TOPIC:

Hello,
I have a few, probably stupid sounding, questions about my first dinghy, and wondered if anyone could help.
I'm intested in doing a bit of dinghy cruising.
I've done a bit of sailing in already rigged hire boats but never had to rig a mast before. I collected my newly purchased but old wooden Albabcore yesterday, and tried to rig the mast. I wasn't sure if everything was there as the mast step is just two pins through a fitting which the bottom of the mast seems to slot into and it doesn't seem very reassuring, but after looking at some photos on the web it seems to be probably correct. There is a cut out on the fore deck which the mast fits in but am I right in thinking the mast doesn't use this to help hold it in position as it's too flimsy to take any pressure? Also there is no mast gate retainer device. Should I be relying on the shrouds and forestay and fitting at the foot of the mast alone to hold the mast in position?
Got the shrouds attached ok, managed to get the mast upright after a few nerve wracking moments (is it safe to let go of the mast at this point?)
Unfortunatley the forestay wouldn't reach the bow fitting, it's maybe 6 inches too short. Am i missing something? We couldn't move the mast any further forward as it was already putting pressure on the foredeck.
The spreaders a loosly free moving on hinges. Is this correct?
I was hoping I might be abale to step the mast and rig the boast single handed. Is this jsut not going to happen, or is there a method I can use?
The standing rigging and fittings on the boat look ok to my novice eye, I should probably get a surveyor to have a look at it though, for peace of mind.
Looking forward to some advice!
Thanks
Dave.

I'll have a look.
Thanks.

For the mast retainer a part made by holt should do the trick part number is HT4107 or HT4107S the're both in the holt catalogue which can be found online here . You should check with your local chandlery to see if they have hot them a I can't find them on the usual website I use.

All brilliant advice thanks. I think I have the confidence to give it a go now.
I have some strong nylon which I can use to extend the forestay with a few loops (which knot is used for this, I've think I've seen it used on sail clews on yachts etc. but I can't find it in my knot books).
I don't have a launching trolley but at the Pugneys local boating lake people seem to reverse the road trailer down to the water. I'll have to give this a try and see if it's feasible with the Albacore. I may get a combi trailer at some point if this doesn't work. I'm just waiting for my towbar to arrive for the VW camper now before I can tow the boat.
I've had some problems fitting the rudder and tiller, the tiller was screwed to the rudder stock and wouldn't fit the boat through the hole in the transom so I had to unscrew it, fit the rudder stock and screw the tiller back on. There was no bolt/pin to hold the rudder to the stock so I found a bolt, washers and a wingnut at b&q that would do for now.
There are no toestraps in the boat, is this essential even for cruising?
I'm having truoble finding a mast retainer fitting on the web so if anyone knows where I can find one I'd be grateful.
I was thinking of taking the boat down to the Norfolk Broads in a few weeks for my hols. Is there a good area I could explore without lowering the mast for bridges?

Dave, once you know what you're doing stepping the mast can be a single handed task, but not it there's any breeze!! Get someone to help you, as AC-B says, generally other sailers will be only to willing to help. With care even a heavy adult can get into the boat on dry land to help step the mast.

Also, take the boat off the road trailer, its much easier to step the mast when the boat is on the launching trolley as its lower to the ground and you won't have to lift the mast so high!



Steve

I usually find that if one starts "Tossing the Caber" (well, tossing the Proctor) singlehanded in a dinghy park some other dinghy owner will hasten to your aid, if only out of enlightened self interest!



I don't like the idea of stepping inside the boat with the boat out of the water.



The real problem is the way the foot of the mast wanders about, gyrates round in circles, and goes anywhere but the mast step!



An heretical method is to have a cushion to rest the mast heel on whilst you get a breather and take a new grip. I find it goes into the gate easily, but getting it into the step takes longer. This assumes someone is tallying on the forestay and you've got the gate shut.




It is definitely a help to have the halyards, kicker and what have you tied well out of the way, as piloting the mast past the toestraps, and the c/b tackle if you have a metal one, is quite enough!



I freely confess that the reason I have not yet taken our Albacore on a Norfolk Broads cruise is fear of unstepping and raising the mast when afloat!



AC-B2009-07-21 17:25:02

It depends a bit on the person, however most people I know will just get the mast vertical outside the boat right opposite the mast step and then lift it into the boat and secure the retaining plate.It would also help if you tried a dummy lift with the mast in a clear area first. NB In med - strong winds this method can be significantly more difficult. Please note that you should NOT try this if you are in any doubt about your abilities - best get someone to help.
You can stand inside the boat to place the mast but you should be carfeful especially if your heavier. Its also a good idea to check the boat is supported well on its supports. However I would not advocate walking forward through the boat lifting the mast.
regards
Robert

Thanks for your help everyone. I'm feeling much more reassured on most of the points above now, and prepared to go for a sail.
I'm in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and my email is dave.hall(at)team17.com if anyone wishes to get in touch with advice etc.
I will look at fitting a mast retainer if it enables single handed mast stepping. The wood is a bit flimsy in that area so I suppose it would be best to strengthen by gluing or screwing some wood blocks under the edge of the mast gate to strengthen it enough to take the strain on the retainer bolts.
What is the technique for rigging the mast single handed? Is anything wrong with the following: With the boat on the trailer, tip the boat trolley down at the nose.
Lay the mast along the boat with the heel in line with the heel of the mast pointing to the bow, level with the mast step. Attach the shrouds. Walk forward inside the boat raising the mast as you go. (Is there a way of avoiding standing inside the wooden boat as I thought this was a bad idea?) With the mast upright, lift it properly into the mast step. Close the mast retainer, at which point the mast will not fall. Attach the forestay and or jibstay. Trailer boat into water.
Thanks again,
Dave.

