How to Make the Inner Forestay Tight

[seandepagnier]

I want to add an inner forestay. I already have the wire rigged to the top of the mast, and the mount point on the deck. The trouble is getting enough tension while making it easy to attach and detach.

I thought about using a pelican clip, but I doubt this would work very well. Is it best to use something like what is on a mainsheet or vang, or should I go for a turn buckle or...?

[Meridian]

If you will be leaving the inner stay permanently attached, use a turnbuckle system.
If you intend on making it removable, a very large/ long Pelican-type clip is often used.
I'm sure you have already considered the engineering and tacking scenarios mandated by this change, so I won't assume otherwise.
Enjoy
John

[chala]

I go with just an ordinary swage to toggle rigging screw. I used to have a high field lever, to much weight and unnecessary. If you search this forum you will find that most people do not release they’re inner fore stay and find not great difficulty in tacking.

Originally Posted by geckosenator

I already have the wire rigged to the top of the mast

Now this could be a problem because you do not have a "parallel" slot.

Originally Posted by geckosenator

and the mount point on the deck

Make sure that the mount point on the deck is strong enough, after all if rigged to the top of the mast it will share the load with the forestay or in some condition may take the entire load.

[Abaco]

I recommend using Dynex Dux with a dead eye for a terminal.

[Eleven]

If that new stay goes part way up the mast it will bend the mast when tightened.
Adding some side stays to behind the mast will help to balance the new forces without limiting boom swing too much.
The spreader root is the obvious place for the top fixings, just moving the lower shrouds back will balance the new stay sail stay. Just like an old Prout Cat (works too).
Add a storm stay sail for bad weather but rig for storm loads, or just use it as a light airs boost.
And if you're adding small sails make them red or orange for the Coast Guard to spot easily.

[hpeer]

I have a cutter rig and sometimes find I would like to easily drop the inner stay. I just bought the LAST ABI forestay release lever. Took me a while to find one. There seem to be a couple of other makes out there but they appear far less elegant.

But I think I will have to reduce tension on my lower back stays to not stress the mast.

[Joli]

Probably the easiest way to do it is with a hy-field lever. You can also use a hyd cylinder if the boat is set up for that, a block and tackle has often been used or you can run a roller bearing high load track with a car you pull forward to tension the inner forestay.

Couple notes: The deck needs to be tied to the hull via a cable or a bulkhead otherwise you will lift the deck. The rig will need runners/checks to counteract the force of the inner forestay if you have in line spreaders.

Originally Posted by geckosenator

I want to add an inner forestay. I already have the wire rigged to the top of the mast, and the mount point on the deck. The trouble is getting enough tension while making it easy to attach and detach.

I thought about using a pelican clip, but I doubt this would work very well. Is it best to use something like what is on a mainsheet or vang, or should I go for a turn buckle or...?

[Jmolan]

I ahve a friend who uses a regular turnbuckle that had a couple "wings" welded on. Just some round stock, Maybe 3" on each side to make it easy to release the turnbuckle. It is a bit slow, but works. The highfield levers are very heavy and big time costly.

[Euro Cruiser]

You might want to consider a tensioning lever such as shown in Fig. 2c at:
Boat Modifications

The one in Fig. 2d is British and I'm not sure it's available any longer.

Jack

[CAELESTIS]

You didn't say how big the boat was, or where the stay attaches to the mast. Is is cutter rigged? Or is it at the very top--solent stay?

If it is a cutter rig, you will need runners.

ABI is out of business, but Wichard and Johnson make various tensioning fittings.

[Roaring Girl]

We have a hyfield lever on a detachable inner forestay (what whoosh calls a solent stay). It was on the boat when we bought her, and we found the deck fitting was leaking like mad! We reseated and sealed it and it has been fine ever since, though we have not, I admit, hoisted a sail on it in anger. (On longer trips we have a storm jib hanked and bagged on it.)

It's great to be able to stow it when we don't need it, and we hoist an additional wind genny off it when at anchor for longer periods.

The lever puts very good tension on. Be careful with your fingers as you lock and unlock it.

[seandepagnier]

The inner forestay actually used to be the main halyard, but the shives at the top of the mast are jammed. The main halyard is all line now, so I have the cable, I figure I can use it for this.

I am keeping it attached to the top of the mast, I think this way I can avoid additional stays. Not sure if the storm jib will have the best shape, but I think that is more determined by where the sheets attach to the deck (I have to figure something out here) I have some pelican clips, but i dont think they are large enough to get it tensioned enough. I am thinking a vang with 5:1 or so might work to give it enough tension, otherwise a turnbuckle.

The boat is not cutter rigged, it is a bristol 27. There just happens to be a mount point exactly halfway between the bow and mast that I think I can use. It goes through the deck, and also through a beam which reinforces the deck (beam is wood I believe) It should be strong, but I am not entirely sure if it is strong enough. There may be a way to attach it to the hull with a cable below the deck, not sure about this either, any suggestions appreciated.

[Stillraining]

What you have is correctly called a solent stay...as defined by its anchor point at the mast head....Your Half way point is way to to far back IMHO... should be more like 3' on a 27' boat...but I'm interested in how it works out.