Silencing Dyneema?

[teppokurki]

So how do you keep your Dyneema stays and shrouds from singing? My back stays (running and main) make the whole boat sing.

Under tension I have not found a good method for silencing them.

[Benz]

Usually some sort of spoiler is placed somewhere along them. People have recommended hoisting a fender halfway up a pumping mast; perhaps something a little less intrusive like a burgee that could double as a wind-direction indicator.

[Bean Counter]

AT anchor we have hoisted two lines on a spinnaker halyard and then wrapped around the side stays this stops the vibration. Friends with a dyneema stayed cat do the same.

[tkeithlu]

Your problem is a resonant frequency in the back stay. All physical objects have resonant freqencies, and engineers spend a lot of money getting them outside hearing range - remember when old cars boomed at particular speeds, and Comet jet airliners came apart in air?

That said, anything you do that changes the resonant frequency of your backstay will in turn make the new resonant frequency one that the mast etc. does not resonate at (wow) sympathetically. Loosen it, hang a fender on it, divide it in half by inserting a tie-off; just get in there and find what works and is convenient to your situation.

[teppokurki]

Thanks, I get the theory, but I am after practical tips that people have found useful and convenient. Like how wrapping the halyard around a forestay foil a few times kills the resonance wobble there.

Surely I am not the only one with the singin’ stays?

[JayH]

Don't have the problem myself, but my first attempt would be to put a snatch block on the stay (I'm thinking backstays and runners) and then lead it forward and tension against something like the mast or toerail.

[teppokurki]

Adding tension usually just changes the resonance frequency and does little to really silence the hum.

Additional blocks would not really work under way.

[cpisz]

Have you tried flying a small flag from the offending shrouds?