Hi Dave
Welcome to the forum.
Derek and Marilyn have given you sound advice to get started. A mast retainer is actually required by the rules if racing but more importantly it is essential if stepping the mast yourself, as with the mast securely in the mast step the retainer will give the mast enough support for you to rig the shrouds and forestay at your leisure. As to the speaders ones that move are ok as are ones that are fixed, most older boats will probably have swinging ones(which I personally prefer) but newer proctor masts tend to have fixed spreaders. There is loads of information available about how to set up your boat to get the best out of it and a quick look through the forum will reveal a lot of it. But please feel free to post here with any questions as someone will normally have an answer to even the most obscure enquiries ! Please consider joining the association and good sailing
Robert

Hi Dave, and welcome to one of the friendliest and most helpful boating forums, as well as a superb class of dinghy.

We have an old Alb. that we are currently refurbing, and we have gained much helpful advice and encouragement from articles on this forum. It is well worth while having a trawl through some of the older posts.

Unforunately you have joined the forum on the day when many of our most experienced crews are either at or travelling to Largs for the Albacore International Championships, so they will be too busy to reply quickly.

I will have a go at reassuring you on your current observations;

An Alb. is an ideal cruising boat and can also be sailed singlehanded in the right conditions. Sails can be cut down by a percentage of the full sail area by any good sailmaker, as reefing is not usually easy with dinghy rigs. There are often used sails offered on this forum, and in fact, as I have just upgraded our own sail locker I do have two suits of sails ready to go to another home, or the bin.

Now to rigging - An Alb rig is quite tall and it is usually a two person job to raise the mast and set the rigging up without accident (someone may refute that, no doubt) and it is indeed the shrouds and forestay that hold up the mast - its not a Laser! so don't rely on the mast gate in the deck either. Your mast step sounds like the normal fitting, and many people do put a pin of bolt through the holes and through a hole drilled through the mast heel to save the mast from jumping out during a capsize.


For cruising it is worthwhile to consider some mast-top buoyancy in the form of a plastic fender or similar to prevent the mast inverting during a capsize which would make self-recovery very difficult.


A mast gate retainer is optional, but might be reassuring during mast erection, but with one person holding the mast upright whilst another fits the riggng to the boat is a much safer bet.

Forestays on racing dinghies mainly serve to hold the mast up during periods of storage, and the foreward tension is mainly taken by the steel wire in the jib luff ( jib hanks are not needed) whilst the sails are in use.

Therfore the fact that the forestay is not long enough does not matter as you can use several turns of a strong nylon lanyard to secure the bottom end of the forestay to the stem fitting, rather like the rigging on many Mirror dinghies. Don't release the forestay arrangement when the jib is up and taking the strain though, in case the jib luffwire or halyard should break (not unknown) The forestay can then happily flap arround loosely while your out sailing, ready to take up the strain in the event of a breakage.

Spreaders are usually fixed loosely to the mast by some type of flexible (adjustable) fitting so that suitable adjustments can be made - now we are entering the sphere of the experts who can better advise you than I, but some guidance is available on this website too.

You have bought the boat so a Surveyor is too late, but many Alb. sailors are out there and willing to encourage newcomers, so if you post your email address or telehone number and your region, then someone can contact your to show you their own boat, and offer more advice on yours. ( use an underscore (-) or something other than @ to avoid spam)



I do recommend you to contact Jean and join the Alb. Association too.



Good luck and enjoy your Alb.



Derek

Forestay lanyard - fix the nylon to the eye on the forestay with a bowline ( one of the most useful knots for boating) and then use a round turn and two half-hitches to complete the job after taking a couple of loops throught the bow plate. Since the holes in the bowplate are usually too small to take the nylon, add a small bow shackle - see this on the fourth picture that Ed Cruwys has posted with his for sale ad. for his Alb. 6818 Cyclone. I find that looking at pictures of other peoples' boats is helpful - Ed's are very good.

You really do need to find a second hand launching trailer in the long run as regular immersion of road trailer wheels is not recommended.

Rudders come in many formats, but yours does sound a bit unusual' and may be a problem should you need to remove your rudder in a hurry.

Toe straps may not be essentil for cruising in mild conditions, but I would not wish to sail a performance dinghy without them, and you will soon want to fit them so that you can sit out securely, and really enjoy the buzz that an Alb. will provide. See Ed's pics.

The Broads provide wonderful sailing, but beware of strong currents and a multitude of boats on some waters. Somewhere sheltered like Hickling Broad might be a good place to try - contact Hickling Sailing Club perhaps.

If I were starting though I would try somewhere like Alton Water near Ipswich where there are full-time instructors and a rescue boat in attendace every day.


The RNLI have just published an excellent and free booklet and CD-ROM "SEA SAFETY" The complete guide, covering all the various watersports, and it is full of useful tips for beginers and the more experienced - ring them for a copy. They do push for RYA training courses, and the wearing of lifejackets, which I believe are essential items - Useless unless worn is their catchphrase, and so right they are.

Hoping this may be helpful, and have some good sailing.