Backstay to Short

[mlindberg1]

For the first time as a new owner of an Oday 26 I gathered some buddies and stepped the mast. It was not as bad as I thought. One thing that didn't fall into place was the backstay was too short. It was short by 2 to 3 inches.
Things I tried.
Slacken all the shrouds / NO
put quite a bit of tension using the jib halyard and topping lift / NO
One thing I noticed is there is a shackle on the bow behind where the forestay attaches. I wonder if the PO attached the (furler) forestay here. The mast is pretty vertical but could use a little aft rake. I feel the forestay has to be let off so I can reach the backstay.

I have put a shackle in the rear to make up the difference for a temp fix.

How do you lengthen the forestay while it has a fuller on???

the picture is from the manual. shackle in the second hole.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

I think your boat uses a short extension on the back stay that includes a triangular piece that the mainsheet attaches to. This didn't by chance get left out did it?

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

after another cup of coffee, I recalled that your boat may have a traveler mounted in the forward cockpit. If so my earlier remark may be incorrect.

 

[mlindberg1]

The traveler is located on the step entering the companionway. I have not seen a triangle plate for the backstay. I assumed it connected directly to the chainplate.

The mast seems to have a slight forward rake. If I could ease the forestay, I could remove the temp shackle on the backstay. This would give me a slight aft rake that is desirable. I just do not know how to make the forestay longer with a fuller (Furled) on it.

I am beginning to thing that shackle on the bow chainplate is what the PO hooked the forestay to but I cannot be sure.

 

[agprice22]

Oddly, when I first stepped my mast on my 272, the back stay was short several inches. I bolted a short eye strap to the rear chainplate to fix it. I asked the PO, and he confirmed there had been a triangular piece there.

Who knows why.

I piece of 1/8 thick stainless bar with a couple holes in it did the trick.



Thanks

 

[jibes138]

The mast should have a small amount of aft rake to it. Hang a heavy weight from the main halyard and measure from the base of the mast. See if the owners manual tells you the amount. IIRC mine is about 6 or 8 inches.

 

[Chief RA]

I think jibes138 is guiding you the right way. Forget what the PO had and set it up with a small aft rake. Make,buy the items to SAFELY make this happen and you will have her set up likely better than you recieved her. Once for/aft is tensioned then snug up the other shrouds and you will have her set up! Good luck, Chief

 

[Ward H]

The traveler is located on the step entering the companionway. I have not seen a triangle plate for the backstay. I assumed it connected directly to the chainplate.

The mast seems to have a slight forward rake. If I could ease the forestay, I could remove the temp shackle on the backstay. This would give me a slight aft rake that is desirable. I just do not know how to make the forestay longer with a fuller (Furled) on it.

I am beginning to thing that shackle on the bow chainplate is what the PO hooked the forestay to but I cannot be sure.

Pretty sure the 25/26 did not have a rear triangle piece. Have you checked that the mast is fully set into the mast plate so you could put both front and back pins in place?
Also, make sure you have no twist in the wire stays. I would connect the rear stay first, open up the turnbuckle no more than leaving the hole visible on both threaded ends, then try to connect the furler/forestay. I would guess if anything needed to be added to make a connection its more likely to be on the furler attachment to the front chain plate, since that does not have a turn buckle. If the furler fore stay was cut slightly short the PO may have used a shackle to allow proper adjustment of the rear stay.
On my boat the Furlex 100S is attached not to the front chain plate but the plate that runs fore/aft. Not sure that would be of any help to you though.

 

[Chief RA]

Ward: I think you are correct as I think he mentioned a shackle up front. Sounds like you agree: get on with it and set her up properly. Chief