The one we used from Sailrite had plastic hanks attached which went onto the backstay.

 

Well, maybe it's not 'racey' or something.. and I would certainly use proper small stuff.. but your technique there should work just fine. Maybe a couple of vertical turns between the sail and the stay, just to keep plenty of tension in the system (will help keep the sail from sliding up/down the stay, as well as keep the knot from shaking out).

I don't know.. I mean, spend money if you want. But that will work fine (though the choice of small stuff is not something to ignore.. what are you using now?)

 

Thanks Faster, I'll have to look into the plastic hanks.



Yes, that was some scrap line I had, and one of the reasons I took the anchor sail down tonight.

I have some 1/4 inch dacron that I'm using for the upper eye. I need to get something as robust for the lower eye.

Regards,
Brad

 

This may seem like a dumb question, but you folks have my curiosity aroused.

From the OP's description, I understand that the sail is intended to reduce or eliminate sailing-at-anchor. I have seen ketches and yawls use their mizzens for this purpose very effectively. Hell, I've even seen commercial fish boats use something similar.

So, how does this get rigged on a sloop-rigged boat? In my case, how would I rig something like this for a split backstay? Finally, can I just go down to my friendly chandler and buy one, or are there limited manufacturers/distributors?

This seems like a really good idea if it isn't going to cost an arm and a leg.

 

I finally got an anchor sail. It's a beauty. I've been flying it for the past few days and it really diminishes the amount of sailing-at-anchor that we do.

What do you use to attach your anchor sail to your backstay?

Regards,
Brad

Brad,

There is no need to fasten a riding sail to your backstay. Attach the center of a tack line to the tack with a cowhitch and then secure the ends to your stern quarters, attach the head to your spare main halyard and the clew to a "sheet" carried to a fair lead padeye near the mast base. If the tack lines need to clear a bimini, you can make a "spreader" above the bimini with a piece of PVC or light aluminum tubing. We found our riding sail seemed to work best when it was biased to one side or other of the stern and one of the best commercially made riding sails is known as a "Fin Delta" which has two "wings" that angle away from the centerline to each stern quarter.

FWIW...

 

Bene, dude, that line looks like yarn for a unicorn shawl or something. Does it have glitter in it too?

 

Brad,

Ours used widely spaced bronze piston hanks.

But then, ours was designed as a "riding sail" that could also be used in heavy whether along with a sea-anchor. So I'm glad it used heavier bronze hanks instead of plastic.

We only used it at anchor, but I never noticed any sign of wear, either on the backstay or the hanks.

 

Look at the Sailrite site. They sell kits for the sails and the kits include Ronstan Piston Hanks. I made my own sail (from an old jib) and bought the hanks (and other stuff) from them. Also, just google Ronstan piston hanks.
They work great.