Camber spar too long?

User avatar
JohnReinagel
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 1:44 pm
Location: Suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.

Camber spar too long?

Post by JohnReinagel »

I recently purchased a 1984 Hoyt F32, while attempting to set up the camber spar I was unable to get the grommets over the horns at the clew. I saw a post that someone actually lashed line and stretched the sail to get the grommets on the horns. I did this and did get the grommets on the horns. For my set up, this doesn't seem right since the tension is so great that the sail cannot take any other shape at that section but flat. Also, when I attempt to drop the sail, I need to remove the lower hank and remove the tack from the deck, and even after that the camber spar seems to push the fore-guide over the front on the bow pulpit a bit and seems to get bound up. Is someone familiar with what may be going on here? I am going to remove the sail from the horns and lash the grommets to the horns at different tensions, and maybe modify the camber spar length if needed, but maybe someone has already experienced this and has a better answer.

Thank you,

John
John


1984 Hoyt F32
Hull #53

User avatar
Hans
Posts: 126
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:28 am
Location: Deventer, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by Hans »

John,
When I started sailing with Freedom I experienced the same problem, what resolved it on my boat: the forestay was a bit too tight, giving more slack helped.
As you can see on the sailplan the luff of the jib isn't straight, it has a bight in it when the jib is raised and sheeted in.
In order to allow this to happen there must be enough slack in the forestay. When pulling the grommets over the horns ( always a nasty job) you must have enough play in the forestay to push the spar so far direction of the forestay that you create this bight. It helps if somebody lifts the fore end of the spar to about the same height, as it has when the jib is raised, at the same time when you're pushing the spar forward.
Hope this helps,
Hans Hansen, Makkum,The Netherlands.
Freedom 45AC #47 "Scherezade".

User avatar
JohnReinagel
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 1:44 pm
Location: Suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by JohnReinagel »

Thank you Hans for your reply and insight. I had as much slack in the cable as the hardware connections allowed, but yet with the camber spar resting near the swage, the cable must have been crimped (??) enough to sheer. Since posting this I have read of some people using PVC or something like a shroud cover over the assembly to stop the camber spar from dropping low enough to place that pressure on the cable, this seems to make sense. Any chance you attempted that?

Thank you,

John
John


1984 Hoyt F32
Hull #53

User avatar
RadioZephyr
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:04 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by RadioZephyr »

Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but I had an issue with my camber spar dropping too low on the jib stay when the sail was down, and getting caught on the swage fitting. As a result, the fitting itself had become slightly bent by the attempts to raise the sail with the camber spar caught on it, making it even more likely to get hung up. My solution was placing a stainless wire rope clamp above the swage fitting to prevent the camber spar from sliding down over it. I only installed it a couple weeks ago, but it seems to be working just fine. I ordered the clamp from McMaster-Carr, part number: 3017T43 (https://www.mcmaster.com/#3017t43/=183e2tc).
Josh
Sunset Spy
F38, Hull #152
Boston, MA

User avatar
JohnReinagel
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 1:44 pm
Location: Suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by JohnReinagel »

Hello RadioZephyr, being so new to the F32 I cannot say with any certainty what I am looking for, but I think you may have found it for me. That seems to make good sense, and will most likely resolve the issue at hand, thank you. Are you concerned at all with sail chafe with the exposed threaded ends at all or does the sail seem to keep away from those well enough?

John
John


1984 Hoyt F32
Hull #53

User avatar
RadioZephyr
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:04 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by RadioZephyr »

Oh good! I have it so the two threaded ends are pointing forward, so sail chafe hasn't been an issue.
Josh
Sunset Spy
F38, Hull #152
Boston, MA

User avatar
JohnReinagel
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 1:44 pm
Location: Suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by JohnReinagel »

Yes that would make sense. As I was thinking about this, I wondered the best method for stopping the camber spar from tipping to the side causing sideways twist against the fore stay, but I think just placing the halyard around the stowed away sail and taking up the tension seems to keep it in a mostly upright position. If others have better methods, I'd love to hear them.

Thank you RadioZephyr and Hans.

John
John


1984 Hoyt F32
Hull #53

lewharve
Posts: 107
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 7:59 pm

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by lewharve »

I GOT THE AFT OF THE SPAR CONNECTED BUT WHAT DO i with the eyes in the front of yje wail poc ket

User avatar
JohnReinagel
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 1:44 pm
Location: Suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by JohnReinagel »

I found that if you connect the bow end assembly first using a bolt and lock nut or an appropriate clevis pin it makes assembly easiest. I cannot say everyone has the same process. So that assembly is the two eyelets of the sail, one to each side of the camber spar of course, align the camber spar hole in the sheave with those eyes and hold the stainless steel retainer (sorry I am uncertain of it's name) in line with the sail eyes and camber spar hole and place the bolt or clevis pine through and fasten.

At the rear of the sail I find it easiest to use a long thin screwdriver to manipulate the sail eyes onto the horns by placing the screwdriver through one of the sail eyes and then over a horn and work the sail up the screwdriver as you stretch the sail by the leverage created by the screwdriver. I hope my confusing interpretation doesn't cause more questions then answers but I think that offers some explanation, hopefully that makes sense to you.

Once the sail is on correctly you will find there is quite a bit of tension of the sailcloth between the forward and rear eyes. Good luck.
John


1984 Hoyt F32
Hull #53

Salacia
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:09 pm

Re: Camber spar too long?

Post by Salacia »

I discovered (the hard way) not to connect the luff of the sail to the forestay until after the camber spar is fully attached to the sail, fore and aft. Sounds simple but it works.. I thought my sail was not cut right until I tried this.
Stephen Lee
Salacia
F35 Pedrick
Marblehead MA and Rockland ME

Post Reply