Wichard backstays? Bueller??

[zachduckworth]

Seriously, has anyone ever used one of the Wichard backstay adjusters? The mechanism looks ideal for a cruiser or club racer, but I can’t find a single review… even in French! Yet they’re sold on a dozen websites so I assume someone must be buying them.
Does anyone have any experience with these? I’m changing my backstay and I wouldn’t mind the savings compared to a hydraulic (I have a center-stern chainplate, would sooner keep it there that go split).

[double u]

had one on the solent stay. High quality gear

[zachduckworth]

Originally Posted by double u

had one on the solent stay. High quality gear

Good to know! Which one? Wheel? Ratchet? How well did it work? How long did it last? You're literally the only person in the world who appears to have owned one of these things so any opinion you have would be very helpful.

[double u]

https://marine.wichard.com/en/stainl...ndle/part-5536
ratchet would have been more comfortable as solent stay was close to rolled-up Genoa & tightening was a little bit more time consuming.
worked great but was only used 2 or 3 times in 2 years & never "in anger".
It came with the boat & I improved it by drilling all bits that could be lost & securing them with lanyards & putting spring pins in place of the split pins. The tensioner lived under the nav seat, solent stay had it's own park position. Was sold with the boat, nickel condition (no wonder, practically unused)
generally @Wichard: apart from the anchor-chain-hook: gear of the highest quality (e.g. main-halliard shackle +2 rtw & still good)