Spars and leeboards with an interesting adjustable leeboard bracket
Photos Courtesy: Benson Gray, Contributing Editor, Falmouth, Maine
With Comments by Ed Maurer
A nice set now in the hands of contributing editor, Dan Miller, of the Antique Boat Museum. The original order sheet shows the canoe this rig belonged to was built in 1921 and shipped to its owner, "Little Joe" of Baltimore, Maryland, May 13. This was the third canoe shipped to Joe on this order form, suggesting he was either a purveyor or camp owner or manager. In case you're wondering, the boat was an 18' sponson model in "Bright Red."  The above photo shows the entire original set with a replacement Dacron sail. The upper and lower clews are attached to the spars with iron eye screws, while the spars are joined at the bottom with conjoined eye screws of the same type. The bronze gooseneck engaged the mast at the bottom in the normal fashion for lateen sails. The leeboards are the common "pizza spatula" type, but the brackets are unusual in that each side is a mirror image that intersects with its mate. They are held together with close-fitting bronze loops riveted to the bracket. Note that this allows for only one piece to be manufactured and used in tandem with a like piece. Very smart engineering and cost-effective manufacturing. Note also that the bracket mounts the boards below the gun'l, keeping the boards low and making maximum use of their length. |
