[Rhodes22-list] Fw: Jibbing

[Roger Pihlaja]

Keith,

When the rig on a Rhodes 22 is properly setup and operated, it is not
physically possible to have interference between the boom and the double
backstays.

You didn't say whether you have a standard mainsail or the IMF mainsail.
Measure the pin-to-pin length of your forestay.  Assuming you have the
standard mainsail, the forestay length should be about 333-5/8 inches.  If
the forestay is longer than this, it will cause the static tilt of the mast
to be leaning too far aft.  However, I would think it would require an error
in forestay length of several inches too long to cause an interference
between the boom & the backstays.  I'm not certain what the nominal forestay
length with an IMF mast should be.  But, again if the mast is leaning too
far aft, it creates the possibility of an interference between the boom &
the backstays.  If your forestay is too long by the amount required to cause
a boom-to-backstay interference; then, I'm pretty certain there won't be
sufficient adjustment available in the system to adjust away the problem.
The forestay will have to be cut and a new fitting swaged onto the end of
the wire.  If your mast is leaning this far aft; then, it will definitely
look weird & the boat will have a moderate to severe weather helm.  This
seems like a highly unlikely scenario; but, I suppose mistakes of this
magnitude can happen.  Before you do any forestay cutting, I would contact
Stan at GBI.

A couple of other highly unlikely scenarios are that you have a nonstandard
boom which is too long or that someone installed or moved your mast aft from
the standard position.  Assuming a standard mainsail, your boom should be
about 116 inches from the aft face of the mast slot to the end of the boom.
The so-called "J" measurement from the front face of your mast to the bow
chainplate at deck level should be 106 inches.  If either of these
measurements are more than a couple of inches longer than these values;
then, you may have a problem.  I don't know the standard values for these
parameters if you have an IMF mainsail.  But, if they have been altered from
stock; then, they could cause this same boom-to-backstay interference
problem.  In either case, you will need to contact Stan at GBI for help!

Now I will discuss what I think are the two most likely causes of your
problem:

The backstays are purposely made several inches too long in order to
facilitate connecting the forestay at the bow chainplate when stepping the
mast.  Prior to sailing, the backstay adjuster must be used to take up the
slack in the backstays.  If the backstays were grossly slack, there might be
sufficient sag in the wires to permit a boom-to-backstay interference.  So
Keith, did you use the backstay adjuster to at least take the gross slack
out of the double backstays?

The aft end of the boom is supported by a line from the masthead called the
boom topping lift.  With the boom in the upper position, if the boom topping
lift were used to elevate the aft end of the boom by a couple of feet; then,
I suppose it might be possible create a boom-to-backstay interference.  I'm
not certain why anyone would want to elevate the aft end of the boom with
the topping lift in this manner.  Elevating the aft end of the boom in this
manner would cause the mainsail to assume a really ugly, bellied out,
wrinkled, twisted sailshape that wouldn't be appropriate for any point of
sail except sort-of, perhaps a dead run.  After hoisting the mainsail, you
should let out sufficient slack in the boom topping lift that the weight of
the boom is taken by the leech of the mainsail.

Other than the above, I'm fresh out of ideas regarding how the boom could
get hung on the backstays.

Hopefully, one of these suggestions was helpful to your situation.  Good
luck!

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium




----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Meltzer" <mjm at michaelmeltzer.com>
To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 2:25 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Fw: Jibbing


> ended up at the wrong address, I am forwarding it to the list
>
> MJM
>
> PS. should not happen, was your rigging tigth?
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: keith burkhardt
> To: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 1:24 PM
> Subject: Jibbing
>
>
> Ok I was sailing Mary Margeret yest. in 20 knotts of wind >>>When i put up
the main and barred off I had to make a quick Jib to miss a hidden log.
When I did the boom got hung up in the back stays/ adjuster __boon was in
High position>> ow could i have prevented this situation ,, thanks Keith
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>