I have a 1983 H 19 and like others on this site, have been wondering what the cable on the back of the mast was for. It didn't go to any fixed point, ended about at the end of the boom, and the boat had swept spreaders. All this lead me to believe that it was a line to hold the boom when the sail was down, not a back stay. THIS IS WRONGE! If you go to the "boat specification" section and look under "photos": stern. you will see what I suspected all along. In this photo it shows the cable, that my boat was missing, and how it is rigged as a back stay. Thanks HOW for the thorough photos. It was worth a thousand words. Happy Sailing, Nicholas Ellis "Freyja"