Forestay length H260

[Sublime]

While moving the mast forward, packing up the boat, the furling line got caught and I bent the forestay. So I'm going to replace it before putting the mast back up.

I measured it but I wanted to compare with anyone who has replaced theirs to make sure my measurement isn't completely off. I have a CDI furler and got 29'4". I know nobody will have the exact measurement, I just don't want to spend $100 and have it wrong.

I wonder if you can order them a little long and trim them?

 

[Steve Dion]

If you contact Seco South in Florida, they can provide a replacement. Probably the best price you will find too. They probably have the exact measurement. They made most of the Hunter rigging.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

It is correct that Seco South made the standing rigging for the boat. Contact person is Jean and her phone number is 727-536-1924. Their address is

Seco Soputh
34th Way
Largo, Florida 33771

Tell her that Crazy says hi.

Crazy Dave

 

[Sublime]

It is correct that Seco South made the standing rigging for the boat. Contact person is Jean and her phone number is 727-536-1924. Their address is

Seco Soputh
34th Way
Largo, Florida 33771

Tell her that Crazy says hi.

Crazy Dave

Jean said hi!

Apparently Seco South stopped making rigging for them in '99 or '00. I made a trip out to the boat. The mast was made by US Spars. I sent an email to them about it but haven't heard back yet.

 

[DJN51]

Forestay repair

If you're gong to replace think about this.Swivel at mast t ball fitting.Takes strain off t -ball with furler.Vermont Sailing Partners.Contact Bill Fastiggi 802 655-7245.Great guy to work with.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

US spars is basically the old Z Spar sections. The people there are customer oriented and you can get the old Z Spar sections, booms, etc..

Z Spar in the 90's bought Kenyon Isomat. All the employees were laid off at both facilities with Z spar closing the Florida plant. Only four from Z Spar went to Charlotte to run the facility. At the time they were the main supplier for both Hunter and Benteteau. Keyon Isomat supplied masts for Catalina. It would have been a good move but laying everyone off and trying to combine everything in one facility with only four people in the beginning is what led them into trouble.

US Spars started up in the old facility where Z Spar was near Gainseville, FL using the same mast extrusions, etc. I am not sure if the ownership is the old Z Spar folks.

Anyway, Z Spar lost the Hunter contract and caused problems for everyone. I waited for a mast for over 6 months. When Seldene approached Hunter, that was a good marriage. They now have the Hunter and Catalina contracts to my understanding, I believe they also have some of Beneteau now.

As for Keyon Isomat, they are gone but Jim Culibert and crew from Kenyon Isomat are back under the name of Charleston Spar in Charlotte, NC at the same old facility.

crazy Dave Condon

 

[Sublime]

Back to square one. US Spars says they didn't build the original equipment.

Does anyone know where I can simply order a forestay for a 2004 Hunter 260???

I measured but I'd rather order one from someone who knows what the dimensions were so that I know it's the right size. Gah! :cussing:

 

[Steve Dion]

Just order it from Seco South. If you send them your old one you will have your new one in hand in a few days. I doubt that you will get it any cheaper from anyone else.

 

[Kivalo]

If you're gong to replace think about this.Swivel at mast t ball fitting.Takes strain off t -ball with furler.Vermont Sailing Partners.Contact Bill Fastiggi 802 655-7245.Great guy to work with.

Would you expand on this please? What exactly am I looking at in the picture?



As for the OP, if the mast is down, can't you remove the stay since your going to replace it anyway? Bring the entire wire with you to the rigger. Or is there a reason that's not possible?

 

[Rick Webb]

"Original" May be Too Long

If a tang was added to get the furler drum off the deck your original is too long by that same length.

Doesn't the owner’s manual have the length listed?

West Marine can send it out to be made up. They have two facilities to make up rigging one typically does a better job but I do not remember which one. I am thinking one was in the northeast and one is out west and the more reliable one is out west but I am not certain.

 

[Sublime]

Would you expand on this please? What exactly am I looking at in the picture?



