It exits Where?
Finally got my 88 E26 home
! What a beautiful boat! She came with a cruising spinnaker. I am trying to figure out the rigging for the halyard. Based on the lables the PO placed, the genoa halyard exits just above the headstay as expected, the main exits rear at the masthead, and the spinnaker exits rear at the masthead. That one does not make since to me. There are four exit blocks at the base of the mast, three halyards in play. And a spin haly exiting rear???? Looks to be a make shift deal to me, so I am thinking about adding an exit block above the headstay for the spinnaker. Ideas/comments on rigging this boat? The PO is no longer in the picture to ask...
My mental imaging of this description may need some fine turning...
Firstly, in the 80's Ericson was commonly using Kenyon spars for their boats (at least the larger ones). Secondly, all of the Kenyon spars I have had a look at had the same top weldment. This consisted of four halyards, total possible (although not all might in use or ordered up on any given boat.
At the rear, of course, would be the sheave for the main halyard. Directly Under the forestay attachment tang is the headsail/genoa jib halyard sheave. Beside that tang, on either side, are sheave openings for port and starboard spinnaker halyards (often called "wing" halyards). There is an external Kenyon polished SS "cage" that acts to guide the halyards into the front-side sheaves.
It was also common for the spar to have all the exits cut in place, in a calculated 'staggered' alignment, above the gooseneck on either side, whether that particular boat was ordered with all the halyard possibilities or not.
When you say that the genoa halyard exits above the headstay, to me this makes no sense at all. Also, there is no way that the spinnaker halyard sheaves face to the rear.
As the overused movie line has it: "Houston, we have a problem."
Please give us some more info. Some closeup photos of the masthead would be very helpful.
Perhaps some of the former EY employees can check in and clarify this. And, I may be confused, too.
Best,
Loren