Seamanship Getting to grips with gaff

Which string does what?

Throat halyard Yard lacing Tensions the luff between the tack Influences the draught position at and the throat – the point where the top of the sail in the same way the yard meets the mast. As with a that the throat halyard exerts an halyard on a Bermudan rig, more influence lower down. Because it’s tension pulls the draught (the sail’s neither quick nor easy to adjust, deepest point) forward. the lacing is generally set and left for the season.

Anatomy of a Yard modern gaff rig

Peak halyard Tensioning the peak halyard pulls the yard closer towards the vertical, Getting to grips applying more tension to the leech and reducing the twist in the same way that a kicking strap does on a here’s no question place within the Old Gaffers’ Bermudan rig. about it: modern Association – in whose events gaffers are go. Almost modern gaffers frequently wherever you look now take part – about how to with gaff around our shores, handicap the old versus the new. Jib lashing Tthe number of boats sporting For example, in the big and There’s no halyard With modern designs in the bowsprits, gaff rigs and tan (or breezy race of the Old Gaffers’ per se and typically perhaps cream) sails is on the 50th anniversary event in Cowes no ready adjustment. classic style becoming ever more increase. The appeal of these a couple of years ago, Andrew As on many small classic-style designs with a Wolstenholme’s Kite – featured in trailable boats with popular, David Harding offers some modern twist is easy to see. They last month’s PBO – barely saw any relatively small jibs combine echoes of traditional other boats in her class and was and low rig loads, tips on getting the best from a gaffer charm with modern convenience effectively racing in the class the head of the jib is and, in many cases, surprisingly above. Light and slippery designs lashed to the top of good performance to boot. like this will readily surf downwind. the headfoil extrusion. More often than not, people who They take ‘gaffering’ into a whole A jib Cunningham Forestay Upwind is traditionally not own boats like this have never new territory. could be fitted to The Shrimper has a forestay where gaffers are at their sailed with a gaff rig before but allow adjustment inside the headfoil, but there’s best, but the right sail trim at the tack. makes a big difference enjoy its practicality apart from Pulling strings no bottlescrew to tension it to anything else. With boats of a Whether or not you’re interested the levels typically found on boats trailable size, trailing and rigging in performance in absolute terms, with Bermudan rigs. Instead, a 2:1 is generally simpler than with a tweaking a gaffer can be both purchase at the top is led down Bermudan rig because of the challenging and rewarding. And if the mast like a halyard. shorter spars, lower rig tension you want to race, the competition and absence of spreaders. The is there: just look at the Cornish gaff rig’s centre of effort is typically Shrimpers. In Poole we have lower, so a lifting keel can be lighter strong Shrimper fleets sailing from and less complicated. Dropping two clubs and involving owners Mainsheet traveller the mainsail is easier and who have previously raced Shrimpers originally came with downwind performance classes ranging from performance plunger stops in the traveller, excellent even without a spinnaker. dinghies and J/24s to IOR designs Clew outhaul but this makes adjustment far True, upwind efficiency might in Ton Cup campaigns. That the One of the most important too cumbersome. A 2:1 not match that of a Bermudan rig, Shrimper is not fast by any controls, it determines the purchase on the car is the answer. but modern gaffers have been standards doesn’t make winning tension of the foot and the known to give ‘pointy-sail’ boats of any easier. The best tactical sailors fullness in the lower part similar size a run for their money. often come from the slowest boats. of the sail. It has a greater That’s a function not only of rig We’re using the Shrimper as the effect than outhauls on sails developments, such as high-peak model in this feature because of of higher aspect ratio. gaffs and, in some instances, her popularity and because the carbon spars, but also of the simple, high-peak gaff rig is typical hulls beneath the rigs. In fact, the of that seen on other modern Kicking strap difference in performance between gaffers such as the Norfolk Gypsy. Because of the long, low boom, the kicker has much traditional old gaffers and many When it comes to trimming and less effect than on a typical Bermudan rig, but it still of the new breed is becoming so techniques, the same principles plays an important role. great that discussions are taking apply to many boats of similar ilk. ➜

34 Practical Boat Owner 587 June 2015 • www.pbo.co.uk Practical Boat Owner 587 June 2015 • www.pbo.co.uk 35 Seamanship Getting to grips with gaff

