Bowsprit

The bowsprit was added in order to increase the distance between the jib and the spinnaker in order to make jibing the spinnaker easier. It also allows for a bigger spinnaker to be set. :-)

I used a piece of mahogany left over from making the thwart. A 2 1/2 inch hole was bored into it, then cut in half to make the two "pillow blocks". I had a broken Sunfish mast from which I salvaged a 5 foot piece and the top cap. I also cut off 2- inch long pieces which were used as reinforcements at the attachment points. All the load is carried by the SS U-bolt at the bow. The rear has a captured nut under the deck into which an eyebolt is screwed. This makes the bowsprit fairly easy to remove. The clew of the spinnaker is pulled to the end of the bowsprit with the line through the block which ends at a camcleat on the deck.