Singing backstay

[n0w0rries]

When the wind is aft of the mast (I think) our backstay sings... it's like a whistle or tone... it's driving me nuts!

When we did the sea trial it wasn't there, but after the survey (we had to remove the backstay during the survey for a crane to haul the boat) it's been "singing" ever since.

I'm not 100% sure it's the backstay... it's a weird tone and it's hard to locate exactly where it's coming from. I'm just assuming it's the backstay since it changed and the boat didn't sing before.

I don't know much about tuning the standing rigging, but has anybody had experience with this? Should I loosen something or tighten something or ???

[Kiltmadoc]

Quick test: get some electrical tape and put "tags" on the back stay every few inches, and at different angles (maybe every 60 degrees or so). This will break up the airflow over the backstay and should disrupt the tone produced. If it's not your back stay, then the tone will continue.

As to what you do if it is the backstay: perhaps add some cable shroud protectors to make the backstay cables bigger and thus disrupt the flow, or foam, or zip ties.

Good luck.

[MJBrown]

Check your topping lift. If it's too tight when under sail it can produce a loud humming sound.