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Old 10-02-2014, 06:51   #1
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Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

Hello,

because we are refitting our 1981 Dufour 35, we will take the oppertunity to add a cutter stay.

Did someone the same on this type sailboat?

At this moment, the Dufour 35 has it's original IOR-type sails.
A small main sail, and a big (150%) genoa. (and a spinnaker)

I hope you will come with some ideas.

Taco.
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Old 10-02-2014, 08:12   #2
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

You may give some consideration to rigging a solent rig rather than a cutter. Saves you the money of adding running back stays.
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Old 15-02-2014, 06:53   #3
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

http://www.cercle-voiliers-dufour.org

Look here, i have somrthing similar on my own
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Old 19-02-2014, 03:46   #4
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

I have some additional questions.
I am wondering how to put tension onto a cutter stay.

I have a backstay tensioner on my HR352 which I use for the tensioning of the (furling) forestay.
If I rig a cutterstay, I have to double the tension of the backstay. Will there be an overload? Do you loosen the forestay to put tension on the cutterstay?

Steven
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Old 19-02-2014, 07:34   #5
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

Steven,
When you add a cutter stay you need to support the forward pull on the mast caused by the cutter stay with either permanent or running backstays. Running backstays are popular and they are tensioned with one of your winches usually in the cockpit.
A very good alternative is to add a second stay below the forestay near the mast head and mount a tang on the deck a few feet behind the forestay. This allows you to fly a second smaller sail which can be furled without the need of either running backstays or permanent ones used on a cutter because the backstay does the job for both forward stays.
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Old 20-02-2014, 10:10   #6
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

"... because the backstay does the job for both forward stays."

Thanks, Robert

That is, what I wanted to know.

Steven
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Old 20-02-2014, 16:46   #7
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

A roller jib/staysail mounted just aft of the normal jib will have to be the type with its own luff wire that is used to roll the sail. It must be removable or your regular jib is of little use. I have used a roller jib that rolled on its own luff wire and found that it didnt set very well(needed very high halyard tension) and when it was dropped it was a large clumsy coil that didnt stow well on deck, or below. Since the Dufore has a good reputation as a sailing boat, you will only need a staysail in limited conditions. I am a big advocate of putting a removable inner forestay on any sloop that has a roller furling jib, but the reality is that you will seldom need it. I consider the staysail as a passage sail, and is seldom needed in coastal cruising, but is worth its weight in gold on a passage. My 2 cents worth of advice would be to put the hardware on your mast for a conventional/removable inner forestay while you are doing your refit, including the tangs for running backs. Do it with the help of a rigger or sailmaker, and when you are ready for passages, or when your wallet has recovered from the boatyard bill, you can have a staysail cut(maybe with reef points to bring it down to a storm sail) and you will have a better rig for offshore. Just another opinion. _____Grant.
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Old 04-03-2015, 17:34   #8
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

Curious to hear what you ended up doing with your rig?

I have the same boat and am also preparing her for passage making. Wondering if you went with the smaller staysail cutter format or tried something different...what are you thoughts? What did you like, what didn't you like?

It looks as if my vessel used to have twin (side-by-side) forestays, each attached via the same terminal points but seperated via two different pin-holes in triangle plates. The upper triangle plate is still installed, albeit with only a single forestay attached. The lower was replaced with a simple tang.

Does anyone have any experience with such a setup? I like the idea of running dual headsails when off the wind or having the extra forestay preloaded with a smaller sail in stronger winds. However, I have heard that dual forstays in this fashion (ie. side-by-side) can be very difficult to tune and often result in an overloaded rig...can anyone confirm this?

Thanks for the feedback.
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Old 04-03-2015, 17:53   #9
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Re: Cutter stay on a 1981 Dufour 35

Quote:
Originally Posted by Klaus_S View Post
I have some additional questions.
I am wondering how to put tension onto a cutter stay.

I have a backstay tensioner on my HR352 which I use for the tensioning of the (furling) forestay.
If I rig a cutterstay, I have to double the tension of the backstay. Will there be an overload? Do you loosen the forestay to put tension on the cutterstay?

Steven
The cutter stay usually ends near the upper spreaders. From here, running back stays or other jumpers would be needed unless the mast is particularly stout. Also, the lower end of a permanent stay would penetrate the deck or land on a pad eye at the deck; pad eye below & cable or rod & turnbuckle to the keel. Once installed permanently, this stay will probably make tacking difficult. We find we must furl the jib, tack and then let it back out.

The cutter is nice if you intend to use it as storm sail stay. If it is to add off-wind area in moderate wind the mechanics are not so difficult. For this, a solent rig is easy. We opted instead to add a heavy, flat, code zero in an ATN sock. In either case, hoist or douse through a forward hatch.

Its usually costs no more than lunch & beer to get a sailmaker to visit you. You might get some really great suggestions. Same is true if there is a rigger near by.
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