has anyone tried a ketch rig??

sitting around the other day looking at my outback's sail trying to think of a way to use it on the ti (with no alterations so that it can still be used on the outback) I came up with this. this is a prototype and I have to wait for lighter winds to test it out (I don't have much faith in the pvc holding strong winds).

the known issues with this setup:
- I drilled the tack hole too far down the boom, outhaul is not tight enough
- the sail can not really be taken down as currently designed, its either up or down
- pvc construction is likely not strong enough

If it works out well, I will see about having the frame made in aluminum, the boom will also be aluminum. The boom will have a sleeve that slides over it with a block at the outer end and a line that runs from the sleeve, to the block, back to the mast end of the boom where it will be cleated. This should allow me to adjust the outhaul as well as furl the sail. The new boom will have proper mid boom sheeting.


I would love to hear other thoughts on what issues I may face!

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

Interesting. I love the innovation. I'll be watching this thread just to see how it all works out.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

We are all so out of control. But keep it up. Dying to see if it performs. You may get weather helm and have to ride the rudder to stay on course. Hopefully not.

I'm banking the mast will hold up if the same mast that came with the sail.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

well I sail mostly solo and get a great deal of lee helm as it is, so a little weather helm would be nice. I am not worried about the mast holding, but my make shift pvc "mast base/step" contraption on the other hand...

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

If the mast holds,that PVC will.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

we shall see. I am looking for like a 5mph day to test it initially... tomorrow looks like 10-20 so I will probably be sailing, but just with the main...

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

This is really spooky... At the same time you posted your ketch rig message, I was in bed (1am local time) and started to think about how I could add a ketch rig to my TI. My thoughts involved adding a base for the mast inside the hull, but otherwise I had similar thoughts to you.

What is the saying? Great minds think alike, fools never differ.

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

well get to it! with two of us working on it we can only end up with a better end result.

initially I was shooting for an in kayak step, but the main sheet would interfere, that's why I did it this way. maybe I'm too narrow minded though??

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

Ketch rigs are great having more choices and easier to handle sails.
So I think Hawk and Tony are onto something.
I just completed 180 Nm sailing around the lowest point of the Australian Continent in the ketch H28 below.


It also proved that Hobie seats are more comfortable than you think.

Cheers,
Brian in South Australia

finally tested it out the other day. Please remember that this was a makeshift setup with parts that I had laying around to determine if the setup was worthy of further refinement.

Since I had no way to quickly furl the mizzen, the only comparison I could do was just letting go of the sheet to depower it. When I did that I consistently saw speeds.8-1.0mph slower than with the mizzen pulling. it definitely seems feasible to me. the boat also felt much more balanced. I have ideas on a boom that will allow for furling/outhaul (and MUCH better shape than seen in the vid). now to start working on it... or to get an AI2 instead... hmmm...

https://youtu.be/Vh7IlVbMjm8

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

Nice. I notice a fair amount of lee helm in my 2015 TI as well; maybe it's because I sail solo from the rear seat, too. So while the discussions of jibs are interesting, I think it might make the lee helm worse. Your proposal might be more feasible.

The photobucket links don't work for me. Did you move the pictures of your rig?

Thanks for the update Hawk232. Certainly looks like the mizzen is pulling its load. This has been interesting to follow.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

dvt: hmmm, the photos are showing up fine for me. they have not moved either. Is anyone else having problems seeing the pics?

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

I can see them just fine.

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2015 TI Hibiscus " Bazinga"
Harbor Freight modified trailer with TI cradles
Heavy duty scupper cart with cradle
Hobie tramps- black

I can see both the photos and the video with no issues!

From the video the Mizen seemed to work fairly well although there did seem to be some luffing going on... maybe it was not possible to quite set it properly with your rigging or maybe the Main was somehow interfering with the Mizen's sail flow or maybe you just did not have it fully properly set during the video?

Might we get to see this rig in action should we get up to Cedar Key???

Don

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Don Haynes
Aka TriBlue

2005 Outback Red
2011 Adventure Blue converted to an Island
2015 Tandem Island Red

E-mail: [email protected]