33.56 Kb
custom Bow Lever on track in the relaxed position. Unfortunately no commercially available hardware does this job right. Ignore the Purple thing in the picture. This is the tail of the bow painter that comes through a hole in the bow. This allows grabbing the painter from the inside and retracting it into the boat.
33.44 Kb
Custom Bow Lever on track. Unfortunately no commercially available hardware does this job right.
32.13 Kb
custom Bow Lever on track in the tensioned position. Unfortunately no commercially available hardware does this job right so this is a custom designed fitting. Ignore the Purple thing in the picture. This is the tail of the bow painter that comes through a hole in the bow. This allows grabbing the painter from the inside and retracting it into the boat.
31.10 Kb
Forward end of Centerboard Lift tackle. Bow tank was reinforced during construction to handle load. On retrofit of older boats it would be better to glass block into bow or if there is already wooden stem glassed in, use that. On one of my older boats I actually through bolted to the bow, counter sinking some flat head screws and the put a little gel coat over the heads to hide it. If your boat has an aluminum strip up the front this hides the screws very well when through bolting.
29.85 Kb
Aft end of centerboard lift tackle.
35.70 Kb
Looking aft at jib tensioner between stanchions. In this picture the
top block is missing the becket and shock cord to keep block up when jib halyard is released. The shock cord also expands the tensioning tackle when the fine adjustment control is released.
54.21 Kb
Topping lift and Cunningham controls lead under Grate to 45s. The small blocks used to turn the control lines here have beckets on them that are not needed but were the only blocks available at the local shop when I was rigging the boat. These blocks are fastened to the side of the stanchions.
49.01 Kb
Topping lift downhaul under front grate. Shock cord is run from side to side under grate to create extra stretch. In my case I go to one side and then to the other. Some smaller crews may require more stretch and will want another turning block on the other side and cross the boat again.
36.66 Kb
Topping lift downhaul under front grate. Shock cord is run from side to side under grate to create extra stretch. In my case I go to one side and then to the other. Some smaller crews may require more stretch and will want another turning block on the other side and cross the boat again.
41.89 Kb
I still use a rope/steel halyard. Rather then worry about multiple balls and getting the length just right I use a hook on a slid and s small piece of track on the side of the mast to allow adjustment. I don't like to depend on the friction of the setscrew to keep in position so I drill holes along the track for the setscrew to engage. This also lightens the track if you are concerned about weight.
60.02 Kb
Controls lines for topping lift, Cunningham, front crew hiking straps and eventually twinges lead to 45 brace. Doesn't this picture have cool perspective? Another photo actually show the configuration better but isn't as interesting.
63.03 Kb
Controls lines for topping lift, Cunningham, front crew hiking straps and eventually twinges lead to 45 brace. Note also the guy hook and cleat for spinnaker guy
37.35 Kb
Spinnaker guy cleat and guy hook. I like these locations because it keeps the cleat forward out from under the crews but, (makes for happier crews) and the hook is back far enough to give good angle on the pole. Alignment of cleat and hook is critical so that the line does not cleat unless the crew purposely puts it in the cleat.
43.58 Kb
Looking forward at jib tensioner.
31.77 Kb
Outhaul. This configuration gives the crew great purchase when making adjustments. When the hole is drilled for the line to exit the boom it needs to be kept at the absolute minimum size so that the boom is not weakened. We have seen boom failures where this hole extended out far enough to cut the vertical wall in the track.
69.02 Kb
Boom Vang attachment to stanchions. The blocks are attached with large pad eyes and number 12 screws that are 2 inches long.
30.03 Kb
Vang at boom.
49.72 Kb
Quick up Spinnaker Halyard using pump cleat. When the handle is pulled it takes up double the length of line. One might think it would be hard to pull up the spinnaker with this configuration but I have found it to be extremely effective. I get the spinnaker up with two pulls and there is no tangled halyard in the bottom of the boat. In my opinion this is a must have item. The pump cleat is available from Northwest One Design.
46.79 Kb
Spinnaker halyard turning block and cleat at foot of stanchions. The cleat here is all the way forward so that either the forward crew or middle crew can reach it. I can also un-cleat it from the back. This has been very effective although once or twice I have had to kick the crew's foot out of the way so I could do the un-cleating.
51.97 Kb
Centerboard control leading up through thwart to 360 and cleat for middle crew hiking strap adjustments. The 360 is expensive but I have found nothing else that is as effective in allowing the crew the ability to play the board from anywhere in the boat. If you are changing crews frequently the ability to adjust straps is a must. I have found the little v-jam cleats to be ideal for this. Even a steady crew likes this so they can adjust their straps for changing wind conditions.
52.38 Kb
Centerboard control cleat coming through thwart on 360.
