rigging a cl16 sailboat

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• Boat Repair and Restoration
• Boat Restoration, Building, and Hull Repair
• Thread starter B. Williams
• Start date Sep 17, 2008

B. Williams

• Sep 17, 2008

Anybody here ever had the top off a CL-16 sailboat? I was given a hull where the cockpit sole is soft and styrofoam beads wash out from under it. Very nice hull but the top almost has to come off at this point. I pulled the bump rail and the sides are epoxied together and have rivets that will have to be pulled or drilled. What is the best way to break the top lose from the bottom? Do you cut this seam with a saws-all? Thanks in advance from a newly bitten sailboat fiend!  

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Double-handed sailing dinghy CL16 regatta CL16 symmetric spinnaker

Characteristics

4.88 m (16'00" )

Description

No catalogs are available for this product.

Other CL Sailboats products

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• Sailboat Guide

CL 16 is a 16 ′ 0 ″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Ian Proctor/Graham Dodd / George Blanchard and built by C&L Boatworks starting in 1967.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Based on the Ian Proctor designed WAYFARER. CL = Croce & Lighthouse.

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What Make of Sailboat

• Thread starter LakeMan
• Start date Oct 2, 2019
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

It looks a bit like a CL16 but not quite like the ones I know. The flaps at the back are bailers. They should be nominally above the water line at rest but will need some gasketing to keep the water out under way. There should be strings going to jam cleats inside to hold them closed although I've seen bungy chords used to hold them closed as well. Do you have the rudder and the main sail? It looks like the jib is there.  

JohnShannon

Canada eh? So CL16 is a possibility how long is it? Does it have sails? The insignia on the sails will narrow it down. Jack Holt was a prolific English designer of sailing dingies a lot of small boat sailing in Canada seems to have gotten going with transplanted Englishmen. Looks like a pretty good boat once cleaned up.  

I was thinking a cl16 as well. it is 16'. i haven't laid out the sail yet. i should check that out. i forgot about the sail insignia. cl16 looks like the closest boat to it but doesn't look exactly.  

does that mean anything?  

lol. Nevermind. i just realized its a brand of boat parts  

Will Gilmore

DArcy - Islay Mist said: The flaps at the back are bailers. They should be nominally above the water line at rest but will need some gasketing to keep the water out under way. There should be strings going to jam cleats inside to hold them closed although I've seen bungy chords used to hold them closed as well. Click to expand

Joe said: Here's a link to the sales brochure... note that the company has been making the CL16 for 50 years.... this new one, for instance shows a traveler track on the transom... whereas your boat's traveler is in the cockpit, mid boom... but the chined hull and other particulars looks similar to you pics.... There are many pictures of the CL 16 that show racing, daysailing and cruising configurations.... If the critical parts are there.... rudder, dagger board, rigging, mast/boom and sails... then a little elbow grease will result in a pretty nifty lake boat. If it's just sails, you'll find that a suit of sails for a boat this size won't break the bank and will result in a big leap in performance... Good find.... you're gonna have fun with it. Click to expand

looks like it is rigged for a spinnaker, does the CL16 have one? Based on the sheaves through the deck at the transom. The aft thwart is kind of weird, might be an owner mod?  

JohnShannon said: looks like it is rigged for a spinnaker, does the CL16 have one? Based on the sheaves through the deck at the transom. The aft thwart is kind of weird, might be an owner mod? Click to expand

Def not an Albacore, I used to sail one. Bow is plumb for one thing. I have seen CL16's but never paid much attention, chine looks "softer" than a CL. There were dozens of dingy designs post WW2 coming out of the UK. Looks like a nice boat for daysailing camping/sailing on lakes. Based on the HW it has sporting pretensions.  

thanks. yah know what youre saying about the hull and the bow. im really curious.  

After looking at the sail ensignias, as it has multiple sails. it has a an "E" on two of them and one has a snipe. I think it might be a Lazy E or National E.  

Could be an Enterprise, if it's 13' ish.  

its 15' from bow to stern not in cluding the rudder.  

Not a Snipe, that transom on the Snipe isn't plumb Google images for the National E seem a good match. some of them even have the crazy aft thwart. So I think you have yourself a National E.  

