[blackflagsailor]

In one of my sailing books, I have a few small sailboat rigging diagrams. Both of these show something that looks like clamcleats mounted near or at the shroud/turnbuckle chain plates. Although I'm not sure as it's a line drawing image and smaller details are a bit unclear. These have something to do with the spinnaker sheets, but I'm not sure exactly what they are or how the are used. Can anyone tell me what a reaching hook is? I thing this book may have been originally publish in the UK so there may also possibly be a different term in the US for these.

 

[tommays]

In the old days we had a reaching strut which was a small pole mounted on the mast to help keep the sheet and guy off the shrouds when well reaching

It did require some lines to keep it in place and not whack you

I don't see them much anymore on smaller boast (35')

 

[SVAuspicious]

A reaching strut holds the clew of a jib out when going downwind. The go from the clew to a fitting on the side of the mast.

The cleats you describe are likely for twings that hold the spinnaker guy down. There should be a floating block on the spinnaker sheets - pull down the one that is the guy and ease the one that is the sheet.

 

[blackflagsailor]

In the old days we had a reaching strut which was a small pole mounted on the mast to help keep the sheet and guy off the shrouds when well reaching

It did require some lines to keep it in place and not whack you

I don't see them much anymore on smaller boast (35')

Hi!

You mean a Gaff Hook? I don't think these are for something like that. They honestly look like clamcleats that the spinnaker sheets are run through. I'll see if I can photo some pics from the book.

 

[tommays]

Reaching strut

https://www.google.com/search?q=spi...arsATU-oDIAg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1440&bih=783

various twings to control the guy

 

[blackflagsailor]

Reaching strut

https://www.google.com/search?q=spi...arsATU-oDIAg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1440&bih=783

various twings to control the guy

Thanks for sharing! I've never seen something like that.

 

[Faster]

In one of my sailing books, I have a few small sailboat rigging diagrams. Both of these show something that looks like clamcleats mounted near or at the shroud/turnbuckle chain plates. Although I'm not sure as it's a line drawing image and smaller details are a bit unclear. These have something to do with the spinnaker sheets, but I'm not sure exactly what they are or how the are used. Can anyone tell me what a reaching hook is? I thing this book may have been originally publish in the UK so there may also possibly be a different term in the US for these.

Sounds to me like you're describing 'twingers'....

See post #6 here:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/racing/77915-j-29-spinnaker-setup.html

 

[blackflagsailor]

Here's a few images:

 

[blackflagsailor]

Sounds to me like you're describing 'twingers'....

See post #6 here:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/racing/77915-j-29-spinnaker-setup.html

I think you may have solved this great mystery!

 

[capttb]

I'm not familiar with the term "twinger" how does this differ from a "Barber hauler"?

 

[Faster]

I'm not familiar with the term "twinger" how does this differ from a "Barber hauler"?

Barber haulers pull sheet leads inboard or outboard... twingers (used on spinn sheets) effectively change the lead angle similarly to moving the lead blocks without having to actually do so by pulling down on the normal sheet/guy lead.

 

[capttb]

I'll be darned, I've been rigging a "twinger" on my assy for reaching and calling it a "Barber Hauler".

 

[SHNOOL]

Twinger, Tweakers, and barber haulers are all kind of the same thing.

But looking at his pictures, I think the purpose is more directly related to the reaching strut, except in lieu of a strut they are just using a fairlead/cleat. We're talking a really small boat, and when reaching with the symmetrical (given the width of the bow), the guy would likely hit the shrouds... Again given the shape of the boat in question, and the pictures.

Twings/tweakers/barber haulers are shown here as "snatch blocks." Unless I have been calling these things wrong all along (could be!)

 

[Stumble]

Shnool,

Things and what in your diagram are called snatch blocks... Well they acomplish the same thing but in different ways.

The goal is to be able to adjust the spinnaker pole position, which requires the guy to be attached just aft of midship. Depending on how you rig the spinnaker changes how this will be done.

1) you can use a seperate sheet and guy on each side of the boat. This requires the guy to be led to a midship block which is permanently in place.

2) you can use the same line for both the sheet and guy. This requires a turning block at the back of the boat, and a twing where the midship block was. When you jibe the new sheet side twing is released and the old sheet side twing in pulled in (bringing the lead to midship).

Twings are typically used on smaller boats, but not necessarily. They do allow slightly better sail trim options since they can also be used to pull down on the sheet to change lead angles on the spinnaker. Which has the same effect on the spinnaker as moving the jib car forward.

 

[zz4gta]

A reaching hook is just that. A hook used while reaching on a small boat. Here's a picture:

Instead of using a block on a dinghy, when you heat it up to a reach you push down on the guy, and hook it in the reaching hook. This keeps the guy off the shrouds when you ease the pole foreward.

it is NOT a:

Barberhauler - are used to pull in or out on a jib sheet. Barbers usually outward pull, inhaullers are usually inward pull.

Twing - are pulling down on spin sheets.

Reaching strut - but closely related in function. Hook can't take the load on larger boats, so you use a strut.

 

[Alex W]

In one of my sailing books, I have a few small sailboat rigging diagrams. Both of these show something that looks like clamcleats mounted near or at the shroud/turnbuckle chain plates. Although I'm not sure as it's a line drawing image and smaller details are a bit unclear. These have something to do with the spinnaker sheets, but I'm not sure exactly what they are or how the are used.

Those sound like they are used when the sheets are being changed to guys. This is a common setup on older 505 dinghies for instance.

On keelboats the more common solution is to have twing lines run to that point, which can pull in the spinnaker sheets. That setup is also used on modern 505s.

 

[Alex W]

Here's a few images:

These images look like they are for a 420, but the rigging is very similar to my early 70s UK 505. Those "reaching hooks" are the equivalent of a twing and are used for the guys.

 

[PaulinVictoria]

We run tweakers (or twingers if you prefer) on our J24. They allow not only adjustment of the spin sheet lead angles, but we don't have a downhaul on the pole so they also help to keep the pole under control. When we gybe we release one and bring the opposite site in. It's the alternative on a lot of smaller boats to using seperate guys and sheets for the spin. Saves a lot of line and fiddling around during a gybe.

 

[blackflagsailor]

Lively topic! I should explain why I'm asking about reaching hooks I guess. I have a C-Lark 14 that I am researching rigging a spinnaker for. There isn't much info on spinnakers for my boat. I even have another topic on here.

 

[Alex W]

I think I suggested this in another thread, so if I'm repeated myself I'm sorry.

There is a really good dinghy rigging book called "Rig Your Dinghy Right" that is all about rigging dinghies and it goes heavily into spinnaker rigging options. It is out of print, but I bought an old copy on Amazon for under $20 and it helped me out a lot.

If you aren't planning on racing the C-Lark with the spinnaker in any sort of one design race you might also want to look at asym options. There will be many less lines and with a small bowsprit it'll be easier to jybe.