Alberg 29 rig on a Bayfield 25

[Sonie]

Thinking of using mast and sails of alberg 29 on my B25 (currently has no mast sails, rigging)

A typical B25 has a mast height of 28.5 feet, boom 10ft.
A typical A29 has a mast height of 36 feet (from deck to masthead) boom 12.5ft.

I would use the origional boom from B25 (10ft) and Mast from A29 (36ft.) and all standing riogging from A29
Sail area would be:
Stock B25 w orig. main and boom: Main - 124ft2
Mast from A29, boom from B25: Main - 160ft2

I would have to cut the Alberg main to fit. I would then add another forestay (headstay?) to make the boat into a cutter. I would cut down the two jibs from the alberg to make two small headsails.

Is this a good idea or not? The B25 increased it's disp. and ballast over the years but never its sail area... How much of an increase in SA can I get away with?

Thanks,
Andre.

[tom28571]

From what I remember, Bayfields count the clipper bow in the length measurement so they are not so large as they sound. Arent they also shallower draft than most boats their size? More sail area might not be such a great idea. If they increased ballast over the years, they might also have been tender. I'd consult a NA that could calculate the result of your proposal before adding more weight or area up high.

[Sonie]

B25 = 3' draft 4000 disp.
A29 = 5' draft 9000 disp.

Good point. What do you think about cutting the mast and sails down to the orig. B25 height? Anyone have experience with cutting down alum. spars? When cutting sails, should I take material from the leech or luff?

Andre.

[Skippy]

Sounds like a bowsprit might be helpful to reduce mast compression. Should a cutter mast be that tall? How about a double-headsail sloop to keep the helm balanced?

If you're narrowing the foot while keeping the original luff, definately cut the luff and the foot, not the leech. The weave of the cloth has to stay lined up with the leech.

[Carlito's]

I think he needs bowsprit if he add mainsail area to balance weatherhelm. I don't see any problem on cutting aluminum spars we do it often here. Just look at the specs of the two masts and be sure that the diference in size its not too big, half inch difference on both ways of the mast its acceptable to me. When make the cut, consider the point where you have the forestay attached to the mast before the cut and were you want it after the cut just to take advantage of the holes that are done. Maybe you will need to cut it on both sides. Consider too how much you are paying for the spar just to cut it maybe it is not price effective.

What is real its that I don't recomend add all this sail area, Im not engineer but the numbers don't looks too balance.
1.A heaviest spar will reduce the sail area you can hold.
2.Its not recomended recut a sail more than a 10% of it's original size
3.If the spar is too heavy you can cut it a little shorter than the original and compensate the sail area loosed by:
A. Add boom and a use bowsprit
B. Cut the sail with biggest roach
C. Moving up the forestay anchorage on mast to increase jib area with this you
eliminate the need of make a bowsprit
I personaly don't know the boats of what you are talking about but we do much inserts here (Frankenstain's) with our native boats. We call it the art of make things work.