JohnShannon said: Not a Snipe, that transom on the Snipe isn't plumb Google images for the National E seem a good match. some of them even have the crazy aft thwart. So I think you have yourself a National E. Click to expand

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• Club Finder

Wayfarer Rigging Guide

Go To: Sailing - Rigging Guides

Posted on 21 September 2009 15:59

The Wayfarer is a great boat for cruising, racing or training. Its' wide double chined hull gives' it great stability, and plenty of space gives it a lot of flexibility. They're easy to rig too, which you're about to find out!

Originally designed in 1957 by Ian Proctor, the Wayfarer is a large, nearly 16 foot long dinghy, suitable for learning, racing or cruising. Once a favourite boat of many sailing schools due to its size and stability, the Wayfarer has since lost out due to the more modern designs such as the Topper Magno, Topper Omega, Laser Stratos or RS Vision. As a glass fibre (GRP) constructed boat, they can be expensive for what they are, and don't take kindly to damage as well as the more modern rotomoulded one-design boats from Laser, Topper and RS.

Photo 1, A wayfarer hull with the mast up

Photo 2, The mast gate and support

Photo 3, Standard rudder pintles

Big enough to comfortably sit three adults (and at a stretch on short journeys up to six), the Wayfarer is capable of longer trips, having even been sailed from Scotland to Iceland. There have been several versions of the design, ranging from wood to GRP, the later versions named the Wayfarer World. They have several internal bouyancy tanks, and usually a back hatch which can be used for storage. Inside, most have floorboards to level the floor, and several different bailing/draining systems can be found underneath. There is also a smaller version of the Wayfarer called the Wanderer.

Photo 4, Mainsheet traveller

Photo 5, The mast with cleats

Photo 6, The mast and spreaders

A typical bermudan rig boat, the Wayfarer has a main and jib sail, and a symmetrical spinnaker (although the Wayfarer World is assymmetric). The boats typically used to be rigged aft-main, although newer models are centre-main, and they are relatively easy to convert. As a restricted design boat, the sail plan/size, hull shape/size and mast length etc are fairly limited, but lots of variations can be found in other aspects, such as booms, fittings, lines etc. The boats we are rigging are aft-main Mark 2 GRP boats. We used two boats to demonstrate some differences between booms and outhaul systems. We will not be rigging a spinnaker on this boat as the spinnaker halyard was unkindly removed.

Photo 7, The parts we need

Photo 8, The rudder with the kicker and mainsheet

What You Need

- Mast, Spreaders, Shroud, and Forestay (unless you've bought from new, these should all be together) - Photos 1, 2 and 6 - Main Sail, Jib Sail - Photo 7 - Battens - Main Sheet ( 10mm x 13 metres ) + Blocks + Traveller - Photos 4 and 8 - Jib Sheet ( 10mm x 10 metres ) - Kicking strap/boom vang assembly + lines - Photo 8 - Outhaul ( depends on arrangement ) - Downhaul ( 5mm x 2 metres ) - Boom - Tiller + Tiller Extension, Rudder - Painter ( 10mm x 3 metres ) - Hull (bit obvious this one) + Centreboard - Bungs (depending upon boat type).

Photo 9, The gooseneck

Photo 10, Attaching the mainsheet block to the traveller

Photo 11, Mainsheet block attached to traveller

As always, remember if you are buying a boat that it may not always come as class legal - we are kindly borrowing these boats from a sailing school and they may not fall to form on class regulations. If in doubt - get a copy of the Class Rules which can be found on the Wayfarer Class assocation website and measure for yourself. If in doubt on any items, contact us !

Lets Get Started

We're going to rig the boat from the front to the back, and we're doing it on dry land as it wasn't a windy day. You may find it easier with a boat this size to get it on the water before you rig it, especially if you have pontoons you can moor up to.

It's a little odd rigging the mainsheet first - but as we took it all off, it's easier to put this back on first before we have sails flapping around. First, attach the relevant block to the mainsheet traveller (here using a pin and split ring, Photos 10 and 11), and then attach the other block to the underside of the boom (shown here attached from the end of the boom, Photo 12). The main sheet on ours here is whipped onto the becket on the pulley block on the traveller (Photo 13).

Photo 12, Mainsheet block on boom

Photo 13, Mainsheet attached

Take the sheet up to the block on the underside of the boom, from front to back through the block, then back to the lower block, and back to front through this block (Photo 14); this is for an aft-main rig arrangement (Photo 15), yours' might be different if it's centremain. Also note the black band on the boom (Photo 16); you may find this on older booms, and it is the optimal point at which to pull the sail out to using the outhaul - pulling it any further past this point flattens and depowers it. You don't tend to see this on many modern boats!

