The Masttender system is an amazing thing when rigging the Eclipse, but it sure is irritating when tacking through the wind. My headsail sheets often get fouled on the various fittings at the mast hinge.
I have studied what other people have done to prevent this, and I thought about making some sort of boot to cover up the hinge parts and pins. I am not very good at sewing, and I was afraid my hinge boot would end up looking sloppy, and probably not fit well, and in the end my sheets would still get caught on it.
I decided to take a different approach. I thought that keeping the sheets away from the hinge area altogether should work, so I decided to add a couple of pad-eyes to do just that.
I added a nice looking, stainless steel pad-eye to the coach roof just forward of the hatch, I then added a pad-eye to the mast, 6 feet up from the coach roof (where I could reach it). My goal is to run the spinnaker halyard through the mast pad-eye, then over to the coach roof pad eye. Currently I just have a short runner instead of a line that is actually long enough to act as a spinnaker halyard, so I tested my theory by just tying a line between the two pad-eyes for now.
Over the weekend we had everything from light winds to the gustiest blows I have ever sailed the Eclipse in. After 3 days of sailing I did not have a single snag when tacking! I think this is the solution I was looking for!
Here is a picture if how I tied a line between the two pad-eyes:
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Com-Pac%20Eclipse%20Pics/EclipseLakeMonroe.jpg)
- John
I should also mention that while the line is in place between the pad-eyes, I can still open my hatch without issue.
- John
Good idea.
Good looking boat.
Well that seems simple enough!
Thanks, I'm going to try it this Thursday, weather permitting.
Glenn
John,
That is a FANATSTIC idea! Talk about thinking outside of the box! I have been working on different solutions all summer. I made a nylon wrap with straps that fastened with Velcro around the mast but, #1 it interfered with the sail slugs and the gooseneck so I had to remove it before lowering the sails and #2, like you said, it looked pretty ugly. Lately I have been experimenting with an aluminum band bent around the mast that didn't interfere with the sail slot. Getting it to fasten in place has started getting complex and I was about ready to scrap that idea also.
I think the simplicity of this solution is ingenious. I trailer my Eclipse most of the time so I use the jib halyard every time I step the mast and I'm always looking for a good place to clip the end of the line when sailing. That solves that problem also.
Bravo, John.
(+ 1 karma)
And "Dragonfly" is one awesome looking boat. I hope to get the "Madame" looking that good again this winter.
Thanks for the Karma Eagleye!
I spend a lot of time on the forums reading about how other people use and/or modify their sailboats, and I save pictures of ideas that I find so that I may one day implement them myself (if needed). I figure that if I happen to stumble across an idea of my own I should share it.
Luckily there are very few modifications that the Eclipse really needs. It is a pretty darn good boat as it is right from the factory, unlike several other boats I have had in the past.
Here is a picture of the modification in action. You can see that the sheets are held away from the mast. When I start using the halyard instead of a temporary line I should be able to pull it tighter for a tighter look.
Please excuse the mud on the coachroof. We had been beaching the boats and they tend to get a little muddy when we board them from the beach.
Now I just have to put some sail tape, or a cover, on my shroud turnbuckles to help reduce the drag when I tack while sheeted outside of the shrouds.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Com-Pac%20Eclipse%20Pics/DarknessintoLight.jpg)
- John
John,
You mention a nice chrome padded eye, what size is it and how long was the threaded end? what did you thread it into?
Glenn
I used a stainless steel pad-eye on the coach roof. I figured that stainless steel would look higher-end than nylon or plastic, plus it would match the many other stainless steel fittings on the Eclipse and look like it belongs. I used bolts that are thru-bolted and fastened to the underside using cap-nuts, so they match the look of the other fittings from inside the cabin.
Once I completed the installation I don't even notice the pad-eye as being an after market addition. It just looks like it belongs.
Unfortunately I have already taken Dragonfly to storage. It is no longer in my driveway, so I cannot easily take more pictures at the moment.
