Poor mans Sunday Cat Gaff downhall

[mikehennessy]

This Spring added a gaff down-hall on my 2019 Sunday Cat.  Wasn't sure of the best rig so I tried and kept the following:

- Using a small orange, line tied end to gaff shackle (pictured below)
- tied a small block to the mast by running the ling through the padeye for the peak and throat halyards.  This keeps the line from sliding on the mast. (pictured)
- connected the "bitter end" to a padeye on the boom where the lazyjack is attached. (pictured)

I am now able to easily douse the sail by standing mid-cockpit and have the sail down in less than 30 seconds.

Total equipment :  one block and less than 20 feet of line. 

Works great.

[DanM]

The gaff downhaul is very useful, my boat came with one. As I mentioned before, on another thread, there is a side benefit- If you pull the sail down with the downhaul, the gaff automatically comes down below the mast hinge, so if you forget to insert the "long pin" when you fold the mast, you have a good chance of not destroying anything. Any mod that idiot-proofs the boat is fine with me....

[Renae]

You appear to be running your downhaul all the way up to the eye in the gooseneck that I think most of us have replaced at one point or another on account of folding it in the mast hinge.  Having spent the $20 on that replacement part, I would be too tempted to use it for my attachment.

My downhaul is run to a shackle on the underside of the gaff.  I'll probably switch to a soft shackle soon now that I am comfortable making them.



Now, about that profile pic.  It seems that with a bit of spare  dyneema and a single block, you should be able to get that righted in no time...