Photo 14, Feeding the mainsheet through the blocks

Photo 15, Boom and mainsheet rigged

Photo 16, Black band on the boom

Photo 17, Attaching the jib to the front of the deck

First, we rig the jib, securing the tack (the front bottom corner) of the jib to the front of the boat, using the metal fixing point and a shackle (Photo 17). Next, we secure the rope stopper for the halyard to the top of the sail (see article) or use a shackle (Photo 18), and then hoist the jib. Secure it around the cleat (see article) as in Photo 19. Attach the jib sheets to the clew of the jib - this is best done by finding the middle of the rope, tying a stopper knot in it, feeding it through the jib clew and then tying another stopper knot the other side to hold the middle of the rope in place. Next, pass the jib sheets through the jib fairleads (Photos 20 and 21), and secure with a stopper or figure 8 knot (Photo 22).

Photo 18, Attaching the jib halyard with a rope stopper

Photo 19, Cleat and coil the halyard

Photo 20, Jibsheets through the fairleads

Photo 21, Feed the jibsheets through the jammers

Feed the main sail car along the bottom of the boom (Photo 23); the wayfarer does not have a loose footed sail, so the boom has to have the sails' bottom edge bolt rope (the thick edge that feeds up the mast or along the boom, again in Photo 23) fed through it, with the small plastic car first (if your sail has one). Feed it all the way along until the eyehole at the tack (the front corner) has reached the front end of the boom. Secure the tack eyehole to the boom using a split pin (Photo 24), then secure the outhaul at the other end.

Photo 22, Secure the jibsheet wiht a knot

Photo 23, Feed the mainsail car into the boom track

Photo 24, Secure the tack of the mainsail

Photo 25, Attaching the basic outhaul to the boom

We have two types of sail and boom shown here; the first type has an exterior boom outhaul, which can be rigged in one of two ways. We've rigged it up by first tying a bowline on the end of the boom (Photo 25), then taking this through the clew (back corner) eyehole of the sail, then back through the end of the boom (Photo 26); this creates a multi-purchase system without using pulley blocks. We've then tied this off and secured it with a series of hitches (Photos 27 and 28). This is for if you do not wish to use the outhaul, and just want a more simple system.

Photo 26, Securing the basic outhaul

Photo 27, Securing the basic outhaul

The exterior boom outhaul is designed for slightly smaller diameter rope than we have. The idea is to take it from the back of the boom as we did, without the half hitches (Photo 29), then take it along the length of the boom. At points along the boom are fairleads or eyeholes (Photo 30), and at the mast end of the boom is a jammer cleat which we have not shown (but are heading towards in Photo 31).

Photo 28, Securing the basic outhaul

Photo 29, Alternative to secure the basic outhaul

Photo 30, Alternative to secure the basic outhaul

For the second type of boom we have, there is an interior outhaul. The outhaul is hidden inside the boom (Photo 32), with the working end that you pull all the way at the front of the boom, coming through a sheave block through to a jammer (and onward to a pully block on this boat) as in Photo 34. The other end is taken around the sheave at the end of the boom (Photo 32), through the clew eyehole in the sail, and then secured to the end of the boom - there is a small notch in the back of the boom which when used with a knot in the rope can secure the outhaul (Photo 33). This may not look very secure - but when under tension, it will not come out. Many more modern high performance dinghies such as the RS200, RS400 and Laser 2000 use this method for securing not only the outhaul, but also the downhaul as well.

Photo 31, Alternative to secure the basic outhaul

Photo 32, The better outhaul

Photo 33, The better outhaul

Photo 34, The better outhaul fed to the cockpit

Raise the sail

Next, we raise the sail. Before you do this - you should put the battens in the sail. This is probably one of the most common things that is forgotten when rigging a boat, and how embarassing is it to pull the sail all the way to the top, and finish rigging to look around and spot the battens lying on the floor? Doubly so when you're doing a rigging guide! The Wayfarer has three battens, and they should all be inserted before hoisting the mainsail.

First, secure the main sail halyard to the head of the sail using a stopper knot like in Photo 35 (at this point, also secure any mast top bouyancy bags you may be using to stop the boat inverting if you capsize). Slot the bolt rope on the luff (front edge) of the sail into the mast groove (Photo 35). One person should feed the mast luff in as the other person hoists the sail by pulling on the halyard (Photo 36). Keep hauling until the sail is at the top of the mast - as the sail reaches the top you may find it easier if the other person lifts up the boom to take the weight off and make hoisting easier. Secure the end of the halyard around the cleat, ours is a figure 8 cleat. Next, pull the boom down onto the gooseneck; if you put it on the gooseneck before hauling it up to the top, you will struggle to pull the sail up with the boom resisting you (Photo 37).

