Florida Sharpie Fore Stay Sail Rigging

[Thistle17]

In the restoration of this rather exquiste model of a Florida Shapie Fishing Boat which is posted within this forum I have come to a point where I find I am lacking enough information to complete the bow area rigging. David Bennett (NC Maritime Museum) has been very helpful in supplying information for the main and fore rigging but since this area is unique I am asking for help.

 

The first picture I have included shows the bow sprit traveler for the fore stay sail. Note it does not show any evidence of a fore stay shourd forward of the traveler and it seems that the bow shourd is too far forward. There is a fore stay boom (not shown) and its length is just right to fit the distance between this traveler and the tacking traveler aft (second picture). There is a halyard at the very tip of the bow sprit but seems too far away from the traveler to be of use.

 

My questions are: 1. How was the sail boom attached to the traveler?, 2. There seems to be no way to draw the traveler carriage fore or aft as there are no "tie off points" evident., 3. How are the bow sprit side tackles employed in the rigging?

 

Would be most appreciative of any feedback.

 

Joe

Edited November 18, 2021 by Thistle17
clarity

[Roger Pellett]

Joe,

 

My very crude sketch below is based on a design from Reuel Parker’s The Sharpie Book.  It fits the lines, blocks and attachment points on your model.  I believe that the line attached to the haulyard is actually the traveler outhaul.  While I show the jib hanked to the forestay, there are also some photos that jibs could be set flying.

 

Roger

Edited November 19, 2021 by Roger Pellett

[Thistle17]

Roger you always come through. Simply amazing! You are such a wealth of scholarly information and help. I ended up ordering the book after reading the reviews on Amazon. Why this item never popped up in my internet search I suspect is that I got too specific about what I was searching for.

 

In the interim I did find how the boom was attached to the traveler. What threw me off was remnants of some metal work attached to the traveller eye. That coupled with the fact that the boom forward end was missing a mating piece left me wanting.

 

I am hoping the book will give me further insight into those two pulley elements attached to the starboard and port sides of the bow sprit as their current position (which matches the Chapelle drawing) doesn't seem to allow forward and aft movement of the traveler without some other termination points for necessary block and tackles. Also, as there are no other termination points on the traveler itself, nor any boom collars depicted that might serve as "hauling" points I still am a bit puzzeled how that all works. I am hoping the book helps.

 

It occurs to me that people are wondering about my "reverence" for this model and my deliberate approach to its restoration. I sometimes wonder myself! It starts with my admiration for the original builder. His workmanship, as I have related, is superb and his product is quite faithful to the drawing. I just feel a strong need to honor his work and be as diligent as I possibly can.

 

Joe

[Thistle17]

Well Roger the "bread crumb" trail has opened up a bit. After I received Parker's book I rapidly read sections that might pertain to the information I was wanting. The detail was not there but the next best thing was; a way to contact Reuel Parker! Amazingly he responded yesterday and provided me the following information. I quote his response:

 

[The forestay rove through a sheave in the bowsprit is a typical Chesapeake Bay arrangement, but there is usually an outer forestay with conventional bobstay beyond the inner forestay, whose function is to support the mast and carry a “spectacle iron” from which lazy jacks are suspended to contain the club foot boom and furled jib. This is absent here, so there is only the single forestay. The “car” on top of the bowsprit allows tensioning and releasing the club foot jib boom, which is absent in the photo. The car arrangement was commonly used on schooners. The inhaul lanyard is missing, but the outhaul lanyard is in place. There is a gooseneck on top of the car for the missing boom. The traveler on deck is for the jib sheet, which would be attached to the aft end of the club foot jib boom; the block at the front of the mast is for a fairlead for the jib sheet.

 

The cheek blocks on each side of the bowsprit are anchor rollers.

 

You might refer to Chapelle’s “American Small Sailing craft” and his booklet on Skipjacks for further information. Or my article in Professional Boatbuilder Magazine last summer on Bowsprits.}

 

So the picture begins to open up. As I suspected the cheek blocks have nothing to do with the "car" or traveler. So that is no longer a point of confusion. Further I have to consider his advice on the fore stay comments and the missing irons. I have contacted Wooden Boat to get a reprint of the article he suggests.

 

So bit by bit the rigging becomes clearer.

 

Thank you again for the leads. Could not have done it without your help.

 

Joe

Edited November 24, 2021 by Thistle17