Forestay too long

Aug 9, 2019
37
Hunter H26 Hayden Island
I have a New to me Hunter H26. The guy I bought it from didnt pay any attention to details. Shroud adjustments are all non existent. First off the mast has about 20" of rake measured at the boom. Should be 6". The forestay is too long. Turnbuckle bottomed out. Threaded ends touching inside the turnbuckle. Any suggestions?
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,336
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
That’s a good suggestion. Make sure threads are still good on cuts.
Sure, use a hack or reciprocating saw. If needed, rethread with a die tool. Probably best to do with one or both halyards as a temporary forestay.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Sure, use a hack or reciprocating saw. If needed, rethread with a die tool. Probably best to do with one or both halyards as a temporary forestay.
I've done some forestay work on my H26 and I just set up the mast raising gin-pole per the instructions, pulled it tight and then I could release the forestay and work on it.
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,336
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Is it safe to use level for assessing rake how it sits in the water?
Hang a weight or plumb bob from your halyard and measure the distance from your mast to the line near the base when it settles, that would be equivalent to your mast rake from boat level.
 
Aug 9, 2019
37
Hunter H26 Hayden Island
I’m thinking that cutting off some threads under the turnbuckle won’t get me the 14” less take I need? But it’s worth a try.
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,336
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
@joecool911 It’s time for a triangular geometry lesson...but I’m not that guy. I think it’s time to insert @rgranger for that. Help Rob! ...or others.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
14" is a lot. Is it the original rigging or something that PO guy did (Badly). But still that's a lot. Maybe you can poll or find a tuning guide that specifies forestay length. That's the place to start.
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
I've known some guys to rake a mast forward to get the boom to ride high enough to clear a Bimini top that they could walk under. I've known others who rake them back to move the center of effort & change the weather helm characteristics. Sometimes "incorrect" adjustments have a reason behind them.

Also, are you sure the length of the forestay is the problem? Have you checked the mast step to be sure that the foot of the mast isn't sinking into the cabin top or something like that?

All that aside, If you want to shorten the forestay a few inches, have you looked into the possibility of getting a shorter turnbuckle? They do come in different body lengths.
 
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
The owners manual is here: https://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_26_82584071.pdf

It says the forestay spec is as follows.
3/16” 1 x 19 SS with stem ball, turnbuckle with toggle.
Length is 30’ 7 5/8” from inside edge of stembsll to the Clovis pin on the toggle.

Usually that’s fabricated with the turnbuckle studs screwed in 1/3 of the available adjustment. Less frequently its fabbed to measure with studs closed 1/2 of the way.

I have never taken measurements for a forestay replacement on an H26, but we have measured the rig to build new sails. Our records show rake as 4”-6, after tuning the rig,

We measure mast rake at the boom using a weighted main halyard hanging from the halyard sheave the top of the mast, Mast rake on a couple of H26' s weve seen has been between 0 and 1 degree.

YMMV

Judy B
Retired Sailmaker

Hunter26WB-Side-View P1020347.JPG P1020344.JPG P1020354.JPG
 
Last edited:
Aug 9, 2019
37
Hunter H26 Hayden Island
The mast step is fine. Not issues there. Might just need to shorten the stay. Are there fittings that can be used without special tools? What would be used to cut the stay?
 

Jim26m

.
Apr 3, 2019
579
Macgregor 26M Mobile AL
Have you checked the rest of the rigging to verify the PO didn't swap a couple of them? Before I started cutting, I might get the tape out and verify the lengths of all the rigging against the manual. You definitely have a mast rake issue, though - geez! Unless you've got a bunch of water in the stern... is the boat sitting right?

Unless your forestay is in like-new condition, I'd probably order a new one rather than shortening it. You've inherited a problem that someone else created. Possibly a forestay from the recycle pile... Best to get things back to the correct length and in good shape. But, that's just the way I look at life.
 
Aug 9, 2019
37
Hunter H26 Hayden Island
Have a forestay made by a local maker or order from somewhere? How much money are we talking here?
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
If needed, rethread with a die tool.
Yes, everyone has a set of right and left handed dies hanging around.

Seriously, the only sensible way to shorten a stay is to cut it and fit a field terminated, compression-type fitting, like a Hi-mod, Norseman, or Sta-lok. I've done this on the shrouds and backstay on my Catalina 36, to add toggles to the shrouds and a backstay adjuster to the back.

Determine the thread size, left or right hand, and select the part for wire size. The wire side is usually the right hand thread. Cut the stay by taping with electrical tape and sawing with a hacksaw. It's remarkably easy to cut.

Rigging Only is the best source I know. I've purchased from them, super service, and fast.

Have you checked the rest of the rigging to verify the PO didn't swap a couple of them? Before I started cutting, I might get the tape out and verify the lengths of all the rigging against the manual.
This is an excellent suggestion. The backstay is usually longer than the forestay, maybe they were swapped.
 
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Nov 30, 2015
1,336
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Yes, everyone has a set of right and left handed dies hanging around.
Yeah, I deserve that. I take a few things for granted with quick posts. I have access to a fully stocked machine shop at work...and yes we have both clockwise and counter clockwise threaded dies. My bad. I assume a lot of things with early posts here on the forums. At least until we grind down to root cause or failure mode. :beer::beer::beer: