Replacing Bobstay

[dmksails]

HI ALL! Well, I've done it. I now own a Tashiba-31! Survey was very clean with a number for small fixes needed and on large one - the bobstay has a cracked fitting and must be replace.

The bobstay seems to have a good deal of tension on it. Any recommendations for how to take it off?

It has 2 pins holding it on and a turnbuckle providing the tension. My thought was to loosen the turnbuckle (counting the revolutions) until the pins are free. I can then take the entire assemply to someone and have it fixed. While off I was going to use a comealong to replace the bobstay (while it sits at the dock)

I'm concern about the rest of the rigging. Do I need to figure out a way to take the tension before loosening the bobstay?

[roverhi]

Should be able to loosen the turn buckle and remove it. Loosen the backstay turnbuckle and mast should stand just fine. You could make up a new stay easily with Notrseman/StaLok terminals yourself.

[UNCIVILIZED]

You've already disconnected, or fully de-tensioned the headstay, right? If not, doing so is a must, Before loosening the Bobstay much. Let alone disconnecting it.

Also, when it's off is a good time to inspect the tangs which it's connected to. IIRC, the one on the sprit is called the Cransiron. And it could probably do with a good inspection as well.

Possibly to include using dye penetrant on all of them. Given that they're less visible, & thus, probably subject to less frequent inspections. That & the one for the Bobstay, which is on the Stem, is so often soaked with salt water, So....

[Schooner Chandlery]

How did your project go? Curious about that. One of the first things we did on our Rawson 30 was replace the bobstay and I recall back then being a bit worried about all. Now on our 1931 schooner, we have a running bobstay with fixed forestay (at stem) so not nearly such a big issue--though our fixed backstay runs on a boomkin--yep, a backwards bowsprit really complete with gobstay (the reverse of bobstay it is called gobstay)! And we get to make sure it is the right level of tightness and in good condition, too.

If you haven't already replaced the bobstay, you may consider replacing the wire with dyneema (e.g. Amsteel Blue or the like) because it doesn't corrode. Our running bobstay has a bit of wire and then the Amsteel. When we replace the wire in a couple years, we're just going to put dyneema -- either Amsteel Blue or something else-- the whole length of the stay and skip having any of it be stainless steel which can corrode.

Looking forward to hearing about your project success--or procrastination!

[dmksails]

Ran out of time on the last trip. Heading to the boat this weekend and will do it then.

My plan -

Halyard to the base of the bowsprit and tighten it up. That should take most of the pressure off the headstay. If not, then I'll ease the headstay.

Measure the current turnbuckle length and overall bobstay length then loosen it enough to remove the bobstay.

When I get new bobstay, install it and tighten up to the recorded lengths.

[barnakiel]

I secure the mast top-to-bowsprit with whatever there is (a second stay in our boat, a spinnaker halyard on many other boats),

then I ease the backstay somewhat (a couple of turns),

now I ease the forestay somewhat (a cpouple ...),

Now I ease the bobstay and remove it.

b.

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I secure the mast top-to-bowsprit with whatever there is (a second stay in our boat, a spinnaker halyard on many other boats),

then I ease the backstay somewhat (a couple of turns),

now I ease the forestay somewhat (a cpouple ...),

Now I ease the bobstay and remove it.

b.

Yep. That sounds good. We have used halyards for staying our rig temporarily and it's all good.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[UNCIVILIZED]

Bobstay's are subject to damage & wear rom; floating objects, docking mishaps, & especially chafe from anchor rodes/ground tackle. So I'd be a touch hesitant to replace such a vulnerable piece of rigging with Synthetic Rigging in this instance. More so than in any other location. Plus, it's in a location, where it's "out of sight, out of mind".
And if it fails, so might the rig.

Though if you do go with such rigging, might I suggest adding a couple of layers of protection to it, to at least mitigate chafe & impacts.
Say; some heat shrink, then a stitched in place, Spectra or Aramid chafe sleeve, followed by a section of clear PVC hose, or barring that, PVC tubing.

Or, for the price of the end fittings, a rig shop will make you a new stay, from a spare, oversized piece of rod rigging. And Nitronic 50 is fairly corrosion proof. Given that it's cousin, Aquamet, is what many propellor shafts are made of. Who's properties can be seen here www.Matweb.com

[Schooner Chandlery]

Agree with you, Uncivilized, that the bobstay can end up with quite the attack of the elements. Since ours only counters the jibstay (we have twin forestays at the stem as well) we have less concern about that matter. Ours is a running bobstay and we actually release it and tie it up to the bowsprit when anchored. Or, we run our snubber from the fixture on the stem at the waterline for the mooring pennant so the anchor rode cannot chafe against the left-in-place bobstay.

Pic of bobstay tied up out of the way of anchor chain, bottom section is 7x19 wire rope (more flexible than 1x19) and running section is Amsteel Blue. No idea what my husband was up to on the 'sprit when I took the photo from the dingy. The lower eye on the bobstay iron is the one that we sometimes secure a snubber to with a shackle for when we're anchored. It is attached in this pic, but the loop of chain and snubber are all underwater.

[ausnp84]

We found our bobstay (12mm 1x19 stainless) was taking a lot of chafe from the anchor chain, so we replaced it with 14mm stainless chain. Additional break strength and additional chafe resistance.

For us we loosened the backstay to take some pressure off the mast, eased off the Norseman turnbuckle on the bobstay, took off the old wire, fitted the new chain, re-tightened it all back up - done! Have a look here for some pics....

.. | SV Calypso

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