Inner forestay

[brokesailor]

If I remove the inner forestay on deck and move it over to the chainplates the forestay will be slack. Is there a device that can be used to tighten the forestay by taking up the slack towards one of the shrouds?

[billbalme]

You could shorten the shroud and then put on an adjustable tensioner - like the ones Wichard make - their catalog is here http://www.wichard.com/documents/stainlessSteel.pdf - page 8 or 9...

You'd need a decently long adjustment...

I saw a fellow with a Valiant work a system where the shroud was guided over the tip of a spreader (taking up some distance) and then onto the deck by the shrouds with an adjustable tensioner...


Good luck!

[BluesHarp]

I plan to try a Prussic knot a few feet up from the deck with some thin cord and seeing if I can get enough purchase on the stay to tighten it to an open turnbuckle.

[RichH]

The old school method of rapid forestay adjustment/tension was the ABI 'forestay tensioner': ABI Forestay Levers These have the habit of unexpected release at the worst possible time.

Some, including myself, are 'experimenting' using ultra hi-tech running rigging. Simply using amsteel synthetic line (instead of wire) which is attached to the mast (at the hounds) then down to the tack/deck to a stout block and then run to a winch to set the all important forestay tension. Amsteel, etc. has no problem in turning over a small block or sheeve attached to the deck, etc.

On a cutter rig the stay that is the farthest forward is called the headstay; the forestay is the one immediately in front of the mast ... the one that the "forestay"sail or staysail is flown.
When sailing, tightening the forestay simultaneously releases tension in the headstay; an overtight forestay will result in a slack (sagged off to leeward) headstay - and that will essentially RUIN pointing ability or upwind performance in a cutter by adversely affecting headsail shape (which will also significantly increase heel and the boat skidding off to leeward). Most who seriously race cutters will have almost totally slack forestays (automatically increases tension on the headstay) when beating/pointing.

[MarcHall]

Originally Posted by brokesailor

If I remove the inner forestay on deck and move it over to the chainplates the forestay will be slack. Is there a device that can be used to tighten the forestay by taking up the slack towards one of the shrouds?

I need to take some pictures.

I have a piece of hardware mounted to a mast pulpit. The hardware is a tube
of stainless steel bent into a halfcircle and with half the tube cut-away and a
tab with a mounting hole in it. The stay runs down from the mast into this
device and back along the cabin top. On the track that runs on top of the
cabin I have small car that provides an attachment point for a small block
and tackle which I attach to the pelican hook. It stows quite nicely in this
position.

The hardware was commercially available from ABI but I believe they are
out of business. I originally saw this piece, rigged a bit differently on a
Morris at the Annapolis boat show about 15 years ago. The reference to it
in the ABI catalog called out Morris.

Marc
"Crazy Fish", Crealock 37 based in San Diego

[Faster]

I've seen the sort of thing MarcHall is describing on other boats.

A google search turned up this:

Item # 49-250, Inner Forestay Storage Bridle on C. Sherman Johnson Co., Inc.

Which probably performs a similar function, although I can also see you slipping this over the forestay and taking a line or shock cord from the central hole to the mast or somewhere else convenient, with this fitting avoiding point-loading the stay.

[MarcHall]

Originally Posted by Faster

I've seen the sort of thing MarcHall is describing on other boats.

A google search turned up this:

Item # 49-250, Inner Forestay Storage Bridle on C. Sherman Johnson Co., Inc.

Which probably performs a similar function, although I can also see you slipping this over the forestay and taking a line or shock cord from the central hole to the mast or somewhere else convenient, with this fitting avoiding point-loading the stay.

Yes that is pretty close to what I have. When I saw this on the Morris it was rigged as suggested with the terminal brought back to an attachment point on
the top of the cabin.

Marc

[adamowens]

Here is a pic of my inner forestay stored on the cabin top.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Adam
PSC 31 Journey

[brokesailor]

Great picture! Thanks

[cmcpheeters]

I am using a system that Terry at YachtFitters figured out. When the inner forestay is being stored, the staysail halyard is also free - this uses the halyard to tension the forestay at the shrouds.



I have a short amsteel strop attached to the aft turnbuckle. The inner forestay attaches to this strop, at this point its slack. Then I bring the halyard over to the shrouds and pass it through a small snatch block and then to the inner forestay. Tensioning the halyard takes the slack out. Its nice. All the lines and wires are well out of the way when walking down the side deck.


Cheers,
Craig.

s/v Luckness.