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Plans for the Small LandsailorRigging Up |
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Rigging the mast, sail, boom, and sheet is the last step The mast is internally supported by a piece of 1 3/8" black pipe approx 48" long. This section of pipe slips into the mast step and mast .
The mast is a standard one piece fiberglass windsurfing mast, although you may certainly use a two piece. I use old 'glass masts, not sure how a thinner one would hold up with the pipe inside. I have had several people send emails asking if the mast will break from the pipe rubbing inside it. In several years of using this method I have never had a mast break. The boom is of wood, approximately 2" square. I use poplar, which is stiff and light. Hardwood is your best bet, since it is less likely to break under the strain. Check your local lumber yard or hardwood dealer. There may even be a scrap pile you can dig through. Avoid knots as the boom will fail at a knot. The jaw is cut from a chunk of plywood 1/2 - 3/4" thick. It is screwed to the boom, allowing replacement if it breaks. Along the rear portion of the boom, drill 5/16" holes every 6" for 3 ft or so. This allows multiple attachment points for blocks.
Sails are used windsurfing sails in sizes from 4.4 to 7.5 m*2. They are rigged using a wooden boom along the foot instead of the wishbone sailboard boom. They can be rigged either full-sized or reefed by rolling the bottom portion around the boom. One of the drawbacks to using the wood boom is that it is difficult to get some sails to flatten enough to allow them to rotate around the mast when changing directions. Sails with camber inducers are especially troublesome. Sails with a considerable curve in the leading edge may have to be recut to remove some of the curve. When looking for sails, look for ones that have less curve along the luff, or leading edge. Older sails are usually cut flatter than some of the newer ones. Battens help sails maintain the airflow and reduce fluttering. For your first sails don't get too worried about the details, just experiment! The sails I use the most are a 4.4 and 5.7, either full or reefed. They each cost all of $25 or less at a swap meet! The sail is sheeted with a rope passing through a series of blocks (pulleys). I use 3/8" dia braided rope for a sheet. You need rope that passes easily through the blocks, yet is thick enough to grasp with gloved hands. For the blocks, I use pulleys from the hardware store, although if you want to spend the bucks go for some sailboat blocks. Do not use swivel pulleys, or double pulleys. Use single sheave, fixed eye pulleys.Use quick links to attach the blocks to the boom and mast step loop.There are blocks in the following places: the mast step, on the bottom of the boom jaw, two on the aft end of the boom, approx 6' apart and one at the connection point on the back axle. The sheet path, from the axle forward is as follows: One end is tied with a figure 8 knot to a large quick link attached to the eye bolt on the axle. It goes from there to the rear block on the boom, then back down to a block at the axle, attached with a second quick link to the large one. Back up to the other rear block on the boom, then forward along the bottom of the boom. Through the block on the underside of the jaw, down to the maststep block and back to the pilot. It will require about 20-25 ft of rope. You need enough rope to be able to let the sail out almost 90 degrees to the side without running out of rope.
Disclaimer: Landsailing and Iceboating are potentially dangerous sports. You are solely responsible for your own safety. Know your limitations, as well as those of your equipment. Regularly check the condition of your equipment.
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