Dennis, The term I’ve always used is “Fraculator” and it is specific to fractional rigs when flying the spinnaker. We have used one on an Etchells with the intent of putting tension on the headstay when going downwind with a spinnaker, pulling the middle and the mast top further forward. Ours clipped to the forestay (which sags like crazy when you let off the backstay and move the mast forward at the partners on an Etchells). It also tends to reduce mast pumping going downwind in heavy seas.
I’ve never heard of one being used on a masthead rig but I suspect there’s some merit to it. Chuck Gilchrest S/V Half Magic 1983 35 Landfall Padanaram, MA From: CnC-List <cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com> On Behalf Of Dennis C. via CnC-List Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2018 1:34 PM To: CnClist <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Cc: Dennis C. <capt...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List New topic: wire lead on the bow Had to read your description a couple times. I hope I am visualizing it correctly. The snap shackle is on the end of the wire that leads forward?? The thimble end leads aft?? OK, here's my best shot: it's a "defrapilator". Well. that's what we call a similar arrangement on Touche'. The sailors in the Chesapeake area call it something different but I don't recall the name. No, I'm not making this up. :) It is used to pull the masthead forward when flying a chute to get a bit more projection on the chute. Here's how it works. Once the chute is hoisted, the foredeck (bowman) hauls the headsail down completely, re-feeds it through the pre-feeder and feeder and clips the defrapilator snap shackle to the snap shackle on the head of the headsail. The pit person takes the slack out of the halyard. Now, I'm assuming there was a line attached to the thimble which ran aft to a winch or something. Once the slack is removed from the halyard, the defrapilator is tensioned to pull the masthead forward. Before the leeward mark, the defrapilator snap shackle is blown and the headsail is hoisted. On Touche', our defrapilator is a 3-4 foot length of line with snap shackles on each end. It simply attaches to the bow stem plate and we pull the masthead forward by tensioning the halyard. Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville< LA On Tue, Sep 25, 2018 at 11:13 AM Matthew L. Wolford via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: Listers: There is a wire lead, approximately three feet long, that runs through a block that is integral to the forestay fitting on my bow. In addition to holding the forestay, the fitting holds two snap shackles (port and starboard) and has a wire lead turning block in the middle. The wire lead has a small thimble on one end and a shackle on the other. The configuration (snap shackles and wire lead block) is original to the boat, so it pre-dated the roller furling unit and was undoubtedly used in conjunction with raising a lowering sails while racing (like reducing from a No. 1 to a No. 2 without going bare). Two questions: 1) does anyone know what the wire lead was used for; and 2) can anyone think of a good reason not to eliminate the wire lead now that it appears to be obsolete (and would rub against the roller furling drum if I attempted to use it for anything)? Thanks in advance for your replies.
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