removable bowsprit?

[eldiente]

I have a NewPort 33 sloop and I'm looking for a way to fly my spinnaker from a short bowsprit in front of the stay. Does anyone know of anything commercially available that can be attached to boat with out a lot of modification to the deck? I have a fairy beefy anchor roller, this is where the tang for the forestay currently attaches. I'd like to add a 1' to 2' foot extension beyond this for flying the chute. Any thoughts?

Thanks!
-Nate

[Pblais]

A beefy anchor roller isn't a bow sprit. A real bow sprit is designed into the whole bow structure. They do make retractable sprits used foy flying a chute but those boats have the sprit designed into the structure from day one. Adding a real bow sprit to a boat is more than a serious operation and not something usually worth the cost to do properly. This something in between is not so clear.

If you are only talking a foot or two then I'm not clear what the issue is of doing it at all. It sounds like you just want a better point to attach to. Modification of the bow roller might be possible but it depends on how it is attached. With such a short amount then maybe no amount is really helpful. An extension will add a stronger moment to the force of the sail on the bow roller. The length of the sprit acts as a lever against how the roller is attached. Thus it compounds the force with length. Small increases in extensioncould overly stress the structure.

In a gust the force of the chute can be large. You may not normally fly a chute in strong wind. A big gust could do damge to the bow as well as trash the chute. A torn chute is not nice but bow damage could be terminal for the boat.

I'm not sure what you total situation is but it is something that can be harder than you think to do properly.

[S/V Elusive]

Not sure of exactly what your boat's bow area looks like - but if your forestay attaches to a tang or some type of piece on the bow, you may have some options. I've known some people to rig some very short bar stock, attached to the tang/hardware for the forestay, to give a slight extension from the actual tack point of the jib. Then, attaching a shackle and/or block to the end of the bar stock, you can use a line to the tack of the chute (I'm presuming an asymetrical) through the block and back to a tie-off point. I like this method for a couple of reasons - besides keeping it clear of the bow sprint hardware and anchors, it gives you another adjustment point to trim the sail, and if you don't have a snuffer, it is a lot easier to blow and collapse the chute when you want to take it down.

[Yotboss]

Selden makes one....

http://www.seldenmast.com/download.cfm?download=7837&webnode_id=3014&filenam e=595-261-E.pdf

[Jim Thomsen]

We have a simple removable bowsprit. It was an option on our Hallberg-Rassy 40, but I do not think they sell them separately. I know that others have had a copy made. If you can find an HR at a boat show or somewhere you can see it. If you are interested I can email you a picture (not good enough to have one made, but at least you will get the idea).
Jim

[eldiente]

Yes, I've seen the ones on the HR, that is what I'm looking to do. I'm looking for a better way to fly the chute without getting fouled up the life lines and furler. Yes this an asymmetrical chute.

I've used the ATN tacker for the chute with mixed results. The main complaint I have the with ATN is that the jib has to furled to us it. This is usually isn't a problem, but when the wind comes up I like to unfurl the jib to blanket the spinnaker until I can go forward and take it all down.

I'm open to ideas on this. The removable sprit seemed like a good way around this but maybe there is a better way.

-Nate

Originally Posted by Jim Thomsen

We have a simple removable bowsprit. It was an option on our Hallberg-Rassy 40, but I do not think they sell them separately. I know that others have had a copy made. If you can find an HR at a boat show or somewhere you can see it. If you are interested I can email you a picture (not good enough to have one made, but at least you will get the idea).
Jim