You've got it right. You'll need some kind of second halyard on the gunter
yard. I would keep the sister hooks also since that allows you to lower the
yard, thus reducing weight aloft, even if you only use it at rigging time
on those days you reef before you go out. I messed around a little with an
arrangement as you described, but never got around to refining it. I
shifted my attention to the lateen rig.
The Mk II sail sets and sails fine on the gunter rig and the performance is
improved, but the full-length batten is a major nuisance. When you lower
the gunter yard, the batten is jabbing down vertically. It has to be
removed to furl the sails. When using the new sail, it may work better to
leave the yard aloft and just use your second halyard.
To get some idea of what I'm talking about, there is a photo on the web of
my boat with the Mk II sail. <http://potter-yachters.org/pics/tightfit.jpg>
I've just pulled into a shady beach and lowered the yard. Instead of
removing the batten, I've just left the main and batten hanging over the
side of the boat.
If the sail slugs do bind in the slot, that would be fixable. You should be
able to sand any tight spots with some sandpaper wrapped around a dowel. Be
sure you get the right size slugs to fit the slot. I bought a used sail
that happened to have the right size slugs.
If I return to using the gunter rig, and I may. I'm thinking of getting a
3-sided sail like the original, but slightly larger. It looks like the
spars could accommodate a few more inches on the foot and luff and still
leave room for outhauls and sail stretch. The boom could also be lowered a
few inches and still retain head clearance. Remember too that you can use a
genoa in light air.
I may have just talked myself into something. I'd like to keep the classic
gunter rig, especially if I could increase the sail area somewhat.
Another possibility is to buy an aluminum stick and compression post like
the new boats. I know of two former gunter rigs that have been so
"upgraded" and the owners are happy with the results. It's simpler, faster
to rig, and cleaner aerodynamically. You would lose the gunter rig
advantages of quick-and-easy sail raising and lowering and the ability to
squeeze under lower bridges.
I also know of a gunter rig, formerly owned by John and Barbara Simpson,
that has its reefing setup as on a new Potter, without the gunter reefing
sisterhooks. They just left the yard aloft and ran the sail up and down in
the yard, as we have discussed. I don't know how well it worked. If the new
owners are on this list perhaps they will tell you. There was also a
UK-built gunter-rigged model that reefed in that manner.
Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA
>I initially set up my gunter-rigged P-14 with the "reefing hook"
>setup that Harry Gordon and Tom Grimes use, and which Tom documented
>on the lesbois.com Potter web site. This setup involves leaving the
>sail affixed to the gunter yard and then lowering the yard on the
>mast.
>
>This seems to work okay with my small, three-sided original sail. But
>I now see that worn-out sail won't last much longer. I will soon be
>forced -- even in heavy winds -- to use the new, larger, four-sided
>"Mk II" sail that I purchased a while back through this list,
>thinking I would use it in lighter winds.
>
>Given the size of the Mk II sail, the strength of the wind here on
>Maui, and the ignorance of the sailor, it is clear that I will need a
>minimum of two sets of reefing points on this sail.
>
>It is equally clear that my "reefing hook" setup will not work with a
>second set of reefing points because the Gunter yard cannot be
>lowered much more than, say, 27 inches.
>
>I am starting to think about alternative reefing setups. I'm
>particularly drawn to the notion of sticking a sheave on the end of
>the Gunter yard and then raising and lowering the sail with a second,
>"Gunter, halyard." I imagine this could be used as a complete
>replacement for the "reefing hook" setup -- or in combination with it
>(lower yard, engage "reefing hook" to go to reef #1, Then lower
>"gunter halyard" to go to reef #2.)
>
>I imagine that the biggest drawback to the "gunter halyard" approach
>would be that the sail slugs would stick in the gunter yard slot.
>Then too, who wants yet another line up there? And, I expect, it
>might be tricky to make the Gunter halyard taut without bowing out
>the relatively flimsy Gunter yard.
>
>Before I go much further I would be much obliged to hear about
>alternatives, experiences or any thoughts on the matter from you more
>experienced folks.
>
>Thanks so much.
>
>Rich
>
>
>-----------
>Rich Duffy
>P-14 #362, "Manele"
>Kula, Hawaii
