rigging an old sabot

[suzukidave]

Hi, does anyone know the best way to rig a sabot?

i picked up an old fiberglass sabot sailboat for my 9 yr old son out of the classified for a very modest price. It came with a sail, wooden mast and boom, dagger board,and tiller but no rigging whatever other than a single hanging block in the middle of the boom and a polypropyline halyard.

I have done a lot of googling and can't find much on how to rig it other than a few photos of racing sabots. They seem to rig two hanging swivel blocks from the mid and rear of the boom and then run a mainsheet staring on one corner of the stern, running through both blocks on the boom and then down to a block at the back of the daggerboard. I can't tell if they are running a 2:1 or not. It also looks like they are running a line off a yoke from the bow to hold down the boom (vang?) and maybe another yoke off the mast which I think is a downhaul. I don't know if this is all necessary or overkill for racing.

the boat will spend time in salt water and might see as much as a 2' chop. i will be taking it up to our cabin which is a while away from civilization so I'd like to rig it properly before I go.

 

[BillP]

Re: rigging an old sabot

This is one way but not the only way...

Make a "traveler" by securing a rope of appropriate size (1/4"?) to each corner of the transom at gunnel height. Make it loose by adding approx 12" to the length...install a Harken # 232 traveler block on the traveler line first. The block rides back and forth as the booms moves.

The boom will need a single block of the same size attached to the underside of the boom and aligned above the traveler.

Take a 1/4" line (mainsheet), secure one end to the boom a few inches behind the single block. Now thread the other end down to the traveler block and up through the single aft block...then run the line forward to the block existing at the center of your boom. Lead the line down into the hull and this is the end you hold.

The 232 block will ride side to side on the traveler while letting the sheet be controlled.

 

[suzukidave]

Re: rigging an old sabot

thanks, I like that better. a traveller is a neat idea and that gets me a 2:1. I was thinking a block on the floor and a knot on the sheet would prevent him from losing the mainsheet overboard so maybe I will be adding three block here.

 

[BillP]

Re: rigging an old sabot

I have boats rigged both ways and can understand the problem with loose ends! I also used to have a Sabot but can't remember how it was rigged. The info I posted is how my Montgomery 10 dink is rigged.

To keep from losing the sheet end, an open base jam cleat (4") can be added in the center of the hull. Feed the line though the base and then tie a knot (boland). Mount the cleat so the base lets the line run easily to the boom. This will also let you cleat the sheet on long runs.

 

[suzukidave]

Re: rigging an old sabot

thanks Bill

looked at blocks but did not pull the trigger. Could not see a jam cleat that looked like it would give the right angle so I looked at a block with a built in cam cleat that is pretty neat but pricey. Even without that block, the other two blocks and a mainsheet are going to cost more than the entire boat did!

anyway, I'll figure it out. thanks again for your help

 

[BillP]

Re: rigging an old sabot

If you aren't of yacht club mentality this can be rigged with very little coin and take no back seat in sailing performance.

Instead of using a pricey $26 marine jam cleat you can use a standard open base nylon cleat and cleat the line. It's a little more trouble but not much. Nylons for this application are approx $2 each where I live in Fl.

The Harken 232 list price is $18.60 and is actually two blocks attached to each other. Alternative (and less costly) are small single blocks from homedepot type stores. They are plated and require rinsing or a squirt of lube after each outing to keep them from rusting...but otherwise work the same. You will have to attach two singles together for the traveler. I think the last ones I bought were approx $3 ea.

 

[suzukidave]

Re: rigging an old sabot

I went with a simple two block system for now. Starts at an eyeblock on the dagger board, up to a block at mid boom, then back down to a block on the daggerboard that has a buiilt in camlock. Simple 2:1 but i suspect the boom will not trim well down wind. I got harken blocks and I saw the 232 traveller block you mentioned and will add it on later but for now I wanted to try to keep the thing somewhat on the budget i mentioned when I talked the wife into getting it (I have spent more than twice what I paid for the boat fixing it up, which I am sure is familiar). I hear you on the home depot thing but once it gets up to our cabin it stays there (it actually left this AM with my wife) and the salt air gets at everything so I would get a nasty surprise next spring if I didn't go stainless.