Photo 35, Feed the main sail in to the mast

Photo 36, Hoist the main sail

Photo 37, Pull the boom down onto the gooseneck

We didn't rig a downhaul on this boat as it isn't usually rigged up with one, as it's a training boat. There are however plenty of spare cleats, so it's easy to add one if you wish. Usually, this will involve tying the end of a length of rope to a fitting (on the side of the boom if possible), through the eyehole of the sail, and then down to a cleat. If it's light winds, don't worry - downhauls are only really needed when it gets windy!

Photo 38, Assemble the kicking strap

Photo 39, Assemble the kicking strap

Kicking Strap

As with most kicking straps, there is a great deal of variation out there, particularly if you are ignoring class rules. The kicker on our Wayfarer is a 4:1 ratio. Assemble the kicker as shown (Photos 38 to 41 inclusive) or as necessary if yours is different (get in touch with us if you are stuck with yours). Attach the bottom end to a fitting on the bottom of the mast (usually a fairlead or metal D-Loop) with a shackle (Photo 42), and the top end to the boom fitting - this will be with either a key that fits in a slot, or a shackle fitting (Photo 43).

Photo 40, Assemble the kicking strap

Photo 41, Assemble the kicking strap

Don't tension the kicker too much while you're on land, if it's windy and you tighten it, the force going through the sail into the boom can only make it jump from side to side with a lot of force, but if you leave the kicking strap loose the boom can jump up and down with the wind also, so it will move around side to side less, effectively depowering it and lowering the chance of someone getting knocked out!

Photo 42, Attach the kicking strap to the mast

Next, it's time for the rudder. Drop the rudder onto it's pintles carefully (Photo 45), and then feed the tiller into the top of the rudder (Photo 46). You should have some method to secure the tiller into the rudder stock, as you can see on ours its a split or clevis pin, through a hole in each (Photo 47). This will stop the tiller coming out and the rudder floating off if you capsize. Note we've also put the bungs in at this point (Photo 44).

Photo 43, The finished kicking strap

Photo 44, Secure the bungs

Photo 45, Attach the rudder

Finally, all well setup Wayfarers should have two lines on the rudder, an uphaul and a downhaul. The uphaul can be just a length of rope, on ours going from the middle of the back of the blade (as can be seen in Photo 48) to the tiller (Photo 49), to hold the rudder blade up when you are out of the water. The downhaul is harder to see, but is a length of rope from the front of the underneath of the rudder blade (as can be seen in Photo 48), with a length of elastic attached, which is pulled and fits on a catch or hook on the tiller (we can't show this as you can only do it when sailing to hold the rudder down). When out sailing, pull this and hook it on to keep the rudder blade down - if the rudder hits the bottom, the elastic will come into play and allow the blade to move backwards.

Photo 46, Insert the tiller

Photo 47, Secure the tiller

Photo 48, Secure the rudder blade in the up position

Photo 49, Secure the rudder blade in the up position

Finally, ensure all self-bailers are up, and all bungs are secured. On this boat, the bungs have been tied together, through the rudder pintle with a short length of cord.

There you have it, a fully rigged Wayfarer (Photos 50 and 51) - for the size of the boat, it's astonishingly easy to rig. There are different variations, Mk 1, Mk2, Mk3 and Wayfarer Worlds, all with fairly similar rigging arrangements. However, you can also get centre-main versions which aren't much more difficult to rig, and you can now even get asymmetric versions with a bowsprit. Whatever Wayfarer you are rigging, get it right and you can have a great day cruising, racing or just playing around!

Photo 50, Ready to sail!

Photo 51, Ready to sail!

Fig 1. Get all the gear ready

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The Running Rigging On A Sailboat Explained

The running rigging on a sailboat consists of all the lines used to hoist, lower, and control the sails and sailing equipment. These lines usually have different colors and patterns to easily identify their function and location on the vessel.

Looking at the spaghetti of lines with different colors and patterns might get your head spinning. But don’t worry, it is actually pretty simple. Each line on a sailboat has a function, and you’ll often find labels describing them in the cockpit and on the mast.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the functions of every component of the running rigging. We’ll also look at the hardware we use to operate it and get up to speed on some of the terminology.