I can tell you that I used one of these pad-eyes on the coach roof:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=458821&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50045&subdeptNum=50046&classNum=50053#.UGRs703AfuM
I used the Forespar lexan mast pad-eye on the mast because it most closely fit the shape of the mast:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=14597&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50045&subdeptNum=50046&classNum=50053#.UGRuqU3AfuN
Below is an interior shot of Dragonfly. You cannot see the cap nuts from the pad-eye because they are up under the V-berth area, forward of the hatch, but they look just like the many other cap-nuts that are in the cabin for all the other fittings as seen here.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Com-Pac%20Eclipse%20Pics/InteriorwithCooler.jpg)
Thanks for the links, now I know what to look for.
I went sailing Thursday out of Ventura Marina here in California.
I had help to rig my boat but it still took me 45 minutes and I don't think I'm going to improve much on that time, it is what it is!
It was a beautiful day with clear skies, light winds 7 - 10 mph, no white caps or chop an no swells to speak of.
You could look out at the horizon and see the sky and sea meet with only 2 sail boats to be seen. A few commercial fishing boats were heading out of the marina as we were coming back in as it was 5pm.We sailed for about 4.5 hours.
The winds were so light by now we were sailing on the jib alone until we got within a few feet of the docks before furling it and coasting in the rest of the way.
Some time ago I posted about setting my shroud tension and wasn't sure what they should be set at. One of our fellow Com Pac owners stated he was told by Gerry H. "if you don't have any play in them on the lee ward side, then you have them to tight". With that in my head, I began pulling on my shrouds, they weren't loose but they moved a bit that they were not really tight. So, here is my question, at what wind conditions are we talking about to determind if the shrouds are to tight> certainly at 7 -10 mph they were not flopping around, but at 15 -20mph ?
Glenn B.
I am no expert on sail shape or rigging. I am still reading books, and trying to learn from other sailors. It seems that sailing is a lifelong education...
With that said, I can tell you what my unprofessional opinion is.
I believe that rigs should be tuned depending on the conditions in which you often sail. It also depends on the sail boat.
Some people like the thrill of pushing their boats, and often will resist reefing until they really have to. Their boats really heel over, and the more you heel the more force there is on your rig as it tries to lever your boat onto its side. I believe that if you often push your boat you will generally want your shrouds tighter, because otherwise your leeward shrouds will be dancing around and then there could be a shock to your rig as you tack to the other side (or pound through waves).
If you are a casual cruiser, and tend to reef early, then your shrouds do not have to be as tight. The goal being that during your normal sailing your leeward shrouds are not so loose that they dance around. They should have just enough slack that they feel a bit relaxed, but don't really have a motion of their own.
If you often reef when the winds climb above 10 knots, then 10 knots of wind is probably a good choice for tuning your shrouds. When the winds climb to 15 knots you already have a reef (or two) in place so there probably won't be a lot of pressure on your shrouds at the point.
I was talking to some sailors at the gathering last weekend at Lake Monroe and one of them totally disagreed with my method of tuning the shrouds. He runs his shrouds very loose because he says it aids in spilling wind and provides weather helm when there is a gust. I don't know how effective that really is. All I can say is that I would rather not have the constant shock and pumping of my mast from having loose rigging.
In regards to the Eclipse, it has good solid rigging (especially compared to other boats I have had). It is a very forgiving boat. I don't believe the tuning can really be messed up. Just make sure your leeward shrouds don't dance around on their own during normal sailing, while not making them bar-tight, and enjoy your boat!
- John
Quote from: EclipseGuy on September 25, 2012, 08:53:25 AM
I added a nice looking, stainless steel pad-eye to the coach roof just forward of the hatch,
Just for giggles......When you posted this it made me think of job we did for an off shore oil rig somewhere off the coast of Taiwan.
Now that's a nice looking SST pad eye.
