"Precourt gaffer", and lashings.

[amalling]

Hi

I'm new to this extremely nice place (and new to boat-building/rigging), but I'm in the process on deciding which type of small boat to build - it depends quite much on the rigging. Something like a small sandbagger type of boat, seems to be ideal to me. Or the couta in a bit lighter, smaller version.

Anyway, my plan is to build a small, open 5,5-7mtr (18-22ft) gaffer. A modern sort of thing, inspired by the couta-boats, rig-wise, and I have an idea ñ if it can fly (the idea, not the boat), then I will be able to decide which type of hull I will build. Which sort of plans to buy, et cetera, and if it not a convenient road to go down. Anyways, Hull-wise it will be strip-plank, and have a swing-keel/steel daggerboard. (as has the couta and the Joli Morgann).

The Sandbaggers I have seen have much of the same sort of hull as the couta-boat.

Basically, I'm looking for replies like "Good/bad idea", "Why not do it like this or that instead". General replies.

Oh, and sorry for the long-windedness, and my language, I'm danish, so I might not use the right terms.

My plan is to first build my own hollow wooden spars (cheaper than carbon), and then at a later date, upgrade to carbon and/or aluminium/ better blocks (if I can't afford it to begin with.

First, though, this is the rigging of a couta-boat
(Btw, that picture is from http://www.couta.net/website/classrules.asp )

My plan was to make something similar, although a bit more high-peaked, and perhaps not have the bowsprit bend as much (it seems to bend down a whole lot more in real life). Oh, and keep everything as simple as possible (when done).
All spars will be tapered.

Questions ñ are these good ideas, or should I stay away from these:

1) A higher peak than the couta, perhaps make the saddle of the gaff (even the one from wood) in carbon fiber.

2) main lashed both to boom, mast and gaff - modern ropes.

3) precourt rigging, www.precourt.ca with deadeyes etc.? Mr. Precourt himself warns against using them with spreaders, and that leads me to the next question:

4) how do you feel if I don't use spreaders? I like to keep this as simply as possible.

5) The bowsprit, is there some simple way to make it retract (into a hole?), or should I go for having it "always on"?

6) Modern rope for the bobstay? Will it cope? Will I be able to use a dead-eye set-up there you think? My gut-feeling is that it will hold just fine, but gees, have I been wrong before.

7) "Block Lashings" etc. ... Ouch ... I want to drill as few holes as possible, and lash as much as I can instead. The reason being that I want to keep it simply, and try to get as close to "can repair anything on the boat with a sailmakers palm, a knife and a screwdriver" as possible. Can I lash the following (preferably without drilling any holes at all, no metal attached to the spars):

7b) Boom down-haul (except a metal fitting on mast/deck to lash onto) Will it not slide on the boom?

7c) All main-sheet blocks on boom

7d) The clew-outhaul - any ideas - shapes for the boom end, perhaps some sort of designed "hub" in it? Also - deadeyes for that instead of blocks? It's not going to be a racer, so I won't have the outhaul go all the way along the boom and to the mast.

7e) Gaff-blocks?

7f) Blocks for gaff on mast.

7g) Main-halyard block - will I be able to have it lashed on the mast

7h) How about having lashing an eye to the saddle, and attach the halyard to that, instead of having a metal fitting drilled to it?

7i) MAstband? A lashing, or should I make a consession there (as well?), and go for metal, or any other ideas? It will slip, won't it, if I lash the blocks on, up there, won't it? I mean, it would be very cool (to me) if I could lash the shrouds, topping lift, forestay /jibstayetc. onto it.

7j) Any other place where lashing might be used? The cranse iron?

8) Precourt deadeyes instead of blocks for the topping lift?


Since this is something I will be building myself, I'm well aware that somethings aren't certain, however, I'm not exactly frightened by experimenting. So, please don't hold back on ideas on, say, boom-end shapes and the like, because it is customary to do it by attaching a d-ring by rivetting. I'd rather have a special shape than rivets.

Again, I would be very grateful if you guys would comment on my questions, and, of course it doesn't have to be every single one. I know I have put forth quite a lot.

Thanks
Andre