Small aft sail?

thanks k

 

Spanker is a term that hasn't been used in a hundred (literally) years and typically referred to the gaffed aft most sail of a square rig ship. A ship rigged "fore and aft" would have a mizzen.

You can try a steadying sail on your houseboat Ted, but frankly, with the windage you have, it's not likely you'll have much success with it, particularly in a good blow. You could try a hard sail, rather then Dacron sail cloth. This would stand in blow and permit sufficient size, to tame your floating shoebox (no offense intended).

Most houseboats are not well suited to strong winds, as they have too much bulk above the LWL, a high CG and little immersed lateral resistance. This translates into a squirrelly vessel when the wind pipes up. Hanging back, off a couple of well placed hooks will probably be you best bet when conditions deteriorate.

 

Thanks, Yeah, it sticks out there. It sure helps if I keep it the 9' width into the blow, rather than the 36' side. Head on it pulls at the rope & pitches a bit. Side on, she rolls like a bad pair of dice! Just looking for some mechanical advantage to turn the pig.

 

Twin hooks and a bridle or double hooks and clever use of deck cleats. You may be slightly better in a blow if you take it on the quarter, with the bow up, but not dead up, so the forward corner of the cabin can part the breeze. You can find this "sweet spot" by adjusting the bridle or leads on your rodes. Also, with your big awning up forward, you may consider lying with your stern up, as the windage from the larger deck structures forward will cause your boat to naturally lay stern to more comfortably.

 

WoooW, naughty but nice? I came by too late but to throw a well done - can't issue points AGAIN - I think we are supposed to by cautious in the giving (of points but Praise in the verbal kind, you have got it :::::

Ted if that is it on the trailer & alongside - may pay to cut a small hole in the roof, RE-INFORCE that hole area and feed the mast down to the floor or something solid. May pay to put some stays to hold it vertical as someone is BOUND to use it as a swing to go out over the water & let go!!! - shame if it bent or broke :sad:

 

Always wondered, wouldnt' this piece of cloth flap as the boat rolls?
No matter how tightly it is centered and sheeted i imagine the stretch
in the fabric would cause it to have some bagginess, and to me it would drive you nuts, as it goes flap flap...
Or do you sheet it off the center, so that it is filled on one tack, as a normal sail? Even then i would think it would be throwing itself all over the place.

 

Let the sail free a little and on the pick should fill and stay sort-of-quiet. - fiddle with settings.

 

It takes some experimentation, but you can carry a steadying sail quite effectively. I've always used a bridle off a single hook or twin hooks which permits a fair amount of adjustment to suit conditions and orientation. The sail is usually cut quite flat. I know some that back the steadying sail to force the boat to keep her rode taunt, while others set it on a close reach and adjust the rodes (or bridle) to apply pressure against the hook(s).

Though again Ted, I think you'll have limited steadying effect with all the windage you're carrying. Try stern to and see if you can manage a boat position that is more comfortable.

 

Thanks. The foredeck awning + the tad higher wheel house, tend to swing the boat stern to the wind, IF i set a stern anchor only. The problem is the whole aft cabin wall is glass. Deck to roof, side to side. (I'm working on that also). The waves "smack" the blunt transom, then splash the "window". At the least, it is irritating, once it was terrifying. I'd rather have the bow with its higher ,smller window take the wave. The bow will usually ride up, lessoning the amount of onboard water. I have never tried "quarter on", sounds good.