192 adjustable backstay opinions needed

[Brian S]

Hey, guys, I just picked up a 192 right at the end of the season, and I'm already thinking thoughts about stuff to customize.

My 192 has the non-adjustable backstay, which is supposed to rely on mainsheet tension to lever on backstay when sheeted hard. Seems like a novel idea, but limited effectiveness.

I saw in the O'day 192 review in the current Sept/Oct Small Craft Advisor magazine, that the review boat had a 3 part purchase with v-jam cleat in place of the wire strop between the chainplate and mainsheet plate. Since I'm a string puller, that sounds like a great idea to me, giving me something else to play with

I am familiar with the split backstay tensioner on a Precision 18, 21 etc. where the backstay splits to the transom, and then uses a pulley system with purchase to pull down on the split and thus tension the backstay. However, with only a single chainplate in my boat, I'm not sure I like the idea of having to rig a second chainplate in order to split the backstay.

I became concerned about using an in-line purchase for my backstay, because I was like "what if the cleat releases, or is released, and the line pays out, and the rig comes down?" But then I figured one would tie a stopper knot at the loosest point of the purchase, and prevent catastrophe. :dance:

Has anyone else rigged an alternate backstay tensioner? Anyone have any thoughts on the in-line 3 part (which might have been standard at one point?) All thoughts/concerns/suggestions are welcome!

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Joe11688]

The O'Day 192 is very similar to my O'Day 222. What I did many years ago was buy a traveler to mount in front of the companionway just even with the step. I got rid of that triangular plate on the backstay and had a guy move my open turn buckle up a little higher and he mounted a Johnson Handy-Lock just under the turnbuckle. This gadget acts like a backstay adjuster although I really don't use it for that purpose. I use the H.L. for throwing slack into my forestay to connect or disconnect my furler in mast raising/lowering. Leaving the open turnbuckle allows me to remove the backstay from the hole in the masthead and it can be used to fine tune the stay if need be.
Myself, I like this setup although the traveler can be a pain to step over. The mainsheet can be moved to either side in order to move the boom to one side if standing at the helm motoring, or carrying gear through the companionway.

 

[djplatt]

I am thinking of doing something similar on my 240. The only thing I have come up with is to put an arrangement similar to a boom vang between the backstay and the point it attaches to the transom. I have not proceeded because I have been wondering what will happen if the arrangement becomes uncleated. I will be following this dicussion with interest.

 

[Joe11688]

I am thinking of doing something similar on my 240. The only thing I have come up with is to put an arrangement similar to a boom vang between the backstay and the point it attaches to the transom. I have not proceeded because I have been wondering what will happen if the arrangement becomes uncleated. I will be following this dicussion with interest.

I'm not all that familiar with the O'Day 240 but if the side stay chainplates are a little aft of the mast like my O'Day 222, you have nothing to worry about. The mast won't go over the bow unless your side stays are real. I know mine wouldn't.

This past summer I helped one of our YC members get the mast up on his Santana 20 and the backstay got wrapped around the top of the mast after we got it raised. So the guy removed the backstay from the chainplate and proceeded to bring the stay forward around the mast to untangle it. Having raised the mast on mine for many years I had no idea that the mast on this boat could fall forward. Well, it did just that. Luckily no one got hurt and the mast missed his car.
I had told him that I would help him that day although my back was aching and I really didn't feel up to it. Come to find out though, his side chainplates came even with the mast on his boat.
If you stand to one side of your boat and sight the mast from the beam of the boat you can get a fare idea of where your chainplates come in relation to the mast. Mine are approximately 12" aft of the mast. If my side stays are tight when my mast is up, they should definitely hold the mast from falling over the bow if the backstay is removed. Check yours.