How do you rig the gun mount pole?

Boat Systems
1

Hi All

Having spent my first season without the Gun Mount Pole on board I am now ready to pop it back on board and give it a go.

My spinnaker pole has blocks mounted within the pole itself, about 6" inside the end of the pole. I presume these are for the clew lines but as I can find no documentation I can’t tell.

Also how are the pole control lines rigged? By this I mean the ones that extend or retract the pole. Having used the line length from the manual there does not seem to be enough line to create a 2:1 purchase along the pole from the gun mount T. The online F32 manual is not clear enough for me to see how this is rigged.

The pole itself has a ring on the T-bracket gun mount, a mother loop on the pole itself, and two double blocks inside the pole ends as well as a loop each end for attaching lines/blocks.

I have a UK F33 (that is the F32 Sloop ish but UK built)

Any advice gladly received.

2

Hello, this doesn’t seem to have gotten any traction. I am in the process of rigging my gun mount now and was looking for pictures or advice.

Fortunately for me my boat came with a lot of documentation from the PO and it includes the commissioning instructions and looks to have diagrams showing what goes where.

If you would like I can try to scan that in and take pictures of my progress for you.

If anyone has a hoyt 32 with the spinnaker rigged I would love to see your line and block locations and rigging as well.

3

It’s been about 9 years since I’ve used a gunmount - had one on my Mull F30. Not sure if Hoyt and Mull gunmounts are the same. On mine, the poll was centered in the gunmount tube and locked in place (half on either side) with a set screw - with large knurled knob on top. There were essentially 6 lines.
There was a leash from each end of the pole - led back to the cam cleats in the cockpit that allowed me to change the angle of the pole in relation to the boat. When jibing, the chute actually stays full and the boat jibes by rotating the poll.
There was a line (sheet?) attached to each clew that led through the blocks near each end of the pole to blocks attached to the big loop in the center of the
gunmount. From there the sheets led to blocks attached to the aft edge of the stemhead fitting that were then led back to sheet stoppers in cockpit - used to shape the sail.
The last 2 lines were the halyard, and a retrieval line that was attached to a reinforced loop in the center of the chute. The retrieval line was then led through the opening in the bow pulpit, through a block at its base and back through the spinnaker bag (sock) that was clipped along the life line.

To jibe - simply release one leash, pull in on the other and out the wheel over.
To drop the chute - release the halyard and pull on the retrieval line. The retrieval line draws the chute down through the rectangular opening in the top og the bow pulpit and into the storage bag along the lifelines - ready to launch when next needed.

We found it a bit tedious to set up - but a breeze to use once rigged.

4

2 corrections:

  1. Guess I should have spelled pole “pole” rather than “poll”. Looks like the political season is getting to me.
  2. The retrieval line does not lead through a block at base of bow pulpit - but directly to storage bag - if through a block, entire chute would need to go through the block.
    like i said - it’s been about 9 years since I used it. I’m about to install a reacher/crusing chute on flexible furler on my F38.
5

Sailmon,

Could you please send info on the type of furler you’re using? And how it has been working for you?

6

I just ordered the cruising chute and furler - so no experience as yet. I did want to go with a flexible furler rather than fixed extrison furler becasue I believe the whiploading of the free standing spar will be very hard on the extrusions.

My sailmaker has ordered a Selden top down furler with anti-torque line for me. The furler will use a continuous line drive. We are ordering a somewhat flat-cut 1.5 oz tri-radial crusiing spinnaker. Goal is to be able to sail on run through close reach in winds up to 18 knots. We will be installing in spring and I will be glad to share results.

7

Bob –
Sorry if I missed it earlier – could you clarify: are you eliminating your Camberspar jib, or keeping it and adding the chute?
Also, please give us all a report after you’ve had some experience with the new gear.

8

Hi Davidu

I would love details of how it all gets rigged. I know there are some on the forum site but the lines are not clear enough to distinguish and apart from that I am pretty sure mine has a non standard pole.

Also very interested in hearing how the fuller goes next spring Bob.

9

Excellent question. There is a part of me that is hoping to eliminate the camber spar jib. I love having the open foredeck for docking, working my manual S&L anchor windlass and perhaps lashing down a rolled up inflatable. Jury is still out on this question. We currently sail on Lake Erie and connecting bodies. We sail between 40 and 60 days per summer - including a 2 week trip and several long weekends. I currently find myself using the camberspar between 4 and 5 times per summer - mostly for short-tacking up the 4 mile breakwall channel inside the Cleveland (OH) Harbor when the wind is out of the East. The good news is we have about 16 months till we retire, throw off the lines and head south. Our goal is to cruise the East Coast and Carribbean for a couple of years. On the one hand I know I will enjoy the open foredeck and convenience of the furling sail. On the other hand, I don’t want to find myself in a position of clawing off a reef or lee shore in a blow.
There is one more unique thing about our plan to install the sail. Because it flies infront of the forestay, and becasaue we don’t have a gunmount, we are planning to install an eye in the hole on top of the bow pulpit where the gunmount tube would normally attach, and tack the chute there - above the lifelines. We hope to eliminate chafe while sailing and friction while rolling and unrolling the sail. Will definitely provide updates. Sadly, our next major project is haulout, winterizing and shrinkwrapping - Octiber 15th.

