Tabernacle Operation

[Scott Galloway]

I promised to post photos of the tabernacle rig on my Pearson Ariel, "Augustine" Hull number 330 when they were available. This thread provides the photos and some accompanying text related to tabernacle rig issues.

Originally the tabernacle arrangement on my boat was set up to be more or less a two-person operation. This didn't work for single-handing. It was also in my opinion unsafe. The rigging on the boat when I fist purchased her in 2001, included Norseman fittings all around and beefy pelican hooks on the aft lower shrouds and backstay, and a very nice backstay adjuster located at the top of the backstay chain plate, but there was no boom vang, and the mainsheet block was ancient and was no longer functioning on a 4:1 ratio. The boom and shroud stabilization lines (boom guys and bridles) were inadequate.

I replaced the mainsheet block with a new Garhauer 4:1 light block with steel bearings. These blocks are practically frictionless. Mine make it possible for me to lift the mast single-handed. To do so, I must stand with my back to the companionway hatch at the forward end of the cockpit and pull the mainsheet toward me. This body position maximizes leverage, while minimizing back strain.

I initially purchased a Garhauer dual action 4:1 / 8:1 block, and that really works slick for the mast raising, but the excessive amount of line used by that block provides a mess of spaghetti on deck to clean up afterwards. That proved to be a bit of a nuisance, but was really a problem at sea when jibing down wind at sea, or even tacking off of a broad reach to the opposite broad reach. Also it is more difficult, particularly when it is dark and wet to control two lines as they lip through your cold numb fingers while the mast is going down. I switched to a straight 4:1 ratio block with a larger line size and retained the dual action block to use when lowering the mast at the dock to work on the upper mast or spreaders.


This first photo shows the mainsheet block, which is hooked to a pad eye, and not to my rather ancient traveler. It also shows the boom end of the boom guys (black line). The boom guys clip onto a bail at the aft end of the boom. Also please note that the black boom guys seem to end at the boom, but that I have added my own innovation in a loop of that same line, which is actually a continuous section of the boom guy lines that runs down from the boom end to the pad eye. This loop functions as a safety line to ensure that the mast does not accidentally lower on its own if someone inadvertently releases the mainsheet. This would be an unlikely occurrence since it takes some pressure to get the mast started forward, but a safety loop adds to the skipper comfort level. Also shown is my handy-dandy $12.95 "Ross Dress for less" Cordura mainsheet bag into which my green mainsheet line is feeding. In this photo, the backstay is still intact, and has not been broken and reattached to the boom end.