Anonymous wrote:

Alexander said he needed to lower the sails into gallows.  In that case he needs running llifts.  I always take the forward part of my lifts to a cleat on the boom: this allows me to llower the sail should I need to work on it.  I have eyes at the end of the rope so that I can snap shackle them together.  One idea would be to have the same idea, but put an eye in the upper lift, which you just slip over the cleat to raise the sail out of the tabernacle.  This would, however, rely on your being fairly strong to heave up the weight of the sail in the lifts, with a fair bit of friction involved.

As I recall, PJR callS for the lifts to pass under the booms, rather than be attached to them.  If you put blocks in the upper spans (ideally in a coat to protect the sail from chafe), in theory, you would only need one running lift, which could be left back to the cockpit.

Alexander is fitting out a 47 ft boat, which implies big sails.  If the gallows are yet to be built, maybe the easiest solution would be to have telescopic/hinged gallows, so that you just have to heave the bundle up into them, once your are at anchor.

Thank you a lot, that is a solid piece of info to chew on. Yes, sail bunle looks a bit heavy, but I can use a block or two to make a 2-3 part hoist near the deck on the mast to ease the process for any crew member. 

Actually, since my main mast will be placed right in front of the dodger - could run the line inside, but what for: anyway it'd be better to fix the bundle in gallows at later a point with a rope. so going out anyway :)

Will explore telescopic or folding gallows option for fore mast anyway.

Thank you again!

Alexander said he needed to lower the sails into gallows.  In that case he needs running llifts.  I always take the forward part of my lifts to a cleat on the boom: this allows me to llower the sail should I need to work on it.  I have eyes at the end of the rope so that I can snap shackle them together.  One idea would be to have the same idea, but put an eye in the upper lift, which you just slip over the cleat to raise the sail out of the tabernacle.  This would, however, rely on your being fairly strong to heave up the weight of the sail in the lifts, with a fair bit of friction involved.

As I recall, PJR callS for the lifts to pass under the booms, rather than be attached to them.  If you put blocks in the upper spans (ideally in a coat to protect the sail from chafe), in theory, you would only need one running lift, which could be left back to the cockpit.

Alexander is fitting out a 47 ft boat, which implies big sails.  If the gallows are yet to be built, maybe the easiest solution would be to have telescopic/hinged gallows, so that you just have to heave the bundle up into them, once your are at anchor.

Indeed.  I think especially with a Schooner, I would leave them at the mast.  Much simpler.

Anonymous wrote:

But how much do you touch it while sailing? Needs to be in a cockpit or can remain at mast?

I have one either side of the sail (both sails), running from the mast head down to cleats on the lower mast. I don't touch them when sailing, or often at all for that matter.

Good question!

I have a split junk, with significant amount of sail before the mast.  So I have two topping lifts - one before the mast, and one aft.  They are both running, so I can adjust the angle of the boom, and lower the bundle to the deck.  I don't have a mast lift.

Both mine run back to the cockpit, but I never adjust while sailing.  It is handy to have all the ropes at the cockpit, and to be able to use the big winches on the top of the coachhouse.