The difference between standing rigging and running rigging

Sometimes things can get confusing as some of our nautical terms are used for multiple items depending on the context. Let me clarify just briefly:

The  rig  or  rigging  on a sailboat is a common term for two parts, the  standing , and the  running  rigging.

• The  standing rigging  consists of wires supporting the mast on a sailboat and reinforcing the spars from the force of the sails when sailing. Check out my guide on standing rigging here!
• The  running rigging  consists of the halyards, sheets, and lines we use to hoist, lower, operate and control the sails on a sailboat which we will explore in this guide.

The components of the running rigging

Knowing the running rigging is an essential part of sailing, whether you are sailing a cruising boat or crewing on a large yacht. Different types of sailing vessels have different amounts of running rigging.

For example, a sloop rig has fewer lines than a ketch, which has multiple masts and requires a separate halyard, outhaul, and sheet for its mizzen sail. Similarly, a cutter rig needs another halyard and extra sheets for its additional headsail.

You can dive deeper and read more about Sloop rigs, Ketch Rigs, Cutter rigs, and many others here .

Take a look at this sailboat rigging diagram:

Lines are a type of rope with a smooth surface that works well on winches found on sailboats. They come in various styles and sizes and have different stretch capabilities.

Dyneema and other synthetic fibers have ultra-high tensile strength and low stretch. These high-performance lines last a long time, and I highly recommend them as a cruiser using them for my halyards.

A halyard is a line used to raise and lower the sail. It runs from the head of the sail to the masthead through a  block and  continues down to the deck. Running the halyard back to the cockpit is common, but many prefer to leave it on the mast.

Fun fact:  Old traditional sailboats sometimes used a stainless steel wire attached to the head of the sail instead of a line!

Jib, Genoa, and Staysail Halyards

The halyard for the headsail is run through a block in front of the masthead. If your boat has a staysail, it needs a separate halyard. These lines are primarily untouched on vessels with a furling system except when you pack the sail away or back up. Commonly referred to as the jib halyard.

Spinnaker Halyard

A spinnaker halyard is basically the same as the main halyard but used to hoist and lower the spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor. 

The spinnaker halyard is also excellent for climbing up the front of the mast, hoisting the dinghy on deck, lifting the outboard, and many other things.

A sheet is a line you use to  control and trim a sail to the angle of the wind . The  mainsheet  controls the angle of the mainsail and is attached between the boom and the  mainsheet   traveler . The two headsail sheets are connected to the sail’s clew (lower aft corner) and run back to each side of the cockpit.

These are control lines used to adjust the angle and tension of the sail. It is also the line used to unfurl a headsail on a furling system. Depending on what sail you are referring to, this can be the  Genoa sheet , the  Jib sheet , the  Gennaker sheet , etc.

The outhaul is a line attached to the clew of the mainsail and used to adjust the foot tension. It works runs from the mainsail clew to the end of the boom and back to the mast. In many cases, back to the cockpit. On a boat with  in-mast furling , this is the line you use to pull the sail out of the mast.

Topping lift

The topping lift is a line attached to the boom’s end and runs through the masthead and down to the deck or cockpit. It lifts and holds the boom and functions well as a spare main halyard. Some types of sailboat rigging don’t use a topping lift for their boom but a boom vang instead. Others have both!

Topping lifts can also be used to lift other spars.

A downhaul is a line used to lower with and typically used to haul the mainsail down when reefing and lowering the spinnaker and whisker poles. The downhaul can also control the tack of an asymmetrical spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor.

Tweaker and Barber Haul

A tweaker is a line, often elastic, attached to the sheet of a headsail and used to fine-tune the tension on the sheet.

Barber haul

A barber haul is a line attached to a headsail’s sheet to adjust the sheeting angle to the wind. It is often used to pull the clew further toward the center or outboard than the cars allow.

Boom Preventer

A boom preventer is a line attached to the boom’s end when sailing off the wind. Its function is to hold the spar in place and prevent it from swinging wildly.

If the boat were to get an accidental gybe, it could cause serious damage to the rigging or even harm people on board. It is important for the rigger to be cautious when setting up the boom preventer.

Running Backstay

Running backstays is similar to a normal backstay but uses a line instead of a hydraulic tensioner. Some rigs have additional check stays or runners as well.

Bonus tip: Reefing

The term reefing is used when reducing the effective sailing area exposed to the wind of a given sail. Headsails are usually reefed by partially furling them in, and they often have marks for what we refer to as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reefs.

