Huffin & Puffin Plans & Projects: PUFFIN Sprit Rig

Every project involves some research - this article provides a good background on the sprit rig.

I learned of this version of "taming the clew" after the rig for Puffin was completed and sold.

In designing the rig for Puffin we wanted to keep the spars short, so that they could be bundled with the sail for storage inside the hull. Standard aluminum tubing, Holt-Allen fitting & pop rivets made assembly neat & simple.

The sketch of first version of the leaboard shows the method of attaching it to the hull. The wing nut is more convenient when inside the hull.

The original sketch of the fixed blade rudder.

The final design for the leeboard & the swing blade rudder.

Lines & Fittings

The sprit-rig for PUFFIN

Notes on the handling of the Sprit Rig.

Comments on PUFFIN by an experienced sailor .

The following is a step by step description of setting up the sailing rig.

h The sail is stored rolled up on the mast in a sail bundle with the boon & sprit. When storing the rig, the sail peak is folded to the mast before rolling the sail up on mast. A couple of shock cords hold the mast, boom & sprit package together.

The Sailing kit includes, a large stainless steel bolt, washers & wing nut for the leeboard, rubber nonskid for insertion between leeboard & outer hull, wrench & shackle tool for leeboard bolt, sheet with snap hook (line to control boom) & a flag/wind indicator.

The sailing equipment includes, oars stored in the oarlocks (the emergency motor), a paddle for close in maneuvering, leeboard & rudder.

The swing blade rudder is unfolded, the tiller slipped under the traveller & the rudder lodged with its pintles in the gudgeons on the transom.

The leeboard & nonskid are installed & the bolt is tightened firmly with the wrench & shackle tool & the wrench lanyard loop taken thru & over the horn of the cleat.

The sail and spars are stored in a bunde. To get started the shock cords are removed from the sail bundle to release the mast with the sail wrapped around it, the sprit with black tape & the boom showing the 2 blocks, 2 fairleads & outhaul line.

This is other end of the mast, sprit & boom (with gooseneck). Also shown are the mast steps in the seat & deck. The snap fitting on the fwd seat & a second snap fitting on the aft seat holds the sail rig bundle in place when trailering or towing.

Unroll the sail from the mast & place the mast with the snooter block up. When stored the loop at one end of the snooter line is hooked over the cleat & the other end is tied to the cleat with a half hitch.

Instal the flag in its clip on the mast.

Undo the snooter line from the cleat on the mast.

Place the snooter loop over the pin on the end of the sprit & tie the loop to the sprit with at the short line & a square knot.

Secure the other end of the sprit to the sail peak with the short line & reef knot.

Lift up the mast & pull the snooter line (it should still be in the block on the mast) to extend the sprit & the sail. Do a turn around the cleat & “cleat it”.

Hold the sail erect & insert the mast into the deck fitting & the step in the seat. End of snooter line is cleated to cleat below fwd. deck to secure sail rig in case of a roll Note short downhaul taken thru cleat on mast.

Snooter & sprit will look something like this.

Boom showing 2 blocks for sheet , 2 fairleads, line & cleat for outhaul.

To secure sail, end of outhaul line goes thru first fairlead, thru eye in sail & thru second fairlead & is secured with a stopper knot. Sail is also held close to boom with short line tied with reef knot.