Help, Photos of Bowsprit wanted

[KPL]

Would any of you be so kind to post some close up photos of your bowsprit?  I'd like details like attachment points etc.  I want to build a sprit for my 16, mostly just as an anchor platform, but I'd like to see how the factory models look.  Eventually I might fly a spinnaker of it as well, but I think I'll keep the headsail where it is since I just bought a new one last year.

Kevin

Thanks in advance.

[JBC]

Kevin,

One thing I'm no good at is uploading pics to this site.  Besides, I don't think I have any good photos of my bowsprit anyway.  But here's a link to a fairly good photo on the Sailing Texas website.  http://sailingtexas.com/201009/scompac16201.html

You can explore their photo gallery for the ComPac 16 and perhaps find other useful photos.  Also, there is a pretty good photo in the current issue of Small Craft Advisor, in the article mentioned elsewhere on this site about a couple's 52 day cruise along the Florida Gulf Coast in a ComPac 16.

Actually, I'm adding a new wood piece to my '86 ComPac 16/2 bowsprit, which I decided not to try to make and instead ordered from Gerry at ComPac Yachts.  Since it's pre-cut to fit and beautiful laminated teak, I decided to spring for it and have it shipped.  Gerry is very helpful with info.

[peterg]

I posted some pics of a self-designed bowsprit under the CP19 section back in January. The heading was Some CP19 Upgrades. The same idea could be used effectively on your CP16, albeit scaled down slightly. Good luck.

[skip1930]

All the teak oils, varnish, and Cetal over the years was removed and several layers of just Min-Wax has been lovingly rubbed in. Kindly ignore the bird poop.

The Dolphin cable is anchored into the bow's eye. I broke the original factory one so had a new one swedged together at Great Lakes Yacht Service. Can't fathom the idea of using a turnbuckle here. Note the rubber bumper.

Good place for the anchor to sit. Sure would be nice to find some small bronze line chocks in stead of these silver guys. Note that these are both 'rights' or 'lefts' and not proper...kind of Monk~ish about these details.

Birds eye view.

Took the wood off and left the frame. Looks pretty ugly from parking under the trees at my dock.

[KPL]

Thank you all for the replies -

Peterg & Skip - that's just what I was looking for.  I think I'll make it like Skip's, except I'll probably use 1x3/16 aluminum bar stock for the frame, and instead of a cable dolphin striker, I'll just use bar stock there as well (since I won't have a forestay to counteract.)

I'll let you know how it goes.
Kevin

[Salty19]

KPL,  There is a CP16/II with bowsprit in my marina.  It's quite a bit smaller than the 19 version shown.  I can take some pics but it would be a week or so...let me know if need them.

[KPL]

Salty-
Thanks for the offer, but I think the photos from Skip will be enough.  I'm not looking to make an exact replica of the factory sprit, really I'm just looking for an anchor platform and a place to attach an asymmetrical spinnaker at some point.

Kevin

[skip1930]

1 x 3/16" bar just might be a little light. Especially in ALUMINUM? That's the material used on my screen door for non-stressed areas.

Regardless, the vertical distance from the top-o-hull's bumper to flush with the raised nub of the hull/deck kind of, sort of determines the necessary bar height don't you think so? Consult the last picture, the ugly picture.

Don't you want to use stainless? And What is up with this?--> "and a place to attach an asymmetrical spinnaker at some point." Build her strong. That's a big hard pulling sail.

HUMmmmmmmmmm. "and instead of a cable dolphin striker, I'll just use bar stock there as well (since I won't have a forestay to counteract.)" You need strength not as a tension [but you are going to put a big sail on it] but as a compression to hold the anchor and your feet up and supported when your up front. A flat Alum bar is going to flex under the load. You'll sail over yourself or end up in the drink. Be safe. Sure the part that is bolted tight to the hull will stay put but the far end will wiggle around like a bra-less women. Support, separate, present.

You don't have a fore stay? You mean your not running the fore stay out to the front end of the bow sprit. I get it now. ANCHOR!! only.
BTW those bolts are drilled clean through the hull to the inside and backed up with flat washers and nylock nuts. Use a lot of 3-M 5200 slow set when bedding these into the hull. No leaks.

skip.

[Billy]

KPL,
you have to attach the forestay or else it won't hold the weight of the anchor. Pretty sure yo couls use the same sail though, however you may need a longer cable for your forestay.

I too thought about this for my 19 (it's a 1983 19I, so no sprit) to reduce the weather helm and to hold my anchor.

What type of anchor do you have? If you have a fortress then I would suggest buying one of these,

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38751&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10105&subdeptNum=10372&classNum=11229

and if not I would suggest getting a fortress.

[Salty19]

I agree with skip and...  we're no naval architects but that setup does not sound strong enough to hold a spinnaker.  And it sounds like it will look kinda cheesy, no offense.

And would give you no benefit to the real purpose of the sprit, which is move the center of effort forward and reduce weather helm..and gives you a little bit bigger triangle to fly a larger genoa.  The side benefit is an anchor roller.  For it to be strong enough for both spinnaker and anchor, the forestay needs to be forward as skips pics show.  The way to go seems to be factory one for a 16 or duplicate it in stainless and move the forestay forward.

[KPL]

I'll post a sketch of my thoughts, but here's a description

The aluminum frame will hold 1"1/4" white oak (locally milled) which will provide most of the strength needed.  The bar stock for the dolphin stay will essentially hold up the anchor platform.  The anchor itself will set in a stainless anchor roller (already on the boat, it will be re-positioned).  If I add a spinnaker, it will attach to a stainless bail secured to either side of the roller. Think inverted U.  I use a 16lb lewmar claw with 20' of 5/16" chain and 150' of 3/8" nylon road.  The anchor roller will bolted through the white oak and the tang of the dolphin striker will serve as a backing plate.  Think of the dolphin striker as a 7 with the top of the seven backing the bolts from the anchor roller.  Maybe I'll use 1/4" aluminum (or perhaps I can find some stainless, although I'm not sure how successful I'll be in bending and drilling it).

The "ears" of the aluminum frame will be through bolted like Skips with backing washers and lock nuts inside the boat.  I'm thinking the forces on the frame from a sail will be in tension (strength should not be an issue), and any lifting forces will be countered by the dolphin striker.  The oak ought to make a pretty tough platform.

Okay, shoot holes...

[skip1930]

My buddy who owns Wind Rover, a CP-19 purchased a bow sprit kit from
Com Pac Yachts.  I installed it and reused the original  fore stay. You see as
the cable is pulled foreword, the tip of the bow sprit also moves up and
the tang on the bow sprit and [in Wind Rover's case the tang of  the CDI furler]
line up and the pin is inserted. This factory set-up comes with a turnbuckle.

No new fore stay.

The kit is around $420.00 isn't it?

skip.

[KPL]

I'll call hutchins and get pricing....unfortunately I'm a dyed in the wool cheapskate...but maybe I'll get over it.

Kevin

[JBC]

In reading a recent Q&A discussion on The Sailboat Company (NC) site, I noticed a brief discussion and pic of an alternative to a bowsprit which, apparently, costs less and still extends the sail plan by about 12 inches.  It's an anchor roller used on the Legacy.  The Q&A on this topic  is dated May 15 I believe.