rigging outhaul

[Guest]

I just bought a 1987 DS III. It's lots of fun to sail, but I am having trouble figuring out how the outhaul is properly rigged. My boat has two eyes in the fitting at the end of the boom. I have been running the outhaul through one of these eyes to a block on the starboard side of the boom, and then back through the second eye, then through an eye on the port side of the boom and then to a cleat on the port side which is located mid-forward on the boom. I get an eniviably taught foot on my mainsail, but I suspect I am overdoing it. Any suggestions?

Barry B (bjblrb-at-gateway.net)

[Guest]

I just rigged an outhaul for my '84 Spindrift DS I today. I simply tied a 1/4" line to the clew of the mainsail and ran it through a block at the aft end of the boom. I attched it with a shackle to one of the holes you mentioned. I tie the line off on a cleat mounted to the starboard side of the boom.

Vince

Vince (vincent.demperio-at-bms.com)

[Guest]

Barry, I think you are overdoing it! The outhaul can be rigged many ways, but.....the simplest, but least effective way is to tie the outhaul line to the clew grommet of the sail and run the line through on of the eyes on the clew end of the boom and forward to the cleat at just forward of mid-boom. I have mine rigged with the outhaul line dead-ending at the forward eye, then through a block shackled to the clew of the sail, then through a cheek block on the starboard side of the boom, about 1" forward of clew end, then forward to the cleat on the side of the boom (mid-boom).
This set-up was an option from O'Day originally (my boat is a 1979 DS II).



Rod Johnson (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)

[Guest]

Barry, I had to re-check your question to be sure I followed your rigging of the outhaul. It sounds like you are using the eyes and blocks for the jiffy-reefing system to rig your outhaul.
I may have a sales brochure that has pictures that might help you, I am not sure if it is from 1987 or 1988, but it does show the block ans eye for the reef lines. E-mail me direct and I will try to copy it for you.

Rod Johnson (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)