The mainsail is reefed similarly with an in-mast furling or in-boom furling system.

On a traditional mast, we use a system called slab reefing. The system has reefing lines running through the boom to reinforced points on the luff and leech, allowing you to pull the sail down to the boom and effectively reduce the sail area.

Having at least two reefing points in the mainsail is normal, but most cruising sailboats have 3. The 3rd is used for the heaviest conditions, giving you only a tiny bit of sail area exposed to the wind.

You want to reef your sails  before  the wind increases to a point where your boat gets overpowered.

It is essential to practice your reefing technique . You will find yourself in situations with rapidly increasing winds where you need to reduce your sails quickly.

Rule of thumb:  If you think setting a reef might be a good idea, do it.

Shaking a reef  is the term used when we sail with a reefed sail and want to increase the sail area back to full.

Hardware used for sail handling and the running rigging

Furling system.

Most sailboats have their headsail on a furling system. A furling system is a tube that runs along the forestay from the bottom furler drum to the masthead swivel.

This system allows you to roll the headsail around the forestay, making furling the sail in and out accessible. It is also convenient when reefing the sail when the wind picks up, as you can easily do this from the safety of the cockpit. These furling systems come in manual versions and electric versions.

In-mast furling

In-mast furling is a system that rolls the mainsail in and out of the mast. To unfurl the mainsail, we use the  outhaul .

In-boom furling

In-boom furling is a system that rolls the mainsail in and out of the boom. This system has been costly and has mostly been seen on big yachts earlier. They are becoming more affordable and common on smaller boats, though. To unfurl this setup, we use the main halyard.

A Stack pack is also called a Lazy Bag or Lazy Pack. It is a bag with a zip attached to the boom where the mainsail is stored when unused. It protects the mainsail from UV rays from the sun and weather elements. It is a very nice and tidy way to store the mainsail and reefing lines if you don’t have in-mast or in-boom furling.

Lazy Jacks is a system of lines running from the stack pack to the mast. The Lazy Jacks guide the mainsail up and down from the Stack Pack and prevent it from falling down on the deck. It is also possible to rig Lazy Jacks without a Stack Pack.

A block is a pulley with a sheave wheel. Blocks are used to change the direction of a pull on a line or rope and give a mechanical advantage. They have many uses, especially onboard sailboats.

A winch is a metal drum that gives you a mechanical advantage to control and tighten lines. These can be operated by turning a rope around it and pulling manually or by a winch handle to get more force. Most modern winches are self-tailing, which means they lock the line on so you can winch the line without holding on to it. Some boats even have electrical winches operated by a button.

Mainsheet Traveler

The mainsheet traveler is a horizontal track that the mainsheet is attached to through a series of blocks. The traveler enables you to adjust and lock the boom at an angle and also plays a critical part in trimming the mainsail.

Most cruising sailboats have their traveler attached to the top of the coachroof in front of the spray hood. A racing boat typically has the traveler in the cockpit near the helm to give the helmsman better control over the mainsheet.

The cars are basically a pulley or block attached to a track on the port and starboard deck that your headsail sheets run through. Cars are used to control the angle of the sheet between the clew and the deck. The cars are handy when you trim the sail to set the right balance of tension between the foot and leech, depending on your point of sail.

The jammer is used to lock a line in place. Most sailboats use these for locking the halyards, mainsheet, outhaul, reef lines, traveler lines, boom vang lines, etc. You can pull or winch a line through a closed jammer, but it won’t run away if you let go of it unless you open the lock. 

As I explained earlier, it is normal to have most or all of the lines led back to the cockpit, and they are usually run through a series of jammers.

The jammers are often labeled with the name of the line it locks, which makes it easier to remember which line goes where.

Spinnaker Pole

A spinnaker pole is a spar used to wing out a headsail when sailing off the wind, particularly the spinnaker. The spinnaker pole should have the same length as the distance between the mast and the forestay measured along the deck. We use a fore and aft guy and the pole’s topping lift to rig a pole correctly.

The rigging varies depending on the layout of the boat, but it usually looks like this:

• One line runs from the bow to the end of the pole.
• An aft line runs from near the stern to the end of the pole.
• A topping lift is used to raise and lower the pole.

Whisker Pole

A whisker pole is similar to the spinnaker pole and is rigged similarly. It is typically built lighter and attached to a track on the mast. These can be found in fixed lengths or adjustable lengths. Ideally, the length should be the same as the foot of the headsail you intend to pole out.

