THE BEARING OUT SPAR.
A go faster tip from
John Watkinson
Many years ago
my Mk1 Lugger still had its original Mk 1 Sail Plan. On its own this was not a
problem but when I started sailing with other Drascombes I soon got fed up with
being left behind - especially by Coasters. I thought up some radical schemes
to fill the area between the masts with more sail and decided to consult the
designer.
John Watkinson
kindly replied and essentially his advice was to upgrade the Lugger with Mk 2
sails (which requires a Mk 2 yard) and carry a
“bearing out spar” for the mainsail. He made a sketch using the Lugger logo at
the top of his letter to show how this would be used, with the spar set up to
approximately follow the line of the main sheet. His suggestion was to have a
spar with a large rowlock at the mast end and a snap shackle at the clew end.
I followed his
advice about Mk2 sails. The old Mk1 yard became a resource later used for the
mizzen boom and Mizzen extension on my Coaster. The old faded Mk 1 sails became
extra Lugger sails - but that is another story. For the bearing out spar I made
a lightweight version with a leathered plywood jaw for the mast end and it was
a great success for downwind sailing in light and moderate winds. A spar like
this can of course be used with all boomless Gunter
rigged Drascombes.
Now that I
have a Coaster, it is more difficult to carry long spars so my present
incarnation of the spar utilises an idea copied from Stewart Brown of Churchouse boats. Essentially it comprises a telescopic
boat hook with the butt end cut off so that an extension piece can be inserted.
The point of the boathook is trimmed to fit into the eye at the clew of the
sail and a clip added to secure it. The extension piece (mine is bamboo) has a
plywood jaw on the other end which fits around the mast. The spar is stowed
with the extension piece separated and the boat hook telescoped. I have since
found that I now also have a very long boat hook when I need it.
In use the
boathook is extended, the extension inserted, the boathook point engaged in the
clew and the jaw end of the extension placed a few feet up the mast as John
Watkinson suggested where it holds itself in place against the mast.
This is a very
effective device and when it is combined with Appuskidu’s
rather long jib stick there are few Drascombes that can keep up with her. A
photo by David Camlin shows this set up in use goosewinged
off the Croatian coast.
Thank you John
Watkinson and Stewart.