SC15 with self tacking jib - setup pics!

[DanBerger]

OK, finally got the new rig on the boat and went out for a shake down cruise today. I had the mast raked at about 20 degrees and it is now at 16.5 degrees. I thought I would get it lower, like in the 10-12 degree range, but I guess my trig is a little rusty.

I know, I know, the factory says 5 degrees. I'm getting there.

A few things to note: I had plastic added to the batten pockets where the shrouds rubbed and I had windows added to the main and jib. The sailmaker misunderstood which panels to put the windows in, so he did the second and third panels. I had to send it back to get the bottom one done, which was really the only one that needs to be done. This is a Aquarius factory jib sail.

I ordered the complete SC15 self tacking kit (minus the siamese block) from Aquarius. I definitely recommend this because it was practically bolt on. In the kit, I got: compression pole socket, fully rigged compression pole, compression pole stays with adjusters, custom bridles, pelican striker, jib clew block (and traveler block and control line), and forestay with jib halyard pigtail. I think I got the Harken track and car, but I may have picked that up at West Marine.

I an looking for a better way to 'tie' the jib to the forestay and pelican striker. I'm not crazy about the strings that are used to tie it on. I'm thinking about using a hank from a Hobie 16 for the top one (that goes on the forestay) and soft shackles for the bottom ones that tie around the pelican striker. The ties work very well, they do their job so I can't really complain, but there has to be a better way.

If Tom is reading this--HELP! The ties are a pain in the a$$


Seriously, if you are considering this conversion--buy the kit from Tom.



And for those who don't know what a soft shackle is--I ganked a pic from eBay:

[DanBerger]

OK, a little walkaround of the compression pole and self tacking jib car, track and controls:

I had to grind the bracket and screws a little to clear the car.

[DanBerger]

These are shots of the end of the compression pole. I set the jib control system up like an Inter 20. I really wanted a 'continuous' line like on most other beach cats so I could get to it from either side of the boat. The SC20 rig with the siamese block is nice, but it has a single line coming out of it (and the traveler line, too). Great for a boat with crew, not so much for one without.

One drawback is that the line and blocks are heavy enough that in light wind, I can't get the sail out far enough going down wind because the line won't feed out all the way. I used Maffioli line, which is about the lightest, non water retaining line you can get. It doesn't handle UV very well, though. Someone gave it to me, but it would have been like 80 bucks. I'm keeping it. My barber hauler for those light days is just a bungee that I hook to the clew block and then to the spin control blocks (pictures later in the thread) or the corner of the trampoline.

I'm thinking about making a little forward tramp that is triangular and runs along the compression pole stays. The blocks and sheet would then sit on top of that and should help. It would be a goofy looking little tramp.

[DanBerger]

The jib control line goes back to swivel cam cleats on the beam, then across the boat and to the eyelet where the stock jib car mounts. I removed the metal eyelet and used a 'soft' one, which is just the outer layer of some cheap line.

I run the jib sheet around the outside of the trapeze bungee so I can get to it when I'm on the wire

[DanBerger]

Som pics of my downhaul

I rigged a custom setup that lets me adjust the downhaul on the fly from any angle on the boat. I put stoppers on the lines so it can bottom out and still be able to be adjusted from the other side.

I run the line (yellow) under the jib sheets and tie it off on the small shackle that attaches the shroud extender to the chainplate. I can get to this from the wire as well.

[DanBerger]

I swapped out the factory tiller connectors with yolks. I bought new plastic plugs, roatated them 90 degrees and drilled through top to bottom. I used a bolt with a long smooth shank so that it wouldn't shred the rudder control lines.

[DanBerger]

OK, for a little spinnaker action, I have added a big lance cleat and pulley to the side of the mast for the spin uphaul. The uphaul runs down through the lance cleat and then through the pulley. You can raise the sail from anywhere on the boat and even while standing up. Tom turned me on to this idea--when you pull up on the halyard (up because it runs through and 'turns' at that pulley), it runs through the cam part of the lance cleat and cleats automatically. To douse the sail, you just pull on the halyard (towards the back of the boat) right above the lance cleat which pulls it out of the cleat part, then it runs out through it. Pretty easy and very clever.

The lower pulley is taped to the mast (for now) because it was driving me crazy clanging around.

The control blocks are spring mounted on the front beam right above the hull. You can see one in the jib sheet pics. I'm up in the air about mounting the turn block. Tom suggested tying it to the bottom of the hayfield lever, but I have also seen them mount to the upper chainplate of the hayfield lever. I'm thinkging Tom is probably right, but the blocks will bang on the hull (again driving me crazy). If I go that way, I'll glue some carpet to the blocks to dampen the hull banging.