Boom Vang/Rod Kicker

The Boom Vang has a few different names. Rod-kicker, kicking strap, or kicker. It is used to tension the boom downwards. When you are sailing downwind and have the boom far out, the mainsheet won’t pull the boom down as much as inboard, and you can then use the vang to adjust the twist and shape of the mainsail.

Mooring line

A mooring line is a traditional rope lead through a fairlead to the vessel’s cleat and a mooring buoy, key, or pontoon.

Final words

Congratulations! By now, you should have a much better understanding of how the running rig on a sailboat functions. We’ve covered the different lines, their purpose, and the hardware used to operate them. I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide and learned something new.

Now it’s time to take what you’ve learned and put it into practice by getting out on the water, setting sail, and getting hands-on experience with the lines.

Or you can continue to my following guide and learn more about the different types of sails .

Sharing is caring!

Skipper, Electrician and ROV Pilot

Robin is the founder and owner of Sailing Ellidah and has been living on his sailboat since 2019. He is currently on a journey to sail around the world and is passionate about writing his story and helpful content to inspire others who share his interest in sailing.

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Mistral 16'

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Hi, I just bought a 1982 Mistral 16' sailboat but don't have the owner's manual and don't know how to rig it - does anyone have any tips, thoughts or an owner's manual??? Thanks! Cheryl  

Thats awesome, congrats on the new boat. Im going to look at a Mistral 16 on Tuesday. here is a link on rigging a Wayfarer which is very similar (almost the same boat) Caution Water - Sailing - Wayfarer Rigging Guide What kind of condition is your boat, and if you dont mind what did you pay, only so I have an idea of what they are going for.  

Thanks for the link! The one I bought is in pretty good condition - it must have hit a dock or another boat on the starboard side - and they did a really bad job patching the fiberglass - it's not that big of a "hole/dent" - I am going to attempt to fix it properly - that is basically the only flaw, however, it was raining so hard today I could not really go outside and make sure all the hardware is there and in good shape - I bought the boat at a non-profit boat auction so the boats are sold "as is" and the owners aren't usually there - the boats are donated - so there really isn't anyone to ask about the boats - so I paid $325 and it included the trailer - but who knows what I will be looking at once the rain here stops and I try to rig it - I think $700 - $1200 is an average price if you are buying from the actual owner. Mine did include the jib and main sails and they look pretty good - I think the battens are missing though, unless I find them in the boat. Good luck with your boat - and if you come across an owners manual I would love it if you could scan it and email to me!  

That's an amazing price, hopfully everything is there for you so you don't have to round up parts and pieces. If I come across an owners Manuel Ill be sure to pass it along, although I've never found them to be that useful they are a good place to start. Good luck with your boat.  

Have you gotten a better look at your new boat yet? I found from someone else that this is a good place for parts C&L Boatworks The cl 16 is another similar boat with a good following. Check out the forum on the CL16 page, some great info there.  

I just started a facebook group page called "Mistral 16 sailors" I thought that since there are only a few of us that own this rare boat it would make it easier for us to get info from one another. Hope to see you there.  

OK, here are the documents that I have:  

Attachments

Bob, I bought a mistral 16 without the cabin. any chance you still have that pdf? looking for info on how to rig the spinnaker. Thanks,  

I've got a 1982 Mistral 16 open cockpit style. I've converted it from end sheeting to centre sheeting. Makes life easier when single handing. Luv my boat. Weak spot on these boats is the cockpit sole around the bailer. I had to replace my bailer and re-inforce the sole becasue of cracking. A few layers of fibre glass and west system epoxy and it was good as new. I had a sail loft install to sets of reefing points in my main. Now I use jiffy reefing - faster and safer than trying to roll it up  

Good luck on your sailing endeavors, Cheryl.  

