Reaching struts

[dpboatnut]

I know they''re for reaching, when the pole goes forward and the guy''s angle gets very small, but they seem to be used only in distance races and not buoy races. Is that correct? So are they a chafe and wear preventative rather than essential bits of gear? How should they''re length be determined, and are there any rules about their use? I seem to recall PHRF allowing them, but that some people quote an (old?) RRS rule prohibiting "outriggers".

Thanks,
-Chad

[Jeff_H]

I have not seen a reaching strut used on a race boat in more than 10 years. They do improve the lead angle for the spinacker guy when power reaching but that is less of a problem since most boats went to low stretch line. They may still be used on bigger boats on long offshore legs but I have not seen boats even equipped for struts in recent years. As far as I know, they are still completely legal.

Jeff

[Silmaril]

The reaching strut should be used whenever your pole is forward enough that the guy would hit the shrouds. Close reaching with a chute, in otherwords. With the newer blends of lightweight high strength lines out today, you must make sure you use a strut to brevent break-down of the fibers from chafe on the shrouds. I use mine whenever the guy will be touching the uppers. Even on short distance or bouy racing. I need a full crew(7 - 8) on my older 37'' IOR boat, so it''s not a big deal. If you had fewer crew, the extra step might seem like too much work on a short course. Mine takes only a few seconds to put up and take down. Just remember those days when your guy was rubbing away on your shrouds if your heavily loaded guy parts with a bang.

[Silmaril]

As Jeff mentioned, it really is a throw back to the olds days, small high aspect mains and silly huge foretriangles. My 3/4 oz tri-radial is about 1,400sf and makes for a lot of work. Hense my need for a lot of crew when racing. I only singlehand a chute in VERY light winds! I would imagine if your guy doesnt hit your shrouds, it would be a waste of time. Mine does, so I use it!

[dpboatnut]

Thanks for the replies. My boat is an older CCA rule boat, with an 8'' beam on 29'' LOD, and only a 10'' J dim. The guy starts getting on the shrouds pretty quick as the boat reaches up. I''ve tried running the guy through a snatch block on the rail, but that doesn''t really solve the problem.

I''ve seen the photo of Stan Honey''s Cal40 crossing the finish line of the Transpac reprinted several times lately, and noticed he was sporting a strut. He also has an intersting "reverse twing" on the bottom of his boom, to hold the sheet further outboard. Since my boat has similar proportions to his (broadly...), I began to think his might be a good example to follow.

Oh, and just arrived in my mailbox, the cover on the current issue of Sail Mag has a Farr with a reaching strut, although I suppose Jeff might say any boat with teak decks is not a "raceboat". I think it''d still woop mine, though...

Best,
-Chad

[sailingfool]

I always thought the primary purpose of a strut was to ease the load on the guy by providing a wider-angle. I remember needing two-hands on a primary winch to trim a guy close-reaching in a breeze without a strut on even a C&C 33 - put the strut up and it was much more manageable.
I think the use of of tweaker blocks allowing trimming the guy to the rail amidship spelt the end of strut use on most boats by providing similar leverage without the extra hardware or running around...

[Silmaril]

It''s all in the angles. On my "vintage" IOR design, if you use a block out at the widest point of beam, you would not have a fair lead back to the footblock. The farthest forward I can have a guy with a fair lead to the footblock then puts the guy on the shrouds when the pole is just off the headstay. Therefore, I use a reaching strut.