50.80 Kb
Jib sheet controls. This is a very simple yet effective jib sheet control system. It is similar to what is frequently seen on older thistles but with some slight modifications that make it function ten times better. The tracks are kept very short so they do not create a snagging hazard for crew or lines. The tracks are raised on blocks which has the effect of sliding the cars back farther in the boat. The cleat has a fairlead that allows operating it from any angle, and the block in front of the cleat reduces friction tremendously compared to similar systems that use a fairlead at that location. This system has proved to be as effective as any other system that I have used and it is the least expensive system that you can put on the boat, assuming you use a standard block and not the auto ratchet blocks that I have used here, although my crew might mutiny if I took their auto ratchets away.
50.61 Kb
Vang control on 360. This is the second place that I use a 360. I do however abandon the mount that comes with the 360 to get a much cleaner installation rather then cutting a big notch in the Centerboard cap. I have my boats built with a wide centerboard cap so that I can use it as a toe rail when hiking. This only works for those of us that have long legs.
29.73 Kb
Traveler control through transom. I have rigged boats with all blocks on the inside, but find I like this through transom configuration better. The only problem with doing this is getting over the initial aversion to cutting another hole in the boat.
44.94 Kb
Nothing is lighter then a hole or missing material. Therefore rather then end caps I have cut the traveler at an angle to keep the mainsheet from catching and drilled a hole through with the traveler for the control line to deadhead. Note that I use the Ronstan I beam track for the traveler. This track is much more difficult to install since it must be bent, but I feel that it functions much better then the Harken track that most use.
56.43 Kb
Skippers hiking straps go through double block at the bottom of the transom and go forward to adjustment point. After going through the double block they go to a single line so that both straps are adjusted at the same time. It would be possible to go to a single line before the turning block and use only a single block but this creates a situation that if the straps are adjusted loose that they can some up high enough to trap the tiller in the v where the straps come together. This can be very exciting in high winds and close quarters.
42.66 Kb
Dead heads from forward crew and skipper hiking strap. The bolts used here also hold the jib track down.
65.02 Kb
This photo sows the V-Jam cleat for the skippers hiking straps and the turning eye where the middle crews hiking strap control line turns and goes forward to the cleat on the knee under the thwart.
40.61 Kb
Take up real used for Spinnaker halyard. Much nicer the blocks and shock cord used by some. I have used these for years and have liked them. I recommend carrying a spar since the springs do break on occasion. With a little ingenuity they can be opened and repaired.
60.88 Kb
Middle crew hiking strap adjustment cleat and floating block on Boom Vang controls (Red Line) . The white line above the red line is the jib tensioner adjustment. it is dead headed through the knee and goes to a floating block forward and back to the cleat the is just out of the photo on the right side.
63.53 Kb
Jib tensioner adjustment in foreground and Centerboard control in background. Bringing the tail of the jib tensioner line to the block on top of the thwart allows the crew to add tension from anywhere in the boat.
72.49 Kb
Jib tensioner cleat on right and Jib tensioner tail turning block on left. The turning block on top of the thwart allows the crew to add tension to the jib from any location. Note that the fairlead over the top of the cleat is a soft plastic to reduce shin damage to the crew. Always look for ways to reduce crew damage, helps keep a steady crew and the thistle is hard enough on crews without making it any worse then it has to be.
68.92 Kb
Forward Grate showing Jib up control at foot of mast and cunningham and Topping lift controls led through grate and then to 45s
81.47 Kb
Forward crew hiking strap controls, Cunningham controls and topping lift controls on 45s. Also good shot of supper spinnaker bags. This bag was designed to be large enough not to over compress the spinnaker when it is taken down. Dave at Northwest One Design is not making this same design.
109.74 Kb
Under grate view of the Supper spinnaker bag looking aft. Note how far forward the bag is fastened. This creates bag large enough not to crush the spinnaker into a wad when it is taken down. The cloth used in these bags is light, tough and airy so it does not trap water from rain spray or capsize, and does not support mildew.
76.50 Kb
Forward grate and stantions looking forward
45.43 Kb
Looking forward at Stanchions, Note jib tensioner Van configurations.
64.38 Kb
A little custom inlaying of boat numbers, Vang and mainsheet controls on right. If you decide to use this configuration be sure that the Vang and Mainsheet cleat do not interfere with each other. Not also the Supper Max bailers, don't leave home without them. I would set them a little farther forward next time so they are more under the thwart.
41.73 Kb
The traveler is visible here, it is a Ronstan captive ball traveler on I-Beam track. I think this traveler works better then the Harken but is much harder to install since the track must be pre-bent to the curve. There is a sister clip on the end of the mainsheet so that a part can easily be dropped out of the mainsheet system when the wind gets really light.