Gaff Rig Modernization advice

[Frank Hagan]

I often get asked about modernizing gaff rigs, and recently got this email:

Has anyone ever designed or tried a modern version of the Gaff Rig that would allow the use of sail tracks - or would that be considered heresy?

I bought a Bruce Roberts' adaptation of "Spray." It is a 47' LOA, (40' LOD) Ketch with a Gaff Main, (38' tall) and Marconi Mizzen. It was built in 1982 and has wooden masts. The main is attached to the mast using one of the spiral lacing methods shown in your web page. The one time I sailed it, getting the main up was like pushing a rope up a hill. I had to encourage the main up the mast by pushing the lacing with with a long boat hook. Since then, I have removed the mast to have some bad wood replaced. Several times, I have thought about nice it would be to have smooth running tracks installed on the refurbished mast, but that would necessitate some sort of contrivance to also replace the Gaff since it would not be able to slide up the mast over the track. I am an engineer and have some imaginative thoughts on how this might be done, but if someone has already developed something along these lines, why re-invent the wheel? Since I have already spent an amount equal to the initial purchase price in refurbishments and repairs, I am not in a position to be a purist.

I thank you for the information on your web page and would appreciate your opinion as to whether I'm barking up the wrong mast.

I'm always hesitant to give technical advice, since I'm no where near an expert. So I usually refer people to Spar Talk and Brion, since he still has some info on traditional rigs in Complete Rigger's Apprentice. Or some of the folks over at the Wooden Boat Forum (although there are some strident folks over there that sometimes scare people away.)

Anyway, I emailed the fellow and told him to pop in here and take a look, right before the forums changed (change for the good, by the way!)