As for the OP, if the mast is down, can't you remove the stay since your going to replace it anyway? Bring the entire wire with you to the rigger. Or is there a reason that's not possible?

Since it's a production boat, I had hoped to be able to just order one, with the piece of mind of knowing it's the right size, and then go and swap them out.

I had a lot of trouble locating a local rigger. Finally found one and they have it to reproduce it.

It wasn't a big deal really. It shouldn't have been so frustrating. The problem was so many companies could have made the original and they would ping pong me around to each other then send me on a wild goose chase only to tell me they didn't make it. After multiple trips to the boat to take measurements, look for a brand name, etc, waiting for them to call back after leaving messages, etc, I started to get fed up. It's a production boat!

Having a furler is what complicated it a little bit. I have the measurements in the manual for a stay without the furler.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Sublime;

If you listen to me, you will getg the straight poop. Seco South made the standing rigging, not US spars. Anywayl, if you do call them, ask for Jean.

 

[Kivalo]

LOL, I can understand your frustration. I snapped a wire strand on one of my stays last season but I have a rigger about 10 miles from me. Dropped if off in the morning and picked up the new one in the afternoon.
Brad
s/v KIVALO

Since it's a production boat, I had hoped to be able to just order one, with the piece of mind of knowing it's the right size, and then go and swap them out.

I had a lot of trouble locating a local rigger. Finally found one and they have it to reproduce it.

It wasn't a big deal really. It shouldn't have been so frustrating. The problem was so many companies could have made the original and they would ping pong me around to each other then send me on a wild goose chase only to tell me they didn't make it. After multiple trips to the boat to take measurements, look for a brand name, etc, waiting for them to call back after leaving messages, etc, I started to get fed up. It's a production boat!

Having a furler is what complicated it a little bit. I have the measurements in the manual for a stay without the furler.

 

[canmor]

The Hunter manual page 46B states 29ft 11 1/4 inches
5/32" (4mm) 1x19 wire size
5-8-8 turnbuckle lower end
marine eye upper end (mines a T-ball ) ???

The original on the boat had several wire breaking where it was swaged into the T-ball fitting. A pivot point would be the best solution.

 

[Sublime]

Sublime;

If you listen to me, you will getg the straight poop. Seco South made the standing rigging, not US spars. Anywayl, if you do call them, ask for Jean.

I did listen to you and as I posted earlier, I had talked to Jean. Seco stopped making them in '99 or '00. I have an '04 and she needed the original to reproduce it.

 

[canmor]

I measured my originnal forstay. 30 feet from the tip of the T-ball to the capture pin on the bottom.

So 29' 11.25" sounds right.

There will be adjustment room in the turn buckle as shown in the photo

 

[isaksp00]

What actually bent? I assume you mean that one of the foils in the furler bent, rather than the forestay itself, which would be standard wire rope, maybe like 5/32. I snapped a connector on my Harken furler and was able to buy a new part, the installation of which necessitated cutting off the swaged top eye. I measured the exact length of the old stay wire (eye to eye) and used a new non-swaged top eye, ensuring the eye to eye length was identical. Are you buying a whole new CDI furler, or can you repair the bent section? I assume the CDI furler has sections like Harken? You may not need to know anything from any mast manufacturer.

Also, if the CDI is anything like the Harken, the wire must be shortened to accomodate the length of the drum assembly, as is probably described in the CDI install manual, if you have it. So you don't want to order a stay the exact length of the factory specs, unless maybe that boat always came stock with that furler. If you are doing the re-rigging yourself, as I did, just order an extra foot or so of wire, and cut to exact length based on what you had.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

If you use a CDI furler, the forestay does not need to be shortened. I prefer the CDI over the others and this is one reason. There is one brand that the two halves have to be put together and they do present a problem. Further disccussion later.

If Seco South had the original lenght, it was all the same. The best way is to take the forestay off and send it to be reproduced. If the forestay has stretched over the years, then advise what it should be shortened by for example an inch.

Enuf said from me.

crazy