Hi Cheryl and others, I just joined Sailnet after perusing the site for years. I have a Mistral 16 open cockpit. Right now it's in my IN Box, under a tarp. Like Cheryl, I got mine for around that price and it included the trailer, sails and so on. I bought it because of the double chined hull and the mast looked like it would (pivot) and be somewhat easy to step. One of the main things that's keeping it out of the water (aside from being busy) is that the rivets holding the spreaders to the mast pulled out. I'm going to have to research that "repair" and see if I can fix it myself or pay money I don't have right now to a rigging place. I have other boats, and one is a CL 14 -- like a smaller CL 16 or Mistral. I love it. There is a Google Group, "Mistral Sailing" but it is not particularly active. LeRoy is the manager of that forum. There are not too many Mistral 16 s around, but it is a nice solid boat. What RailSailor said about the cockpit floor. Mine has some stress cracks. Bailer in good shape. I got a "deal" on it because it has a wound on the bench seat corner where a branch fell on it. The sellers took it in for barter and never got around to using it. There is a very short video clip of a Mistral 16 -- two Canadian guys but they are really moving in a stiff breeze and so it's one of my Armchair Sailing Inspiration vids during the winter months. Oh, btw, I believe that I might have the rigging directions on one of my disks. I _thought_ mine was center sheeted.  

Hi boatshell I had the same problem with my spreaders. I don't know how bad yours is but mine was easily fixable with a fifteen dollar riveter from Lowes and some large aluminum rivets. It also took a small amount of hamering to get the spreader bracket back into the right shape. Best of luck. I love my boat, it is so much fun to sail. I agree about the google group. Although I did get a response from a bunch of folks there. I'd rather see that here on sail net. The interface is more user friendly and there is a much bigger pool of people to draw from. I asked the moderators to start a mistral only thread like they have for many other boats, but it never got done.  

Thanks, dklein90, for your response and input. I have photos but I am only recently (yesterday) a member, so don't know if I can post pics. As I recall, the pull out area on the mast was not huge, but there isn't a way to put that same size rivet into those holes again. I don't have much of an idea how much force or torque is involved, but I'd bet it is substantial. I don't think that I could safely try to patch the holes with Marine-Tex or something like that and re-drill. I don't know. It has been under tarp for a while while I tend to my other boats, sail, fix up house, garden, and cook my daily fix of Thai food. I do have one of those box store rivet guns and packs of rivets. But that rivet tool was not even strong enough to put in monel rivets on a Lido (Classic 14) mast, so I ended up using aluminum. I have "more than two" sailboats. I couldn't sail for a very long while, and when I was able to do so, I went a bit wild and "over bought." But I _need_ them and use them for different sailing situations -- solo, solo rigging, with husband, low wind pond, salt water bay with chop, wet boat for hot summer, dry butt boats for cold weather, .... No keel boats, mostly sailing dinghies and some board boats. If it sails well, I want to be on it. I have come across other Mistral 16 threads on various forums, and because I have "more than two" boats, I belong to a number of sailboat venues. But some of my boats are odd balls or I have questions that most members of sailboat forums don't seem able to address. Also, some of those forums focus on racing. A lot of my questions concern fixing up on a shoestring budget. I was reluctant to actually sign up and post to Sailnet after seeing so many big, gorgeous, nicely decked out sailboats. But seeing some small boat sailors here is inspiring. Heck, if I still lived in Maine on the salt water (I miss it so much), I'd have a keel boat (or two). As you note, there is a real breadth of experience here on Sailnet. Note to anyone with a Mistral 16 or thinking of buying one. Be sure you have that lid to the aft floatation compartment. I have mine, but the gasket probably wouldn't keep water out. I've read they are sometimes missing or fly off. Just a heads up.  

Hi Cheryl, We have a Mistral 16 and we have some some documentation obtained here from several kind Sailnet contributors, thanks to them) Let me kow you e-mail address because I tried to upload through Sail net, does'nt work. Daniel  

These boats were originally sold with an end sheeting arrangement. It was a bit of a pain if you had a small kicker installed the main sheet would get caught on it when tacking or jibing. I converted mine to a double block center sheeting arrangement and haven't looked back since.. Regards Peter  

Anybody been sailing their Mistral 16s lately?  

Hi Boz I was only wondering as I have not seen any posts for a while. I am planning to do some camping/sailing on Lake Champlain labor day weekend and maybe into Monday and Tuesday. Lots of shore/ island camping opportunities. I will post pics of the trip. Its the perfect dinghy for the job.  

Hi, Did you try to take a picture of the pdf spec. for mistral 16? gilod  

Yes I have the pdf specs. I'm not entirely sure where give me a couple of days to find them and respond to you.  

any chance you could email these out??  

Not sure what specs you are looking for, but the Mistral 16 is more or less a Wayfarer clone. The overnighter version is more or less a Wayfarer hull with a cabin on it. There is lots of info online about Wayfarers, much of it should be close to Mistral 16 specs.  

thanks!  

looking for everything from rigging to specs to line!  

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