10

Here is a youtube video of a gunmount spinnaker launch. Not my video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc1-AsMX8uQ
I have a freedom 28 cat ketch, mizzen staysail, no spinnaker. Hope this helps though.

11

So its been just over a year and I have done nothing with my spinnaker. Finally getting back interested in her. I had become discouraged last year because I discovered I would have to rework some things on my deck and it wouldn’t be a simple project. so it went onto the back burner and is finally back on the menu.


I have the gun-mount installed and am currently using some of the thin flexible kitchen cutting boards to line the inside of the gun-mount. something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HN7ZGUQ/ref=psdc_289863_t3_B00CRF2JAK


I intend to replace those cutting boards with UHMW tape I have found on amazon. it will basically be a thin layer uhmw with an adhesive back. like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0191RP6JM/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w



next i bought some 3/8" sta set and went to work figuring it all out. Only this time I got an actual experienced sailor and rigger to work it all out with me.

You basically have 4 sets of lines. 8 lines in total/

  1. your halyard.
  2. your down-haul
    3&4, would be port and starboard reins
    5&6, would be port and starboard control lines
    7&8, would be port and starboard sheets

Now I have her rigged but have yet to fly, waiting on weather. once I have flown her I will work on a better deck layout. but this is what I have now.

  1. your halyard is run through the mast and was already run on my boat, should already be there for yours.
  2. down-haul is in the spinnaker sock. my spinnaker is in a sock that lays on the deck and has little ties to tie her to the stanchions or tow rail. the down haul is running through this sock to the head of the sail. I will know more when I finally get to run this sucker.

3&4, these lines tie or shackle to each end of the yard. they then run directly to the eyes and cam cleats on each side of the cockpit. yes, they really do just hang out in the open. maybe, it sure looks like that at this point. When the yard is put up they dont really seem to be much in the way. I have used one continuous run of about 80’ on this. each end is ties to the yard and its long enough to run through each eye and cam cleat and then still run all the way around the outside of the cockpit. we shall see how this works in practice. I have used an old line for this and will remeasure once I cut fresh line.

5&6, these lines slide the yard in and out of the gun-mount. each line is shackled or tied to each end of the yard. they then run to a block on the gun-mount, then to a block shackled to the anchor roller. from there they go to a set of eyes on the deck, and are routed to the cockpit. I am currently running both of these back to the cockpit along the port side of the boat.

7&8 are lines running from the cockpit, down the deck and to blocks attached to the base of the pulpit. from the base of the pulpit they go out to a block at each end of the yard. through that and attached to the clews on the spinnaker.

Alright folks, this is what the plan is, im heading out next chance I get so if something I have done strikes someone as a terrible Idea i am all ears!

Pictures to follow once I have everything sorted and run correctly

davidu

12

Sounds about right.

I would suggest you tie the bitter end of your retrieval line to a deck pad-eye with a bowline. If it accidentally pulls through the sock as mine, did during a race, one will experience some difficulty in dousing the chute with the line blowing 6 to 10 feet off one’s port or starboard bow.
I also recommend using green and red lines for numbers 5-8. I rigged mine so that pulling a red line will extend the yard to port and the green will do the same to starboard (this helps in telling new crew which line to pull). I did the same for the spinnaker outhauls. I grouped the outhauls on the same side of the boat and adjacent to the spinnaker halyard. I routed the yardarm outhauls to the rope clutches on the opposite side of the cockpit (once again to minimize crew confusion).

13

Hi all,

I have been reading this post and others about the gun mount system and still have a few questions about the specs for the freedom 21.

Can anyone tell me the dimensions for the pole (or yard) on the freedom 21 gun mount system (length, outer diameter, thickness)? I have found info for some of the larger freedoms, but not for the 21.

Second, i read here (http://www.freedom21.info/f21commission.pdf) that the bitter end of the spinnaker halyard is tied back to the spinnaker (through the sleeve) and is used as the retrieval line. So does the hlayrd simply run through the jammer on the coachroof and then fold back to the spinnaker sleeve, or do you run it through a pad eye or block first?

Thank you and best wishes
Jesse

14

Hi Jesse,

No, the retrieval line is NOT the bitter end of the spinnaker hallyard. It is a smaller diameter line that you will leave attached to the spinnaker. I use 30’ of 1/4" nylon braided line.

First find a clean floor or if using the ground insure there is nothing to snag your spinnaker. Lay out your sail and clearly mark each corner (Head, Port tack, & Starboard tack. Secure your retrieval line through the center grommet with a stopper knot. Pull all three corners of the sail together on the knot side of the sail. Lay the sock out and thread the coil of retrieval line through it (and, making sure to keep the head of the sail on the top, the port on the left, and the starboard on the right) pull the sail into the sock fore to aft.

Next move to your boat.
Secure your sock to the pulpit and pull the head and two tacks up through the open triangle of the pulpit and attach the hallyard and outhauls. Secure the aft end of the sock to the port side lifeline stanchion (I prefer to use the padeye on the port end of the traveler rail). Secure the bitter end of the retrieval line to the padeye on the port side of the cockpit gunnal with a boline.

When you are done sailing, unfasten the retrieval line from the padeye, coil it and stuff it into the aft end of the sock. Unfasten the head and clews, and tuck them into the fore end of the sock. Secure the halyard and outhauls to the eye on the center of the gun mount. Unfasten the sock from the pulpit and roll it up towards the aft end. Place rolled sock in the cabin for storage until next time.