[ Post a Response | North American Fireball Message Board ]
Posted by Dave White First the advantage of twings is all you have to do is pull a line and the guys is set down on the deck without having to reach out and find the guy floating or tossing in the air. In heavy conditions this is a huge help. Also if the crew forgets to release the guys after a gybe all you have to do is uncleat the old guy and it floats out to the proper postion as it becomes the sheet without the crew having to come in from the trap if he is already out. The hook you are talking about can be a source of problems with things getting caught or wrapped around it. Usually during a critical move. The rings on the boom are a common item and usually homemade from a variety of things. The most common being PVC pipe that is cut and riveted to the boom. This rig is usually used with a double ended pole set up as the pole is held up at the mast by the topping lift that has some type of loop spliced into it to hold the pole up. When you shove the pole out there is a cleat looking fitting in the middle of the pole that catches this loop and the pole pulls the topping lift out into position as the crew attaches the pole to the mast. You can gybe and take the pole down from either side and stowe it regardless of what end is attached to the mast. The main advantage with that system is you can gybe the boat then switch the pole after the gybe. With the single ended system the pole should be detached from the mast before the gybe so the pole is in position to reattach it to the guy and amst after the gybe. The double ended system is faster in the gybes but the single ended poles are quicker during take downs and hoistings as the pole is already attached to the toping lift and the pole rides along the shock cord automatically during the take downs and once you detach it from the mast it automatically stows itself allowing the crew to begin dowsing the spinnaker immediately. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages but one big advantage with the twings si the use of a gybing ball that is not available with the hook and cleat system found on older boats as you explained. The gybing ball is a small ball that floats on the port spinnaker sheet or guy between the twing and the after spinnaker block. There is thread spliced or sewn into the shhet so the ball can be stopped at a certain point, usually at the point where the pole is near or against the forstay. Again during a gybe this ball stops the guy from running out and having the crew to pull excess guy in to get the pole into position before cleating it down. Usually the helsman can set the pole quickly because he only has to pull the pole back a few feet and cleat it down. Again using the right type of cleats help but this is a big advantage over the the systems that do not have them and you can only have them with twings. I hope this helps answers some of your questions. --Previous Message--
on 3/8/2006, 8:09 am, in reply to "Twings and pole storage"
162.39.53.3
John,
: Two quick questions as I get #7635
: back in the water in Minnesota after
: replacing the deck (not many
: Fireballs to look at in this area
: for rigging ideas!).
:
: First, twings. I understand the
: general concept based on what is in
: the draycote website, but I still
: don't understand the advantage over
: a simple hook plus a cleat. There
: is a cleat just in front of the
: shroud that allows cleating the
: spinnaker guy - it seems to me that
: this should allow the guy to be
: slack after this point, allowing the
: crew to hike out without getting
: tangled in lines. This is cited as
: the advantage to twings, though, so
: like I said I'm missing something.
:
: Second, pole storage along the boom,
: the aft end. I saw a rigging
: suggestion that proposed using a
: shock cord "track" that
: was fed through a block on the aft
: end of the pole (I will have a
: single-ended setup), and terminated
: on either side of the boom. What I
: see most commonly in photos is the
: use of ring(s) made of cable(?) that
: is capable of holding the pole when
: not in use. Is there a part number?
: Home made? Also, does the crew
: manually guide the pole through the
: ring when storing?
:
: Thanks in advance!
:
Message Thread:
« Back to thread
Thanks for stopping by!
Phil Locker - CAN14678 - marshall of the message board