A sailmaker’s view I asked several of the leading Tweaking in practice Areas of imprecision sailmakers in the Shrimper fleet for With a gaff rig, you have to get used to the fact that the yard and the their tips, and Dick Batt of Batt Sails To see what makes a Shrimper some new names and pull sailing a gaffer – especially one like long, heavy boom will bounce and swing around in a seaway – as offered the following. Although we tick, I sailed on two boats that are some different strings, but your a Shrimper – is that it rarely pays to The jib illustrated by this sequence of Kingfisher in a light breeze and poppy were discussing Batt’s sails for usually to be found towards the objectives remain the same in strap everything in tight and try to Because of the relatively low rig sea. There’s nothing you can do about it other than use the kicking Shrimpers specifically, these sharp end of the fleet in Poole – terms of optimising draught point. You will stop – or as good as. tension on a gaffer, the jib is cut strap to help keep the boom under control and make sure you sail suggestions apply equally to a Richard Hornby’s Kingfisher, position, camber, twist and so on. Boats of this nature don’t generate to accommodate forestay sag. free enough to keep the sails driving and the boat moving. wide range of modern gaffers. No898, and Roatan, No575, sailed If you’re used to tweaking a the same lift from their rigs or their As on a Bermudan rig, more n Keep the jib powerful. It will by Peter and Judy Fontes. Bermudan rig to good effect flat steel centreplates as a modern Boom angle wind calls for a tighter forestay be designed with luff hollow to Although the sails on a gaffer there’s no reason why you fin-keeler. They have to be sailed The boom needs to be outboard to stop the sag becoming too accommodate the inevitable are a different shape from those shouldn’t quickly get the hang of further off the wind. Maintaining of the quarter; slightly further great. Judy is chief string-puller forestay sag on a gaffer. Set the car on a Bermudan rig – the mainsail a modern gaff. momentum is the key, because outboard in lighter winds and on Roatan, leaving Peter to position to give it enough twist and especially – the same fundamental For all the similarities, however, once they’ve stopped they take closer to the centreline in fresher concentrate on helming, and don’t be tempted to over-sheet, principles apply. You have to learn one essential to bear in mind when some coaxing to get going again. breezes if the water is flat. says that foresetay tension is though you can sheet it tighter rarely adjusted during a race in more breeze and in flat water because, particularly in close than in light airs and a chop. The mainsail quarters round-the-cans racing n Make sure your mainsail has a With gaff rigs, the mainsail generally needs to be fuller than on a typical modern yacht with a Bermudan rig. In broad terms, the heavier and in the harbour, there’s not reasonably straight exit at the older the gaffer, the fuller the sails need to be. Lighter, more easily-driven new gaffers will point higher and need flatter sails. enough time. Everyone agrees leech. Like many gaffers, the that the tension of the jib sheet Shrimper naturally carries weather Setting the outhaul Setting the halyard is far more important. helm and too much curvature in A less consensual topic is the leech will exacerbate this sail colour. Shrimper sails tendency. So if the draught has were traditionally made from As the boat goes up a small wave, …but as the bow goes down to blown aft, as tends to happen with tan cloth and some owners the yard swings inboard to create meet the next wave, the yard old sails as they stretch, your boat disapprove of the growing a mainsail with very little twist… swings out and opens the leech. will become both slower and trend for cream or white sails. heavier on the helm. The problem is that it’s hard n Gaff is not gunter! Mainsails like to see the leeward telltales the Shrimper’s are high-peak gaffs, Judy Fontes shows the starting Richard Hornby adjusts his clew through a tan jib, which is why but trying to angle the yard closer point for foot tension on a outhaul, which has a 3:1 purchase many Shrimpers now have The flyaway jib stick to vertical, like a gunter rig, won’t Shrimper: about a hand’s width, and a Harken track system. On sails (or, like Roatan, just the jib) Moving to the Shrimper after help. Set the peak halyard tension and adjust by feel from there. some Shrimpers the outhaul is in a paler colour. The relatively now adjustable from the cockpit. many years of racing Albacores, to achieve the right amount of twist recent adoption of windows in Peter and Judy Fontes brought and keep the leech telltales flying. WRONG: Here the vertical crease means that the throat halyard, and the luff is an alternative solution. with them the flyaway jib stick. therefore the luff, is too tight. If, on the other hand, it’s hanging in With the inboard end remaining Richard’s tips bights between the lacing points, it’s too loose. attached to an uphaul/downhaul Maintain momentum: get the system on the mast and the boat going, keep it going. outboard end to the clew of the Back the jib: during a tack, back jib, it not only allows the jib to be Instead of hooking to a ring on the jib to help the bow round. Then poled out for goose-winging but the mast, the inboard end of sail free with the jib relatively loose also helps to control the twist on the pole remains attached to until you’re back up to speed. a reach. an uphaul/downhaul system. Upwind, the inboard end is follows the jib across during Peter and Judy’s tips pulled up the mast so the pole tacks. The idea has been widely Tack only when you need to: exerts no influence and simply adopted within the Shrimper fleet. tacking costs at least three hard-won boat-lengths. Upgrade the hardware: fit what you need to allow easy adjustment. Most fast Shrimpers On a reach or broad reach, the This is too tight for most outhaul needs to be relatively conditions, but illustrates the WRONG: The peak halyard needs to be eased downwind but, if it’s not now have winches, clutches and loose to add fullness to the sail. powerful effect of the outhaul. tensioned again for the beat, the result is this crease from throat to clew. low-friction track systems.

Conclusion Correct sail set Gaff rigs provide plenty of strings to pull and offer more than enough scope for A quick recap inveterate tweakers. For some gaffer owners there are few Downwind/lighter winds: greater pleasures than slacken outhaul, throat surprising the crew of a boat halyard and peak halyard. with a Bermudan rig. Upwind/stronger winds: Whatever your ambitions, it’s tension outhaul, throat always worth talking to people halyard and peak halyard. who sail something similar. Stronger winds all round: Despite being attached at both Here the pole’s inboard end Better still, sail with or race tension kicker. ends, the pole is doing nothing has been pulled down the mast here: the jib is twisted open so to push the clew downwards against other boats of the same Any conditions: don’t far that much of the area is and outboard, resulting in type, whether in a club race, a CORRECT: This is a good shape for upwind sailing when a full sail is over-sheet the jib. Keep the CORRECT: As the breeze picks up, or for sailing in flatter water, being wasted. much more drive. rally or a cruise in company. needed, such as in light conditions in a seaway. more outhaul tension creates a flatter sail. boom outboard of the quarter.

36 Practical Boat Owner 587 June 2015 • www.pbo.co.uk Practical Boat Owner 587 June 2015 • www.pbo.co.uk 37