Bowsprit Rigging Suggestions

[SVNeko]

My cat has an extruded aluminum bowsprit to which I attach the tack of my gennaker and spinnaker. The bowsprit is held down by two low stretch guys from its end leading down to each hull. They are secured by shackles at either end. See the black lines in the attached photo. I am on the second set of these lines due to chafe against the bridle from instances where we set to a current.

I want to change the guy lines so that they can be lifted while at anchor to avoid chafing. What I have in mind is a low-friction ring attached by a dyneema line (SWL 3300lb, similar to the shackle) to the end of the sprit. Through that I will run a longer guy line from the strong point down on the hull, up through the ring and back to a plate on the hull at the end of the cross-beam with some spare line at this bitter end. The cross-beam plates have a semi-circular ring welded onto them. I can attach the guys to these. However, I need to be able to loosen the guy so I can lift it away from the bridle. I think I will do this with a small line attached to it with a prusik hitch with which I will lift the slackened guy away from the bridle. So instead of shackles I need some attachment that can be slacked off. I could tie it but want to avoid that. A fiddle block with a cam seems too complicated and like overkill. I am looking for some lightweight, strong and simple similar device. Any thoughts, and comments on the setup generally?
Thanks

[tenchiki]

From looking at the picture, my take would be to move the bridle attachment as close to the bow as possible -- add chocks or cleats as far forward as possible.

[impi]

Not sure if it is an optical illusion, but your bridal seems a lot shorter than mine is. What if you lengthened the distance on the 2 bridal ropes before they become 1 ? Another possibility is to take the bridal lines to the outside of the hulls (anti chafe guards on the ropes) ... perhaps from cleat blocks? ... just suggestions that coud help in the interim!

[SVNeko]

The bridle is short because I am sitting on a mooring in that shot. The bridle legs are not fixed length, so they are longer when at anchor. The problem I am trying to fix does not happen often and is not happening in the shot. Its only when we don't sit back on the anchor. But it only takes one night of sawing back and forth to damage the guy lines. I guess I could just go with dyneema lines which probably would chafe the bridle as opposed to the other way around.

[MANUIWA]

You could also possibly add a heavy duty snapshackle to each guy line (the ends that connect to the bowsprit) Then you could remove them at anchor: ie. no chafe

[sww914]

Hate to sound stupid, but why not just put some hose over the black lines to stop the chafing? Whatever kind of hose that you like? Air hose (like on the floor of every auto shop) is about the right size and it will really take a beating and it comes in several colors.

[svrevelations]

Originally Posted by SVNeko

The bridle is short because I am sitting on a mooring in that shot. The bridle legs are not fixed length, so they are longer when at anchor. The problem I am trying to fix does not happen often and is not happening in the shot. Its only when we don't sit back on the anchor. But it only takes one night of sawing back and forth to damage the guy lines. I guess I could just go with dyneema lines which probably would chafe the bridle as opposed to the other way around.

The bridle lines seems extremely short. Is there any epecific reason for this? Can't you just make them slightly longer - say 1 to 2 yards. We have a similar setup, but the bridle lines are much longer.

[zeehag]

with my long sprit, to use a BRIDLE (bridal refers to belongings of a bride--not at all appropriate for boating) i make sure the bridle is long and attachment point to chain is below water line. this set up makes the whisker stays remain without chafe and keeps the load at the water line or lower into the water-- nicer ride at anchor, no tugging or pulling.
there should also be ZERO chafing at the whisker stays.
you might research the physics of your particular sprit and rig to see what you are able to get away with as far as modifications are concerned.

try firehose for anti chafe. is the best stuff.

if your bridle is not long enough, make a new one. length matters

[Cruisingscotts]

As stated on their 2nd post the bridal is set tight in the pic as they are on a mooring. Chaffe is bad, whatever you do keep in mind having to dump your anchor in the middle of the night and getting under sail. If you are making a critical piece of the rig removable just make sure it can go back together in a pinch

[zeehag]

the way mine gets rigged causes absolutely ZERO CHAFE. i have a bowsprit longer than 6 ft. try it. you do not need to remove and replace rigging. is all in your BRIDLE.
make a new one. is easier than changing a rig that is proven to work.

[SVNeko]

OK, clarifications: It is not a critical piece of rigging. It is the bowsprit which carries the spinnaker. Loosening it, or even removing it, does not affect the rest of the rig. These bridles are adjustable. But that is not the issue. The chafe will occur no matter how long they are. It occurs when we lie to the wind but the current pushes us up over the rode.