Dilligara has a fractional sloop rig. Big roachy main and small self tacking jib. We also have a MPS (Multi Purpose Spinnaker) which is an absolute delight as a cruising sail.
The official data is:
- Mast and boom by Tempo Spars. Double Spreader, 7/8 rig.
- Standing Rigging - fitted with Sealock turnbuckles and end fittings.
- Hinged mast base to allow for lowering on boat.
- Halyards – 2:1 Main: 10 mm Spectra - Jib: 8 mm Spectra – Spinnaker: 12 mm Double Braid
- Topping lift: 10 mm Double Braid
- Boom outhaul & 2 x mainsail single-line reefing lines
- All halyards, reefing lines lead back to cockpit through turning blocks, rope clutches (Spinlock).
- Sheet Winches: 2 x Harken ST40’s.
- Fully battened mainsail with RCB Batt Cars
- Cruising mainsail cover with integrated lazy jack system.
- Headsail - Self-tacking headsail traveller track with hardware.
- Boom cradle fitted to the hardtop.
Its a good system overall. All sail handling can be done from the cockpit – and I can put a reef in and out on my own with little effort. Very very wonderful for a cruising boat. Next few items on the agenda are a few more spinnakers of progressively smaller sizes, they are such easy sails to handle on a cat, they become a cruising sail of choice. The rigs on these boats are known to be bullet proof, provided of course the appropriate care and attention is given to tension and tuning and inspections. I made a couple of changes to the self tacker to enable finer and more accurate trimming. Details are on the “sailing notes” pages but fundamentally is a tweaker to allow infinite adjustment to headsail trim.
The main halyard is 2 to1, which makes getting it up easier. You can winch it up at the cockpit – and I often do, but it is quick and easy to do it at the mast. To assist this as a single hander from time to time, I put a cleat on the bottom of the mast to hold it while I go back to the cockpit and tail it. I did have it higher originally but that was a mistake, down where it now is it means that as soon as you put any tension on it at the cockpit it pops right out of the cleat. Its a little thing but gee it makes the boat easier to use. The photo below also illustrates the mast base which as standard is in a tabernacle arrangement to allow (reasonably) easy lowering of the mast using the Boom as a lever, to get overhead clearance down to 8 metres.
