222 Mainstay Questions

[WayneCatt]

I have had a 222 model for about a year . .when I rig the mast the backstay is somewhat slack with the adjusters totally in(forestay & backstay) . .I suspect that over the years the cable has stretched and both need replacing ..which raises my question . .has anyone replaced the backstay mainboom connection and went to a over the hatch main traveler??? Thanks in Advance for any comments . . .Wayne

 

[RichBone]

The forestay and the backstay shouldn't stretch that much. I suspect something else is causing the slack. Have you noticed any slack in the shrouds as well?

Rich

 

[Joe11688]

I have had a 222 model for about a year . .when I rig the mast the back stay is somewhat slack with the adjusters totally in(fore stay & back stay) . .I suspect that over the years the cable has stretched and both need replacing ..which raises my question . .has anyone replaced the back stay mainboom connection and went to a over the hatch main traveler??? Thanks in Advance for any comments . . .Wayne

Wayne,
I own an 86 O'Day 222 that I bought new in the Boston Boat Show back then and I have to admit that I don't know what's going on with the slack that you're getting in the back stay on your boat. I remember that a girl in Columbus OH, with an 88 O'Day 222 had the very same problem. She would email me quite a bit and ask questions about her boat, but I haven't heard from her in a while. Anyway, I always hated that main sheet attachment with the triangular plate on the back stay, so what I did was have it removed and I had a used Johnson Handy-Lock installed and had the open turnbuckle moved up a little. That way, I could remove the back stay from my mast. I bought a cheap traveler and installed it in front of the companionway. I have Z-Spar with internal halyards. When I lost my mast in the 90s, I had a stainless steel mast hinge installed with a utility plate. I mounted the mast hinge and plate on a block of Teak on the cabin myself and the rigger did the mast work. He talked me into going to thicker stays which was a big mistake because I think that it caused my "L" bracket on my Starboard chainplate to break. So looking back now, the Handy-Lock was a great idea and so was the traveler, the Tabernacle, and the block under the Tabernacle which made a big difference in mast raising/lowering, but I probably should have stayed with the 1/8" stays. My advice to you is to buy some kind of a stay adjuster similar to what's on the Mac boats, or bite the bullet for a pricey Handy-Lock. Leave the turnbuckle on your back stay for fine tuning, and buy a decent traveler. I wouldn't mount it on the cabin though. I'd rather step over it than have to duck under it myself. If you replace your stays, stick with the 1/8" stays but keep a watchful eye on the "L" brackets mounted on the main bulkhead in the cabin. I use a Loos Gauge for adjusting my stays. Actually, once you adjust your side stays, you never have to touch them again. The Handy-Lock will loosen your fore stay so that it can be taken off when lowering the mast. Check out my photo album on this site under O'Day 222, Trinkka.
Joe

 

[davek, O'day 192]

Cabin Compression?

I have had a 222 model for about a year . .when I rig the mast the backstay is somewhat slack with the adjusters totally in(forestay & backstay) . .I suspect that over the years the cable has stretched and both need replacing ..which raises my question . .has anyone replaced the backstay mainboom connection and went to a over the hatch main traveler??? Thanks in Advance for any comments . . .Wayne[/QUOTE

Sometimes when rigging appears "stretched", it is actually because the mast is dropping into the boat due to a number of possible causes. Rotten core in the cabin top can weaken the mast step or a failure in the compression post or the area where is mounts to the cabin liner can allow a sound cabin top to droop.

My O'day 192 suffered from the latter, and the repair (adding an aluminum "U" channel reinforcement) was not difficult.

It is improbable that the SS wire has stretched so much that all the travel on both the forestay and backstay turnbuckles had been used up.

 

[Sunbird22358]

Wayne, I'm surprised Joe didn't mention this, but for some reason not all of the 222s came from the factory with a compression strut under the maststep. There should be a stainless steel support that runs diagonally from under the maststep to the forward side of the main bulkhead. Does your boat have this? I thought ALL 222s had it (the sales brochure shows it) but over the years I've heard of some boats that did not have it.
If it is missing from your boat, the deck may have deflected down leaving the rigging slack.

 

[Joe11688]

Wayne, I'm surprised Joe didn't mention this, but for some reason not all of the 222s came from the factory with a compression strut under the maststep. There should be a stainless steel support that runs diagonally from under the maststep to the forward side of the main bulkhead. Does your boat have this? I thought ALL 222s had it (the sales brochure shows it) but over the years I've heard of some boats that did not have it.
If it is missing from your boat, the deck may have deflected down leaving the rigging slack.

To tell you the truth, I didn't even think about the tension bar until you just mentioned it. If Wayne needs any info on it, I'll be more than happy to supply it to him. I have the pics and dimensions and they're free to anyone who is in need of it.
Joe