[DanBerger]

That's about it. I got a custom tramp from Slo sails and I really like it. I did have to get more material added to the sides because it pulled out of the track. I'm into the tramp for $200 plus shipping, so I can't complain. I wanted the lacing in the center because I just like it that way. Also, I added the tramp track on the front beam. That was an Aquarius piece (three pieces, actually).

I'm working on the spin set up--I have had a few conversations with Tom and I have the pole set up already. I want to use a SNU snuffer and I'll probably have to order a custom spin.

I also tape off every ring ding with white electrical tape. I am a little weird about it, but it makes all the sense in the world, especially if you are going to be away from land for a while. The ring dings won't work their way out and the white tape doesn't break down like the black tape does. You don't get that black sticky goo that gets all over everything from the black tape.

[DanBerger]

One more thing--I set up my trapeze handles like this:

I use the tail end of the adjuster line to mount the hook. The adjuster line is tied to a little sister clip which clips to the bungee. That makes it really easy to disconnect for trailering. I take out the keeper flap on the hook so it is easier to hook and unhook. In light wind, when I can't trap, I hook it up as shown and it is out of the way. If I know that I'm really not going to use it, I can hook it around the shroud so that it is really out of the way. When I know I'm going to use it, I hook the hook to the adjuster line right above it so that I don't have a hook flipping around.

I think it is a bad idea to have a hook on the boat becaus stuff would catch on it. These are plastic and can be broken easily if needed.

I like the J&H handles for the Supercat, but I have the metal dogbones on my A cat. They are more like the keyhole style. The adjuster line on those is tied to the smaller upper hole, so the larger keyhole part is loose. I get a metal dogbone flapping around and it bothers me that I'll take one in the teeth sometime, but is makes for a simple adjusting trapeze line. On big wind days, I hook into the keyhole part. on lighter wind days, I hook into the upper small hole that is about 6 inches higher. That's an A cat trick, I didn't come up with it.

[Bill Roberts]

Hi Pro,
That is a neat looking SC15 you have got there. To get sheeting lines to run out easily: I use spectra running through the blocks and then splice to something easy on the hands for the cleat. On your jib system for example, you could use 1/8th ins dia spectra between the sail clew and car and up to the single block. You have a 6 to 1 mechanical advantage system on the jib sheeting system, use something small in dia that flattens out in your hand like a strap for sheeting the jib. Smaller dia lines always run better than large dia lines. The eight stran lines that are easy to splice are soft and they flatten out in your hand a spread the load out. On the 22 I use 1/8th dia spectra on the jib sheet and main sheet. On the 30 I use 3/16 ins dia spectra on the jib sheet and mainsheet. For the part of the sheet that holds in the jam cleat and in your hands, I use 5/16 ins dia line, 8 stran.

[Bill Roberts]

Pro,
Relative to your first statement, question of the day: Why do H14s and H16s rake their masts so far back?

[gahamby]

Dan,
Nice pics. I dig the down haul.I never liked the stock one. The block between the jam cleats looks like an exit block for the main halyard. How does all that gear at the foot of the mast affect stepping and un- stepping the mast? What size bolt did you use to attach the tiller yolks? Where did the saddles and yolks come from. That tiller rig is exactly what I had in mind. Thanks GH

[DanBerger]

Bill,

I am sure I can't explain the Hobie rake it as well as you can, but it has to do with the hull design and moving the angle of the sails. I would like to hear your take on it as well as a comparison to the Supercat hulls and sail patterns--I'm going to start another thread just for that question so the discussion won't hijack this thread..

[DanBerger]

Gahamby,

You are right on the downhaul block in the center--it is the stock halyard pulley. I put it there to act as a spacer and it keeps the halyard back in the mast away from everything. The small Harken block at the bottom serves as the 'turn' block for the halyard.

I store the mast with the downhaul lines wrapped around it, but I have to unwrap everything when stepping. I don't have a problem stepping the mast if all of the blocks and flip-flop blocks are loose.

Jason has a sexy downhaul that is all inside the mast. It was difficult to set up and he had to move the mast sealing plug about 3 feet up inside the mast (thus losing buoyancy) but it is very clean.

On the yolks, they are standard for any catamaran--I use the same one for the tiller extension. The plastic pieces on the bottom are stock Hobie--if Tom doesn't sell them, you can probably just order the large yolk kit from Murrays:

http://www.murrays.com/mm5/merchant.mvc ... re_Code=MS