37-C Standing Rigging Help Needed

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
Hi,

Does anyone know where I can find directions/photos/diagrams/anything on how to attach the various stays and shrouds on my 37-C, as I'm having trouble figuring it out by just looking at the mast. For instance, which of the shrouds are tied to the spreaders, and which shroud attaches to which chainplate.

Any help will be much appreciated!
 

kito

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Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
I have a h30 so not sure if this helps but the shroud connection at the masthead goes to the spreader and down to the middle chainplate. There should be 2 other tangs about midway down the mast on each side that are the fore and aft lowers that go to the other 2 chainplates.
 
May 2, 2011
63
Hunter 37 C Long Pond, NL
Fred

On my 83 37 there are 3 stays, 6 shrouds and 2 running back stays. Two of the forward stays are the forestay at the mast head and the staysail stay about 1/4 way down the mast. The two running back stays are at the same height on the mast but on the sides. These are shorter and have a fitting on the lower end to attach a 4:1 tackle. The back stay is opposite the forestay. Both the fore and back stay are larger diameter wire. The cap shroud is just below the mast head one on each side and these attach to the centre chain plate. These shrouds also connect to the ends of the spreaders. The lower shrouds are just below the spreaders and the forward lower connects to the forward chain plate and the aft lower to the aft chainplate. You may also have another wire from the masthead aft, on my boat this the topping lift for the boom. I hope this helps. If you need pictures just let me know.
 

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
Thanks for the detailed instructions, but my mast configuration seems to be a bit different. Besides all the stays and shrouds you described, I have 2 more at the masthead.

As you’ll see in the photo below, on the aft side of the masthead, there are 2 sheaves (one for the main halyard, and I assume the other is for the topping lift), and 3 pins with wires attached. There’s a larger hole (with pin and wire removed) where the backstay was attached, and 2 smaller holes - to the left of the backstay hole is a pin (still in the hole) with the wire attached that’s sitting on the mast, and to the right of the backstay hole is another smaller hole (with pin removed) that had a similar wire attached to it.

Any idea what these could be for?
 

Attachments

Jun 8, 2004
1,062
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
As you’ll see in the photo below, on the aft side of the masthead, there are 2 sheaves (one for the main halyard, and I assume the other is for the topping lift), and 3 pins with wires attached. There’s a larger hole (with pin and wire removed) where the backstay was attached, and 2 smaller holes - to the left of the backstay hole is a pin (still in the hole) with the wire attached that’s sitting on the mast, and to the right of the backstay hole is another smaller hole (with pin removed) that had a similar wire attached to it.

Any idea what these could be for?
Its been a couple of years since I had the mast out, but in my recollection, the big pin at the aft side took a SS strap that had the back stay pinned to it and the smaller pin (inboard) has fixed wire topping lift attached to it. The other end of the topping lift secures to the end of the boom with a short length of rope. The second sheave, next to the main haliyard is not used on my mast.
 

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
OK, let me give you some background on this which may help explain my confusion. After I bought the boat, I hired a rigger to prepare her for transport to my marina in NJ. When she arrived, all the standing and running rigging was still attached, but coiled up and taped to the mast. So, considering the attached stays and shrouds, I’m assuming they were all used by the PO.

The standing rigging attached to the mast includes:
  • Masthead: Forward - Forestay with turnbuckle; Aft - Backstay with turnbuckle; 2 smaller wires with eyes
  • Next down: Sides - 2 shrouds (1 each side) with turnbuckles
  • Further down: Forward – Staysail stay with turnbuckle; Sides - 2 wires (1 each side) with eyes
  • Just below Spreaders: Sides – 4 shrouds (2 each side) with turnbuckles
So, a total of 3 stays, 6 shrouds with turnbuckles, and 4 smaller wires with eyes. What I’m trying to figure out is what these wires with eyes are for. They’re not for a topping lift, as that is on one of the sheaves on the aft side of the masthead. Could 2 of them be running backstays, and the other 2 for some type of lazy jack? And if so, which 2 are for which purpose?

Now do you see why I’m confused!
 
May 2, 2011
63
Hunter 37 C Long Pond, NL
Fred

I'm away from home right now but I'll be back on the weekend. I'll have another look at my mast to see if I can help.
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,117
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
Not my model of boat, but read Post #'s 10-13 of this thread way back in 2005!

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=336663&highlight=stays

Maybe these pictures (from owners' photos on this website) might also give you some clues:

http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/in...&Itemid=278&pid=14755&page=sshow&mn=&catid=83

http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/in...&Itemid=278&pid=14255&page=sshow&mn=&catid=83

There, used to be 37c in another marina in my town that I once stumbled upon when out for a marina walk. I remember noticing the extra wire stays/shrouds attached to the toe rail with block and tackle arrangement. I had assumed that they were back-up shrouds/stays that could be moved around to were needed in case of an emergency. But now reading the thread linked to above, seems they serve other purposes.

I expect Blaise, or Ed or Jim will post responses at some point.
 
