Retractable Bowsprit

[West Coast Cat]

I want to put a bowsprit on my Catana so I can have a furled screecher. Problem is the this bowsprit would have to be retractable or folding so I don't get hammered for the extra footage by the Marina. I am just over 39 feet in a forty foot end tie, if I go over I get bumped. And there is no more room at the inn at my harbor.
I am looking for ideas, or pics. I can design and make most anything but am looking for a proven design so I don't have to reinvent the wheel. Thanks in advance.

[Pblais]

Retractable bowsprits are on a J boats. It's basically a pole that can be extended. I've seen them also on Feedom's albeit smaller than 39 ft. How it works below I have no idea. There is the structural support issue and that isn't trivial. It's not just the part that sticks out. It includes what you don't see that adds the real strength.

As a rule adding a bowsprit is maybe one of the most expensive things you can imagine. Some folks really like them. I have a 6 ft one and I guess I do like it. It was however part of the orginal design and it would be a mistake for me to remove it. It does not retract, so the 36 ft boat is actually a 42 ft boat not counting the davits. So while I have 3 less feet I actually have 10 extra feet I can be charged for in marinas north of here. I can understand your problem. I find Catana's sufficent as they are. They are a well thought out design to begin with and quite attractive.

[delmarrey]

With a furling that might be a bit difficult unless it were detachable. The forestay has to go slack to move it back or to the side which would bend the extrusions possibly damaging them.

If you were to use a hank-on it would be EZ. One could mount a tube under the cross beam back to the cabin structure and slide a sprit in and out of that, much like the racer mono's..................._/)

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by West Coast Cat

I want to put a bowsprit on my Catana so I can have a furled screecher. Problem is the this bowsprit would have to be retractable or folding so I don't get hammered for the extra footage by the Marina. I am just over 39 feet in a forty foot end tie, if I go over I get bumped. And there is no more room at the inn at my harbor.
I am looking for ideas, or pics. I can design and make most anything but am looking for a proven design so I don't have to reinvent the wheel. Thanks in advance.

If you don't need a very long one look at a Corsair F-27. They have a pivot on the bow so that the pole is stowed by tilting it up vertical. There is a bridle line to each ama and the only line that needs to be attached/removed is the bobstay. I guess the issues for conversion to a cat will be can you have aft loads on the middle of your front beam, and instead of one bobstay you will have two, and the bobstays will have a worse angle for holding the pole down.

I just looked at the Catana website. The boats they are promoting have a pole supported as I described without the upper bridle, it just doesn't look like they are able to pivot the pole.

John

[Serrano]

The Seawind 1160 has a system like the Corsair one John mentions. Seems to work very well. Sprit hinges from centre of front cross beam, with a simple tensioning system attached to each hull low on the bow. When this is released, sprit folds up vertically. Standard furler systems won't work but there a a range of furler options designed for reachers and Code Zeros that will -talk to your sailmaker.

Charles

[northerncat]

check out spirited design catamarans im pretty sure they have a picture on their website showing how to make a compositefolding sprit
sean

[sv_makai]

Take a look around at other Catanas. We have several friends that own them and they were outfitted from the factory with retractable sprits that swing up.

Makai uses a retractable of sorts. We have a 4 foot bow sprit that is mounted on a knuckle at the cross beam center. When the lower port stay is detactched the tip swings to the starboard side. It uses a release like a spinaker pole so that it can be totally removed if desired. We usually just tie it to the cross beam. Simple.

[Tnflakbait]

There are a couple ways to do it. If you have a support spliting your tramp from the wingbridge to the forward extrusion, then you can use a small folding sprit. (As mentioned before). This could fold up when not in use. It would need two support lines or wires. These support lines would hook onto eyes low on your bows.

If you don't have the central support spliting your tramp you will need the sprit to come all the way to the wingbridge. (Like a beach cat) This would be more like a spinnaker pole that you rig like a bow sprit. You can connect it to the wing bridge, then to your forward extrusion, then reinforce the overhang with the two support lines previously mentioned.

Either way there will be custom metalwork. The folding technique would be far easier to deploy.

[West Coast Cat]

Thanks for all the replies, I don't have a split tramp and didn't want to run a tube all the way to the bridge deck, though I had thought of that. I saw pictures of a hinged bowsprit on a cat, with lines running down to blocks on the eyes - low down on the hull, the screecher or gennaker would be on a Facnor continuous line furler ( no extrusions ). The lines from the tip of the bowsprit are eased and the bowsprit hinges up / or to the side. I would probably use a single line to attach to the hull eyes so the bowsprit would be self centering. Any pics of any of the set-ups described above would be appreciated. A picture is worth a thousand words.

[senormechanico]

How about a folding sprit that folds sideways? A couple whisker stays would hold it laterally while a bobstay would take the vertical loading.
This way, you could keep the furled sail attached even when it's folded.

Steve B.

[West Coast Cat]

Originally Posted by Pblais

As a rule adding a bowsprit is maybe one of the most expensive things you can imagine.

Boy I thought the hydraulic steering would take care of the biggest expense.

[mark_morwood]

Just curious - why put hydraulic steering on a Catana 39?

Mark.

[West Coast Cat]

Really tired of tiller steering, and want a more reliable auto pilot, on the steering quadrant as opposed to the tiller. Plus the tiller gets in the way, my kids and guests usually end up tripping on them. Lastly steering with the tillers puts me out of the cover of the cockpit, a wheel in the cockpit is a better solution for me.

[mark_morwood]

Got it. I forgot the 39 came with tiller steering.

Mark.

[colemj]

How far forward do you need to get the screecher? Manta uses a wire bridle connecting the bows of the two hulls. A Facnor continuous line furler attaches to a block that runs on the bridle. The block is controlled by lines like a traveller, so that the tack of the screecher can be adjusted side to side. Below is a picture of the setup without the furler attached. The furler would attach where the halyard is clipped to the system. In other words, the drum would attach to the ring on the block running on the bridle and the top swivel would be connected to the halyard. This system works well for me and clears all other rigging.

Mark