Category: Rigging

Comparisons Between Early 80s Leonhard Mader and Hans Mader Layouts

Recent heat and hazardous smoky conditions outside prompted me to go through some old photos.  Here are a couple images that may interest you, too.
 
My brother and I set up a booth for the Austrian FD Class at a big boat show in Vienna, and this is where those photos were taken. The photo of the full double bottom boat is a Leonhard Mader; one of the first models with full double bottom. The cockpit was open all the way to the transom where a narrow beam held up the rudder. What struck me is the simplicity of the controls back then. We already had lowers, but the extreme raking had not been fully developed; we were still sailing with the small spinnaker. Also note how the helmsman’s hiking straps are crossing, probably because the helmsman has long legs.

The second photo shows a Hans Mader all wooden boat from the same period but less advanced, with a half double bottom. This one has a curved traveller track. The controls are set up in a similar way and very simple. I suppose this boat had the spinnaker sack on the port side, which is unusual.

 
 
 

Early Spinnaker Retrieval

From the February, 1957 Trapeze, here is a clever arrangement to stow a spinnaker.  It’s difficult to imagine not having a continuous arrangement for such a key piece of FD gear.  But then there are still many high performance dinghies that still use bags rather than socks.  In any event, wrap your heads around this one:

Shroud Termination

A recent question on the upper shrouds came from Stuart Austin, rebuilding USA 440, a 1969 Dubdam.  Stuart writes, “Rule 62 states that the lower ends of the shrouds should be “impossible” to adjust while racing. How do you achieve controls that can be tuned conveniently but still meet the rule?”

The rule references the “lower end” which is referring to the teminal attachment of the shroud to the chainplate or whatever hardware affixed to the boat. This does not refer to the critical adjustment mechanism that lengthens or shortens the upper shroud.  The rule is stating that the attachment point of the shroud may not be movable while under way.  The effect of this is that on an FD, you are not allowed to move the shroud fore, aft or athwardships while racing.  To be sure, many boats allow for this type of adjustment to be made between races.