Jun 8, 2004
1,062
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
The running backstays are indeed just wires with eyes. When attached to their tangs, which are at the same height on the mast as the top of the inner forestay, they end up about 4' off the deck. This allows you to shackle a block & tackle on each lower eye and clip the other end to the toe rail. The length of the running backstays means they could not possibly be used from the masthead - they would be too short. The other two "wires with eyes" have me puzzled; perhaps the upper strop of a lazyjack system (as you guessed). Then they would have a block shacked to them and the two parts of the lower jack would run through the block from two points each side of the boom...just thinking outloud, as I don't have them on my boat.

OK, let me give you some background on this which may help explain my confusion. After I bought the boat, I hired a rigger to prepare her for transport to my marina in NJ. When she arrived, all the standing and running rigging was still attached, but coiled up and taped to the mast. So, considering the attached stays and shrouds, I’m assuming they were all used by the PO.

The standing rigging attached to the mast includes:
  • Masthead: Forward - Forestay with turnbuckle; Aft - Backstay with turnbuckle; 2 smaller wires with eyes
  • Next down: Sides - 2 shrouds (1 each side) with turnbuckles
  • Further down: Forward – Staysail stay with turnbuckle; Sides - 2 wires (1 each side) with eyes
  • Just below Spreaders: Sides – 4 shrouds (2 each side) with turnbuckles
So, a total of 3 stays, 6 shrouds with turnbuckles, and 4 smaller wires with eyes. What I’m trying to figure out is what these wires with eyes are for. They’re not for a topping lift, as that is on one of the sheaves on the aft side of the masthead. Could 2 of them be running backstays, and the other 2 for some type of lazy jack? And if so, which 2 are for which purpose?

Now do you see why I’m confused!
 

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
Yeah, that's what I'm starting to think, too - some type of lazy jack system, although not sure why it starts at the masthead. I'll keep on thinking on it and see what ideas I can come up with. If nothing hits me, I'll just remove them for now.

Running backstays are new to me, never having sailed with them before, but all is now starting to make more sense. Thanks to all for the help.
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,117
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
Just to double check that you did read the URL link to the 2005 2006 thread as contained in my post below.

As I mentioned, this is not my model of boat. Nonetheless, it seems to me that the two mystery stays / shrouds really don't have anything to do with lazy jacks.
 

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
Yes, I did read those posts - several times, in fact - but didn't quite understand what they were trying to say or, if I did, really can't see the need for 4 running backstays.

Appreciate your follow-up, Rardi!
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Hi Rainer, think that you have it now. I posted some pics in "Mods" awhile back that might be some help: http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/in...&cat_id=38&aid=7938&page=article&mn=37-cutter . I do, in fact, use that aft sheave for the topping lift. I installed a spare halyard and attached it to the topping lift. There used to be a pennant for the staysail boom, like a topping lift. So you might find a fitting about the same point as the staysail forestay. Also in the pictures you can see that I have a block on a forward bale that I run my gennaker/drifter halyard through.
 
May 2, 2011
63
Hunter 37 C Long Pond, NL
OK, let me give you some background on this which may help explain my confusion. After I bought the boat, I hired a rigger to prepare her for transport to my marina in NJ. When she arrived, all the standing and running rigging was still attached, but coiled up and taped to the mast. So, considering the attached stays and shrouds, I’m assuming they were all used by the PO. The standing rigging attached to the mast includes: [*]Masthead: Forward - Forestay with turnbuckle; Aft - Backstay with turnbuckle; 2 smaller wires with eyes [*]Next down: Sides - 2 shrouds (1 each side) with turnbuckles [*]Further down: Forward – Staysail stay with turnbuckle; Sides - 2 wires (1 each side) with eyes [*]Just below Spreaders: Sides – 4 shrouds (2 each side) with turnbuckles So, a total of 3 stays, 6 shrouds with turnbuckles, and 4 smaller wires with eyes. What I’m trying to figure out is what these wires with eyes are for. They’re not for a topping lift, as that is on one of the sheaves on the aft side of the masthead. Could 2 of them be running backstays, and the other 2 for some type of lazy jack? And if so, which 2 are for which purpose? Now do you see why I’m confused!
FredV

Jim is right about the two wires where the inner (staysail) stay is located. They are the running back stays. Of the ones at the masthead one could be the topping lift which is typically fixed at the mast head on the small pin closest to the mast and adjusts at the boom. The other one that runs over a sheave could be a rope to wire halyard. Does this one exit the mast near the deck level?

On my mast there is nothing attached to the small pin furthest from the mast.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
On my mast there were not enough exit holes for five halyards originally. I added one after purchasing an exit plate, probably from Rig-Rite.
 
Jun 8, 2004
1,062
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
On my mast there were not enough exit holes for five halyards originally. I added one after purchasing an exit plate, probably from Rig-Rite.
Ed, I have only three exit plates on my mast and only two of the four sheaves at the masthead have halyards on them. The jib and staysail halyards exit port side and the main halyard comes out starboard side. Was it common on the earlier boats to have a topping lift run through the other aft sheave (beside the main halyard)? My topping lift is a fixed wire attached to a smaller pin inside the backstay. I am just wondering about differences in the rig over the years...
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
No Jim, mine was same as yours. I added a halyard on the front for flying a drifter and a spare halyard on the back. Since it was there I decided to attach the topping lift to it. This allows me to adjust the topping lift regardless of where the boom happens to be. So maybe I had to add two exit plates? I think that is right. I will check tomorrow, first time to boat in three weeks. :(