I am considering adding one as well to my H-34. The plan is to install mounts located similarly to that shown in the Aquavite photos. They're out of the way of the swim ladder, etc. The key is making them strong enough. I'm curious to hear from those H-34 owners who have done this if it has been beneficial with regard to sail trim. Is it worth it given the B & R setup with the pre-bend already in the mast?
The key is not strength, that's easy and not an issue. The split wires from the break in the long backstay down to the transom are smaller wires than the long one. Any qualified rigger will do this.
Here ARE the "tricks":
1. Don't put a single turnbuckle up at the split. Put two turnbuckles at the transom. Why? 'Cuz they are easier to get to!!!
2. I don't have a detailed photo of the setup at the transom, but here's what's there:
a. a toggle. Sometimes, based on the boat, the chainplates don't line up perfectly with the backstay. A toggle makes everything work.
b. Two BIG D shackles to connect the splits to the toggle and the base of the vang and its other part to the transom.
3. The two pictures of my boat are DIFFERENT than the sketch. The sketch uses different hardware at the split, although both use a vang for adjustment. I used a Garhauer adjuster which is made of two nice ss straps with two sheaves and a connection for the top of the vang. It works great. The triple blocks in the sketch work fine, too, just more stuff.
4. IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT
Whatever you do
RAISE the split HIGH, HIGH, HIGH. That way you can stand underneath it without hitting your head or your shoulders.
Even with prebend, if your boat has a substantial mast, an adjustable backstay will NOT bend your telephone pole mast. It should, will, can (?), tighten your forestay. This issue has been beaten to death, over and over again.
It depends on your boat. It works on mine.
Your boat, your choice.
Good luck.
