alternative to gallows

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alternative to gallows

Postby DanaDCole on Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:31 am

I am considering leaving the gallows off my boat--or at least trying to. As John Harris points out, it is nice, but it also adds weight and windage. My idea is to install a topping lift or lazy jacks to hold the boom up when lowering the sails. When trailering the boat I plan to build a device similar to the one Sam Devlin designed for his Nancy's China, see at: http://www.devlinboat.com/gallery/main. ... temId=3331 As you can see, he combined a device to hold the boat to the trailer with a holder for the boom (hope I'm not stealing from him). The device looks pretty simple to build out of 2x4s, 1x4s, some carpet scraps, and a tie-down strap. Any thoughts?
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby Bflat on Sat Oct 05, 2013 9:22 am

The boom gallows are one of many things which drew me to the Pocketship design. After years of dealing with various lifts and crutches I very much look forward to having gallows. The gallows in combination with the mast tabernacle would seem to make trailering a "snap." I'd think the gallows adds a little security as well, not unlike a stern rail. It's also a natural place for a stern light and provides a great base for a cockpit tent. And it does all this without the need to be stowed like a boom crutch would. Oh, and I think the gallows look cool, too.

But, that's just my opinion. And, fortunately, the gallows would seem to be relatively easy to add or subtract throughout the boat's life.
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby truenorth on Sat Oct 05, 2013 2:13 pm

I've seen PocketShips with and without a boom gallows and there's certainly a charm to both. For me, without it, it just feels a little too slim, like something's missing from a sculpture. I'm not going to race PocketShip, at least not to win, so if it means I lose half a knot because of windage (and I've no sense it actually will) that's OK. Mine is laminated ash and padauk and for awhile I had it up on the mantle over my fireplace. That's how much I like it. It'a also meant to be the grounding design against which the entire boat is built around. It's certainly not a 2x4 with carpet scraps!

Perhaps a good solution is to build a removable gallows? It wouldn't be hard to do, and wouldn't add or subtract any more time than the Devlin solution, or configuring the topping lift/lazy jacks. Again, like a sculpture, you can't really argue either way. It just comes down to personal preference, and I've found few things more intensely personal than boatbuilding.

Image
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby chaertl on Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:54 pm

Just to add my two cents, the gallows actually is pretty easy to remove. It's held into the rail fittings by two set screws and took about ten minutes to remove last fall for refinishing. If you'd like to have it both ways install the fittings in the rope lockers and get a couple plugs for the gunwales when it's not installed. One major benefit of the gallows is the boom and gaff can be lashed to it and used as a sort of hand rail while motoring. The cabin blocks the imediate view forward while motoring. This isn't to much of a problem except in heavy traffic areas. I went out on Lake Minnetonka Wednesday and had to motor for about 45 minutes through two bays to get to the lower lake. The approaches to both sides of the Arcola bridge have long fairly narrow channels with shallows on both sides. There's also heavy traffic going both ways and I had to stand on the deck for a clear view ahead. If I didn't have the boom to hold onto the wakes from boats five times my size passing less then 50 feet away could have thrown me out. Definately nice to have something solid to hold onto.

Chris
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby DanaDCole on Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:37 am

Thanks for all the great input. This is very helpful--I might go along with the idea of a removable gallows--that would give me more flexibility.

Note to "Truenorth." John Harris can weigh in on this, but I'm pretty sure he said he decided to add the gallows after building and test-sailing the boat. So if I am right (I'm usually wrong) the boat was not designed around the gallows--to me it looks like an add-on, but then I have never seen a Pocketship without the gallows.
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby truenorth on Sun Oct 06, 2013 2:06 pm

The phrase "meant to be a grounding design" wasn't related to John's plans, but mine. The lamination on my boat carries forward to the tiller, cabin sole, and companionway. A 2x4 with carpet scraps, while functional, wouldn't make for a very nice grounding design.

Many PocketShips have been launched with various types of boom gallows - some as 2x4's, some more fancy, some in between, and some with none at all. The point I was trying to make is that it's up to you. However, there are practical and aesthetic reasons to keep it that may outweigh the windage and the weight. Chris writes that it's helped him hold onto the boom when the boom is lashed when motoring. Bflat writes that it can serve as a base for a boom tent and a stern light. I write that it looks nice. John felt good about adding it.

Here's a set of photos from a recent launch in Australia. You probably saw this in an earlier thread.The boat looks great with or without; I like that not having it means some lines can run more aft.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=506

A removable one looks to be a good solution if you're keen on going without one. Where are you in the build?
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby DanaDCole on Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:53 pm

Truenorth,
Sorry I misunderstood what you meant by "grounding design." I may go ahead and build the gallows, although I'm glad it is removable. It still seems to me that a topping lift would work just as well with the mast up, then when it's lowered for trailering, the crossbeam/crutch arrangement would be placed on the boat. I would be putting the crossbeam and strap portion of it on there anyway to hold the boat down on the trailer.

Anyway I really appreciate all the input and food for thought. Also, I was glad to be taught the term I was unaware of, "beam crutch."
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby DanaDCole on Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:54 pm

Truenorth, I missed your question at the end, "Where are you on the build?" Still waiting for the kit to arrive! :)
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby JonLee on Mon Oct 07, 2013 2:27 pm

I spent a lot of time debating the to-gallows-or-not-to-gallows question. In the end, I hadn't really made a decision, was in a rush, and went with the gallows kinda-sorta by default. Boy, am I glad I did! For both sailing, motoring, and towing, I find the gallows nearly indispensible...or at least too convenient to ever give up. It makes the process of rigging, raising, and lowering the sails that much easier. And the easier those tasks are, the more the boat gets used.

Gallows=win!
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Re: alternative to gallows

Postby DanaDCole on Mon Oct 07, 2013 3:49 pm

OK, I'm convinced--gallows it is! If it's close to sailing season when I finish the boat, I'll build the solid-wood gallows, then fabricate a laminated one the following winter.
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