Forestay bridle angle

[matt connolly]

Hey all,I've just stepped my mast for the first time on my rebuilt tangaroa mk Iv. I'm doing a version of wakatiateas crab claw,so have put a 10degree rake on my 7meter mast. My question is what kind of angles are too severe for my forestay bridle,as mine is very horizontal I'm wondering if there would be too much sideways pull bringing the stem posts together. Any thoughts?

[Jeremy Walker]

Surely there are options to ease up on bridle tension pulling the stems together...such as a reverse dolphin striker for a start. 

[Budget Boater]

Ditch the bridle. Run twin forestays - one to each hull.

[matt connolly]

Thanks guys,l was wondering about that option BB,why would you do that? Would you still have a head sail? 

[Budget Boater]

Twin headstays are more simple than a bridle, they offer some redundancy, and it gives triangular support.

If your mast is so far forward and raked such that your forestay is near horizontal, then you cannot fly a jib anyway.

[matt connolly]

I was thinking to have a small head sail,also as an option in strong wind. My mast sirs between cross beam 1&2 and rakes back 10 degrees. It could be done?

[Budget Boater]

Now I am confused. If your mast is between 1&2, and rakes back at 10 degrees, then your forestay should not be anything close to horizontal. It should be sloping a little more than a sloop and create a low aspect foresail area.

[Jeremy Walker]

I don't see a problem with the headstay/jibstay angle. Sure, doubling up the stays and having one to each bow is an option as well as an additional jib luffstay. Tension in a bridle is taken in compression  by the beam closest to the bridle.

Considering Wakataitea, which had a rig after the fashion of Ontong Java, it was evident to me when I looked at both  waka (both Ontong Java and Wakataitea when they were together here in the Bay of Islands NZ) that the hull connecting beams (which are usually called kiato, iato or iako in Polynesia) are what take care of any rigtrnsion pulling hulls together.

Their headstay angles did not increase the tension in any way

[Jeremy Walker]

Hey Matt,

I like your idea of using the rig which Hans Klaar developed on Ontong Java nd was copied by the other Hans on Wakataitea.

In fact this same rig is what I intend to use on my 30 ft Polynesian Pahi if it turns out that I find shunting to be more demanding than I can manage.

To try and clear up any confusion when I say 'Pahi' -- the Polynesian Pahi is what Ontong Java is, since the hulls are different length......like the Tuamotu Islander's double canoe.

So Hans Klaar has rigged Ontong Java as a tacker, but the record shows that these craft had originallybeen configured to shunt (like a proa).

My 30 ft Pahi is designed to do both, and if rigged with jib and headstay, I will have a walkway plank between the mast and the jib tack, the same as I had on the Wharram Hinemoa Owl.

[matt connolly]

Thanks for the input guys as l'm flying blind somewhat with only photo's to go buy. My bridle is nearly horizontal BB,l think thats what its called,the lines that run from my stem posts to intersect at the bottom of my forestay. I'm nearly ready to put up the sail,which is made from canvacon and reinforced by a sail maker l know so l'll keep you posted Jeremy.

[Budget Boater]

Maybe some photos of your issue...

[matt connolly]

OK,try these..

[Budget Boater]

I do not see anything wrong. At this point, I think you may have been overly dramatic.

"Horizontal" implies that the bridle/forestay is near parallel to the deck, which is definitely not the case here. Maybe you were mistaking the dock line for the bridle/forestay...