Otter riggin

Discussion forum for the Otter class of sailing dinghy

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summer159
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:21 pm

Otter riggin

Post by summer159 »

Hi, we have just purchased an Otter dinghy but are not too sure about how it is rigged. Does anyone have any photos possibly. Ours does not seem to have a back stay - having only sailed boats with one we just want to make sure this is correct. Any information would be gratefully received. Thanks

cweed
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:18 pm

Re: Otter riggin

Post by cweed »

Hello.
Otters, and probably almost all other sailing dinghies do not have backstays. They are normally only found on keelboats. If you have rigging problems on your boat, post the query here and I'm sure replies will be forthcoming!
Otters seem to be rigged in two styles- Bermudan rig, with one single section long mast, and gunter rig, like early mirror dinghies, where one spar is hoisted vertically to the top of the shorter mast to complete the full length two piece mast. The bermudian rig mainsail is hoisted up the mast once the mast is set up on the boat, whilst the gunter rig has the top half of the luff of the mainsail attached to the upper spar before it is then hoisted up the shorter mast which as per the bermuda rig has also been set up on the boat.
Clear as mud, eh?

summer159
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:21 pm

Re: Otter riggin

Post by summer159 »

Hi, thanks for that information, it is very useful. One other point - where the foot of the mast fixes into the boat there is a small metal bracket with two screws that seems like they hold the mast in place. There is several different places you can place the mast but none of them hold the mast tightly, they all allow the mast to slide back and forwards and actually lift out. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks

cweed
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:18 pm

Re: Otter riggin

Post by cweed »

Hello.

You don't say whether you have a deck or keel stepped mast, (not sure if any Otter masts are keel stepped?) and whether gunter or bermudian rig.
However, I presume you are refering to the flat u shaped mast shoe that the foot of the mast sits on.
If so, aren't there a series of holes along the upright sides of the U, and if so, you need to place secured pins, or nuts and bolts through the relevant holes as close to the front and rear of the mast foot as possible to stop the mast foot moving fore and aft. The shrouds and the forestay must be tight enough to hold the mast against the foot.

If the above isn't what you ask, can you post a photo to clarify?

summer159
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:21 pm

Re: Otter riggin

Post by summer159 »

The mast is stepped on the deck and is a bermudan rig. Should the screws hold the mast tight because there is 2-3mm of play fore and aft. Thanks for your help.

cweed
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:18 pm

Re: Otter riggin

Post by cweed »

Well, 2~3 mm of play isn't a lot, and the tension of the shrouds ought to hold the mast pretty firmly in place. I'd suggest you make sure you're confident that the mast won't work out of the shoe either with loose shrouds and forestay, or when the rig is under pressure beating, running, etc.
If you want to tighten the mast up in where it sits, can you glue or fix some packing to the mast foot to make it snug?
I don't know about your boat, but mine is not very rigid and I can, for instance, feel the floor moving as it goes over waves, and the tension of the rig is , if not loose, then not as tight at the end of a sail as it was at the beginning.
Perhaps others will have other opinions?

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