Stuart Watts

That is a simple method! and easy to put some shrink sleeve over also. Really helpful! Thanks John.

Thanks Larry.

Good advice there Colin. Many thanks, that method is the one i'm going for. Really appreciate your input! Stuart

Sounds a simple solution Gary, not sure the zero drag would make much difference on the Rhythm, but an interesting way forward. Does BG suggest 'one' hook for each shroud or both into one?

I like that idea better than a self tapping screw in the mast. Many thanks for that!

I’ll take another look, I only found side fixing shrouds but I probably missed some! Thank you!

Can anyone post a pic of the fixing point of the shrouds at the front of the mast? I assume the shroud wire does a turn around the self tapping screw? thank you!

Laurie, I emailed the Doncaster MSC to enquire but didn't get a reply. Stuart

Wow nice looking yacht! Many thanks Ben, really good to see what I’m aiming for, many thanks for the photos! Stuart

Rob, all these are incredibly useful, thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to get to the hull in your garage and for the time and effort helping me with wise and experienced words. For some reason, my hull has the rear winch 'pulley' on the port side (like yours) and the winch location on the starboard side, with the pot on the port side. Thus the winch line is across the centre line of the hull. I may alter this to similar to yours! The mast step is much more simplistic with a ply receptacle for the base of the mast and a tight hole on the deck where the mast comes through. No mast 'ram' at all. I may leave it that way, although it wouldn't take much to alter to similar to yours, so who knows, I may do that. My bulb has a captive nut sunk into the wooden fin, so has a bolt upwards from the bottom, so quite secure (hopefully). I will check the angle of the bulb and adjust if necessary but then will resin it in I think! Again, I really appreciate the time and trouble you have taken for me. This has given me a great steer on a way forward. Really useful. Stuart

Wow, that's great, Thank You! Any pictures would be useful, but the mast step, and your though deck / winch set up if it's in situ would be great. Also your fin/ballast would be interesting - mine has a big gap in the lead ballast around the fin entry point - which I would intend filling with resin, but would be interested how yours looks! Many thanks again, and thank you in advance for doing battle with your loft space if you can manage it!! Stuart

I've now heard back that the Ebay supplier doesn't have the November issue so I'm still searching for both issues!

If anyone has a copy of the October 1993 article (I don't need the plans), they would be willing to copy/email to me, I would be really grateful! For research purposes of course! which I think copyright allows up to a certain percentage of the book/magazine.

Hi Rob, as it happens I have ordered the November copy just today from eBay, I can’t find a copy of the October mag just yet, but I look forward to reading about your build! Many thanks for your reply.

Yes! It looked like a Jazz until I actually picked it up - definitely a Rhythm.

I wonder if there is anyone who has pictures of the Bantock designed Rhythm they would be willing to share? I have a hull and need to refurbish. Some pics would be really useful. Thanks!

Thanks Eric, I hadn’t been able to find much about the boat/designer. I found the fat boy logo in the fibre glass mat inside but not much other than that. This boat was in poor condition at the hull/deck join and I have re glassed it there to repair and strengthen. It seems to have potential but need to get it tuned right I think!

Thanks John, it certainly sounds like I need to look at the mast rake/pre bend. Thanks for your help! Stuart

Eric, I have investigated with the IOM registrar but we cannot find it has been registered. I have no certificate. This old web address refers to the maker (pictured) but not named. They obviously made somewhere about 35 of this design finishing in 2010. Mine is exactly as the one in the picture. https://fatboyyachts.wordpress.com

RoRo, It does indeed seem to be a great resource. I will study it closely. Thank You! Stuart

Thank you Eric! all really helpful! I am based in the midlands sailing at Hollowell RC Sailing Club. We have a few very experienced sailors - who I will ask. My boat sails quite well balanced with the mast rake/set up as it stands. The Jib leech, however, seems to be too open when set with little or no topping lift applied. I had thought this was an issue with the jib pivot point, but I will review the information in the web site you detail and see if anything jumps out, and if changing the rake a bit may help the jib leech as well as the mast ram situation. Really appreciate you taking the time to help me. Thanks! Stuart

New IOM owner here with a Fatboy design hull. I'm slowly getting my head around the different rigging adjustments. However, I am not sure about the mast ram. My rig has a slotty mast (although it doesn't have a slotty sail (!) just string luff rings through a luff wire in the sail.) The mast sits in a mast step hole about 60mm deep. The deck infront is higher and has a threaded rod through a hole with a large plastic knob on to adjust the amount of backwards ram. However my mast sits at the back of the step hole so the ram is not being effective. Is there a wedge or something to push the mast forward with pressure from the ram to bend it back? At the moment the ram does nothing. The mast is reasonably straight (negligible pre bend) and the sails seem to have about + 5mm luff curve. Am I missing something?

Great Tip Trevor, Thank You!

Lester, thank you for the inoculation of common sense! I will get it on the water! Stuart