Sliding Gunter Rig

[LeeCopp]

Greetings from sunny Florida,

I am the new owner of a 1972 Clark Mills Suncat 17 (an open cockpit cat rig, twin bilgeboards) , the predecessor of the current Com-Pac Suncat. She is currently set up with a Bermuda on a mast which is hinged about 1.5 feet above the fore-deck ... pictures at www.suncat.dittybag.net

The resulting geometry results in the 23' 45# (est) mast resting in the gallows at shoulder making it necessary to use some sort of lifting rig . The short fore-deck (3') of course makes the usual methods of gaff poles and a-frames more challenging. My existing tripod rig (from the previous owner) works, but seems like a somewhat clumsy solution. I think I would like the ability to drop the mast while on the water in order to sneak under some local bridges.

In the Brian Toss book, "Rigger's Apprentice", the boat KATY (p 173) is of very similar dimensions to my boat and the Sliding Gunter rig appeals to me and seems like a possible solution.

Has anyone done a burmuda to sliding gunter conversion or have pictures of the critical connections? I was planning to sew a new sail so this would be the right time to make the change.

Thanks for any information or comments.

Lee

[Ian McColgin]

You want to make a new mast and add a spar as well as a new sail?

Why not make an easier way to raise the mast? Like set it in the tabernacle shrouds hooked up and head stay fleeted to a line that can run through the bow chain plate and back into the cockpit. Have a pole maybe ten feet long - long enough that you can utilize it at a point above the mast's center of balance, the further above the better. This might be a boat hook or a purpose made crutch. You could attach the ends of the halyard together, make a clove hitch over your pole near where it meets the mast and cleat both parts off to keep the pole from slipping.

With all ready, you get your shoulder under the stick and get it up a ways. Take the slack off your snubbing line and start pushin up with your pole. At near verticle just push directly on the mast till it fetches up against the shrouds. Lean on the mast while securing the snubbing line. Now around to the bow. Just hold the head stay while disconnecting the snubbing line and attaching the head stay. Tighten to your settings and sail away.

If you're not class restricted, think about a high roach fully battened (or at least the upper two) new sail. Surprisingly good umph.

G'luck

[LeeCopp]

Thanks Mr. Ian,
I have used that method on previous boats to good effect. The short fore-deck ,weight of the mast , and height of the gallows make this approach too dicey for me.

The gunter rig would allow for a much shorter mast, with a penalty in rigging time. I was thinking I could cut of the existing mast and get a new yard (perhaps a mast chunk from a salvage site). Mount the yard to mast using some variation of mast slides.

Good point on the battens, no reason not to use the full battens. The modern version of this boat uses at gaff rig with a hinged mast .

Lee

[Brian Duff]

I second Ian on this matter,
When we are asked to work with boats of this sort of rig, we just push the thing up by hand, its just not that hard. A pole on the rig 1/2 way up would make it way easy.