these photos at coyote point yesterday. Caught the tide and had a great sail down. The mzstysl was quite helpful. This is the second time I have set the sail. The first time was in about 15 knots of wind and the mast bent a little to much. I went very fast but the luff was falling to far to leeward. I have since cinched up the lashings on the vectran shrouds. she is steady now.
When I can set it depends on the mainsail, once I can let the main out a bit there begins to be room to slide the sail in. It will fly at about 45 degrees of the apparent wind, by looking up at the windex, at wind speeds of up to 15 18 knots. After that the tiller starts to bend and the bow looks like the front of a snow plow pushing a huge load. Fast enough. As I head down towards the broad reach the sail will handle higher and higher winds. And I can then surf the waves to excedt the waterline restriction. Due to the sails effort being behind the CLR and its having luff means my scary round ups have not been to scary, noisy and wet but not to wild. I am devoloping facility at raising and dousing the sail. I am keeping it in the cockpit locker for now. I need more training at using the sail but that is what I put the thing on there for in the first place. At the sheet ends and at the tack I am using winchard spring hooks. At the halyard I have a snap shackle. We have the west marine outlet store near hear and they often have rope at half off, I got the warpspeed sheets for only $30.
Problems to correct:
I cannot see forward when the sail is set.
Possible solutions:
I have the tack location to far aft and will move it forward to the upper shroud base, and set it on a pendant of spectra.
add a window perhaps.
I love the sail. The whole set up adds a lot of power to the boat off the wind It has been great fun documenting the project for you all.
Blessings
R