Additional forestay

[rgranger]

The SOP is to leave it on the deck in a special bag, hanked to the inner stay and sheets run. When you are ready to use it, you go forward with the halyard and open the bag.

Remember its a heavy are (but not storm) jib, so the conditions should be OK when you go forward.

Yeah! I'm going to want to do this. On my Balboa (I've only had one season now) my rolled Genoa is a bit blown out. So it works okay fully set but start rolling it up any and very quickly it is not doing much to move me through the troughs. I can imagine a solent stayed heavy air jib being a nice addition. The main on the Balboa is practically brand new with two sets of reef points and lazy jacks. About third on my to-do list is to really set up my sail handling accessories and get her ready to take out in a strong blow. I have a small leak somewhere on the port side of my keel trunk to track down and I need to replace the bilge pumps then the rigging. Spring is coming...

 

[Jackdaw]

With an inner headstay, do you need to rig running back stays to balance out your rig? I read an article somewhere that mentioned that.

Typically not.

The mast fitting should be as high as possible so it can supported by the backstay. Remember that the Solent stay does not have to be parallel with the forestay.

Fractional boats are a bit better off; they have move aft support via the upper shrouds.

 

[capta]

Having sailed 1/2 way around the world with twin head stays, I loved the set up. One for the Yankee and one for the genoa.
By far the biggest problem with the set up was getting them equally tensioned. Obviously, if you are using one, the other will go a bit slack and you will always have more sag in the working stay than if you don't have two.
This was before roller furling, so I'm not sure it would be a good idea with foiled furlers, but I have seen some cruising boats with that set up.
I've actually been thinking of doing it to our boat, not for a storm sail, but so we can use the genoa when the winds are light. Winds light enough for anything more than the Yankee happen so rarely down here we haven't seen the gene for over 3 years; it's just not worth changing head sails for a day's sailing every 2 months.

 

[Prime Time]

I have a detachable Solent stay. It anchors to the deck with a kind of type tensioning device. It attaches about 1 foot aft of my roller furler. It is wire. When not in use stored on side deck. Kept right with a block and tackle that tension it with a curved plate that pulls on the wire. It is not feasible to tack the jib on the furler when the silent stay is set. It attaches to the mast very close to the top so no runners are needed. Using an piece of high tech rope could work too but chafe is the problem.

I have used this stay with a heavy weather jib and a storm jib on the way to Bermuda 3 yrs ago. Works well. I can't imagine removing the furled jib to the deck in 30-40 kt and big seas. Much easier to hank on the smaller jib.

 

[rgranger]

I have a detachable Solent stay. ...

I'd love to see some pics.

If you get a chance, can you snap a few with your phone and post them?

 

[Joe]

I'd love to see some pics.

If you get a chance, can you snap a few with your phone and post them?

Here's an article that may be of interest: http://www.cruisingworld.com/how-to/seamanship/rig-for-a-staysail

 

[Kestle]

Hers's my setup: the solent is kept in a bag, sheets, halyards etc, and can be launched solely from the cocpit. The trick is to have a 2:1 or 4:1 block on the deck for proper tension. It helps to keep the two stays parallel, but isn't necessary. I keep the genoa on the furler. In our area, the wind is light in the am and usually jumps 10-15 knots in the afternoon. As I usually sail solo, this keeps me off the foredeck.

Jeff

 

[Kestle]

I forgot to add, the halyard is pulled away and paper taped to the mast at the base, so tacking the genoa isn't a problem. The bag can launch in a vertical or horizontal position, by pulling the line that unzips it, from the cockpit.

This is a solo cruising, not a racing setup.

Jeff

 

[rgranger]

This is a solo cruising, not a racing setup. Jeff

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try something like that with my boat.

r

 

[Kestle]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try something like that with my boat. r

The trick is to hoist the halyard first, then tighten it at the tack. Otherwise, it doesn't clear the bag well.

I use a high clew /yankee cut storm sail, which works well, even though theoretically a lower clew reduces boat heel. In high wind I prefer the visibility. If my boat was 35-40 feet, I'd have sail heads/reefing points align and have a lower clew cut.

I regularly sail in +20 knot winds, but with only rollers (no breaking waves).

Jeff

 

[vtsailguy]

This. Reaching on a Class 40, we have a solent sail on deck an in its bag. The stay is made of pre-stretched dyneema (Dux) that is stronger and lighter than stainless. The stay and sail can be quickly removed, but we find it easier to leave it all rigged with the sail in the bag, ready to go. The only time we take it down is if there is going to be a LOT of tacking, or we expect a long time in light airs. Leaving it rigged also protects the mast. And tacking is not a big deal; the stay is 4 feet behind the forestay and the jib goes right through. The stay is all fabric and removable, and adjustable from the cockpit. a 8:1 tackle is led through a line lock, and back to a winch on the cabintop. Clever stuff. In this picture the stay is off; you can see the 'dogbone' it attaches to just aft of the anchor locker

Lol, nice go pro mount

 

[Jackdaw]

LOL indeed, good catch!

Nice angles forward and back. But we almost lost that one, a spin sheet caught on it and tore it off. Flipped the camera upward 15 feet. Luckily it fell into the cockpit!

 

[vtsailguy]

(Go)pro tip... Tie a bit of string to it as it's own tether

One interesting angle, get your spin pole and lay it side ways across the front lifelines poking out one way more than the other. Strap the go pro onto the end, you get some nice heeling action.

 

[Jackdaw]

(Go)pro tip... Tie a bit of string to it as it's own tether

One interesting angle, get your spin pole and lay it side ways across the front lifelines poking out one way more than the other. Strap the go pro onto the end, you get some nice heeling action.

Good tip. We do that with our suction cup mounts (like on the boom end), but never thought we needed it on a hard mount; handlebar mount in that case. For these we figure if something is tearing it off, I don't want to get it in the way, as it might wreck something even more expensive.

Always looking for new angles for shots!

 

[vtsailguy]

Always looking for new angles for shots!

Strap to a boat hook and hold underwater as you are going along, shots of the rudder and keel are pretty cool.