(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t403/eagleye54/100_1816.jpg)
They were 1" thick and the pair supported this 2,200 lb. hose reel as it was mounted vertically.
(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t403/eagleye54/100_1821.jpg)
Sorry to get off topic.... but I couldn't resist. :)
///, ////
\ /, / >.
\ /, _/ /.
\_ /_/ /.
\__/_ <
/<<< \_\_
/,)^>>_._ \
(/ eagleye
*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*-.,,.-*"*
The welds look perfect.
Welding is one thing that I have done very little of. My father and uncles are great at welding, so usually if I get to the point that I need something welded I turn to them. They, in-turn, come to me when they have computer problems.
It is a very unbalanced relationship considering that they always have computer problems and I only need something welded about once every 5 years...
EclipseGuy - I was looking at coolers on Amazon that would fit under the space between the sink and stove storage. The best I could find is the Coleman 33-Quart Party Stacker Cooler. Then I look at your post above and it looks like that's the cooler you have, no? If not, what is it, and does it fit with the stove brace facing down?
John,
I like your explanation of the shrouds, Before I had made any adjustment to them the leeward side would "dance on its own". I think that's a perfect description.
Now the lee ward side is taught just enough that their is no dancing and yet not taught like a string on an instrument.
I like sailing in 10 - 15 mph winds but some times I've been in 20. I don't piratically care for the strong winds as it seems to be more work for me and the pleasurable sail is now challenging.
I think I will let my shrouds stay at their current setting for a while or until I find a better reason to change them.
I too do not like any shock too the mast, shrouds or other structures of the boat, it should all be in tuned with each other.
Glenn B.
-Berad
Yes, it is the Coleman Partystacker, 33 quart. In my case I chose what they list as gray, but is actually brown.
It fits perfectly under the filler. I put felt on the bottom of the cooler so that I can slide it in and out as needed. It has a flat top with a lid so it doubles as a little table down below.
The Partystacker doesn't have much for insulation, so ice doesn't last long at all. When there are just two of us, which is most of the time, I don't bring the center filler piece and I use a different cooler that has better thermal properties. Unfortunately the better insulated coolers do not fit such that the filler can be put in place, but that doesn't matter to me when we have just the two of us.
(http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l594/CPYOA/Com-Pac%20Eclipse%20Pics/InteriorwithStove.jpg)
In the image above you can see that I also installed larger cup holders (the two aft ones).
It was driving me crazy that I couldn't fit a can with a koozie, or a large cup or mug in the cup holders. The ledge where the cup holders are located is more narrow as you move forward, and wider as you move aft, so I decided to increase the size of the cup holders that are aft, and leave the forward ones stock. This way it looks more natural and the size of the cup holders fits the lines of the ledge.
- John
John- that was helpful- thank you!
Hey John,
I ordered and received the parts you provided on the links however I do not see what size bolt you used for the eye pad.
I'm guessing you drilled through the top through the interior cabin roof, not sure how long the through bolts should be?
Glenn B.
Sorry for a very late reply. I haven't been on the forums much lately. I don't know if you have already done this project.
I took the parts into the store and test fitted the bolts to find the ones that fit in the parts the best. I then purchased very long versions of those bolts, much longer than needed, because I planned to cut them to just the right length.
I then put the bolts through the fittings and through the holes that I drilled in the cabin roof, and through a washer, and then I marked them from the underside so that I knew where to cut them. The goal was to have just enough of the bolt showing through so that an acorn nut would fit just right.
Eclipse guy,
Thanks, that makes sense to me know.
I sure could have used this set up while I was sailing at the lake Havasu event, I had my crew busy freeing the jib lines from that pesty hang up!
I was actually thinking too of perhaps using a small plastic bucket. By cutting a slot on one side of the bucket it could be pried open and sleeved around the mast preventing any hang ups. A 6 inch PVC pipe could work too I think
Glenn
The Eclipse looks well sorted out.
The weldments look impressive.
skip.