backstays and gaff rigs

[Rick Thompson]

I have undertaken the restoration of a 22 foot Bermudan sloop that I would like to convert to a gaff rig. The boat is a conversion made to a lifeboat hull (Titanic vintage!) based on Nordica plans. I have had experience with my old Tancook schooner vis-a-vis gaff rigs but that boat had a bumpkin to support the marconi main (the fores'l was gaff rigged - with a fisherman stays'l no less). My current project has a small bumpkin but in order to provide a backstay to clear the gaff it would have to be very long. I suppose my question has to do with whether or not I can do without a backstay and if I can, what will restrain the mast on a run or reach? The mast is solid, 26 feet long, and stepped in a tabernacle on the foredeck.

[Brian Duff]

The gaffers I have sailed on and seen have all had shrouds lead aft of the mast out on the rail, and running backstays to provide additonal aft support, but never a 'backstay' by modern terms. The gaff is in the way.
Changing a boat like you want to can be fun, but there should be a lot of thought and careful design put into the planning stages to make sure the new rig will work and handle like you want it to. Reserch.

Have fun
Brian

[Ian McColgin]

Assuming that you're not contemplating a drop-down mast on a tabernacle, a mast in this size will stand up just fine if you make the partners and step correctly. While many gaff rigs rake the mast back and some actually use that as if gravity were a backstay, the foreward raked mast of the 24' Wianno Senior pretty much shows what you can do with stout partners and lowers with a bit of follow.

The Wianno has a huge gaff main with a handkerchief jib. Even though flattening the main effectivly acts as a backstay, translating the sheet tension up the leech and through the peak hallyard, Wianno sailors like an even stiffer headstay and use the running back for that. Most will set up the runner a bit more loosely when broad reaching or running, especially with the 'chute up, but that's more to control the sail shapes than to hold the mast in the boat. I've not seen anyone break a mast in a gybe just because they didn't snap in the runner before the sail filled.

Design the rig to stand up and sail without the runners by having some follow in the lowers and by having a stout enough mast. Use the runners for tweaking and for the comfort of redundancy.

G'luck

Ian