Cutter stay on fractional rig?

[Jackdaw]

I can tell you from personal experience that a well-founded solent setup is a dream. As Rich mentions the key is getting enough tension on the stay to prevent sag that will drastically overpower the sail. On the pogo, the Dyneema DUX (pre-stretched) stay is tensioned with a 12:1 block system lead aft to a 42:1 power ratio winch. Do the math to figure how much a man could load that system up. You could break the boat. It then locks at the deck with a remote halyard lock to keep any (slight) stretching of the tension system out of the stay. In 30+ sustained knots we simply powered upwind under reefed main and solent like a witch.

I found a pic of the Pogo's staysail setup.

The rightmost blue line is a spectra-cored wonder that starts at cockpit in a clutch and a Harken 42 winch. Run runs forward to that remote-release halyard lock, and down a 90 degree turn to a 16:1 tackle system inside the anchor locker (rear bulkhead) and secured to the hull. It then runs up through that a deck penetration and terminates in a dogbone. They stay (dyneema DUX) is stored at the mast until needed, when it secured to the dogbone then tensioned. The halyard lock is engaged to minimize stretch and stay sag. You can REALLY dial that on.

The solent sail often lives on the foredeck, in a bag lashed to the deck. It attaches to the stay with wichard clips.

 

[topcat0399]

Topcat ... next time increase your main halyard tension a LOT and (if you have one) apply strong cunningham tension. That will shift forward the point at which the maximum draft occurs in the sail (the draft will move 'forward') and most times will allow you to sail on effortlessly and without much increase of 'weather helm' because of sailing without a jib. This is only for fractional rigs, doesnt work well for masthead boats.

It shall be done!

 

[runninglts]

Topcat ... next time increase your main halyard tension a LOT and (if you have one) apply strong cunningham tension. That will shift forward the point at which the maximum draft occurs in the sail (the draft will move 'forward') and most times will allow you to sail on effortlessly and without much increase of 'weather helm' because of sailing without a jib. This is only for fractional rigs, doesnt work well for masthead boats.

Rich what if you had a in-mast furler on a fractional rig? Would that change your calculus on upwind capability with main alone? I am asking because I recently bought a Jeanneau SO45 with a fractional Selden in-mast furler that has been shortened a couple of feet and I am seriously considering adding a removable solent arrangement as Jack describes. I pretty much know that making proper headway upwind in +25kn with a partially rolled up #1 will be a non-starter. Love to get your thoughts on this.