Good day all.... The 1984 31 Hunter we own has an adjustable backstay. I am NOT a racer.... if we are moving so fast that I spill my painkiller, I get pissed. What are the main reasons to have this adjustmen and under what conditions would you want it in what position? That was a triple compound question! I alwasy thought that hunter had a more "sweptback" mast than most boats anyway. I could see myself pulling and the mast bending to a 45 as I cry! Anyone?
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I crank mine down when going up wind
as the wind builds to reduce forestay sag, then ease off when off the wind or in light air. I think your 31 is a masthead rig, so backstay will not bend the mast much to shape the mail sail, when compared to a fractional (non-masthead) rig. Fred F has a hydrolic adjuster, ( mine is just a wheelturning a nut) so he has to know more than me
as the wind builds to reduce forestay sag, then ease off when off the wind or in light air. I think your 31 is a masthead rig, so backstay will not bend the mast much to shape the mail sail, when compared to a fractional (non-masthead) rig. Fred F has a hydrolic adjuster, ( mine is just a wheelturning a nut) so he has to know more than me
Backstay Adjuster on 83-87
Are you saying you already have a backstay adjuster on an H31 and just want to know when to use it? If so, the What part: is to be able to flatten the mainsail as winds pick up, to de-power the main. This also helps to ballance weather helm at the higher wind pressure. It can also help your pointing if you are sheeted in tight on the headsail and want a finer entry to the Genoa. The When part: is when you are heeling more than you want to orhave more weather helm than you want. A little weather helm helps pointing. The What Position part: Start using it when you are going upwind and heeling at more than 20 degrees; try a little at a time. With a typical 6:1 or 8:1 purchase on the sliding yoke type backstay adjuster, that may mean moving the yoke down about 4-6". If you have draft stripes on the main you will see the shapediference once you get used to looking at the full vs flatened shape. Ideally, for racing, the sailmaker would design the curve of the main by measuring the at-rest pre-bend curve of the mast ; then re-measuring with the back stay adjuster fully 'on' to see how much additional bend was cranked in. With deference to Scott, The typical adjustment on the early double spreader B&R rig on 83-87 Hunters will bend the mast aproximately another 4"-5" which is sufficient to flatten it out pretty well. I helped my sailmaker with the measurements to better understand this very usefull sail shape control. And yes, the result is different for fractional rigged boats.
Are you saying you already have a backstay adjuster on an H31 and just want to know when to use it? If so, the What part: is to be able to flatten the mainsail as winds pick up, to de-power the main. This also helps to ballance weather helm at the higher wind pressure. It can also help your pointing if you are sheeted in tight on the headsail and want a finer entry to the Genoa. The When part: is when you are heeling more than you want to orhave more weather helm than you want. A little weather helm helps pointing. The What Position part: Start using it when you are going upwind and heeling at more than 20 degrees; try a little at a time. With a typical 6:1 or 8:1 purchase on the sliding yoke type backstay adjuster, that may mean moving the yoke down about 4-6". If you have draft stripes on the main you will see the shapediference once you get used to looking at the full vs flatened shape. Ideally, for racing, the sailmaker would design the curve of the main by measuring the at-rest pre-bend curve of the mast ; then re-measuring with the back stay adjuster fully 'on' to see how much additional bend was cranked in. With deference to Scott, The typical adjustment on the early double spreader B&R rig on 83-87 Hunters will bend the mast aproximately another 4"-5" which is sufficient to flatten it out pretty well. I helped my sailmaker with the measurements to better understand this very usefull sail shape control. And yes, the result is different for fractional rigged boats.
Thank you!
S Sauer - Thank you so very much for taking the time with your response. It is now very clear how to use. Was not windy enough Sun to test but will try again this week! Thanks, I owe you a cold one!
S Sauer - Thank you so very much for taking the time with your response. It is now very clear how to use. Was not windy enough Sun to test but will try again this week! Thanks, I owe you a cold one!
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