Inner Forestay addition to CD33

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi All, I’m considering installing an ‘Inner Forestay’ on 'Evening Light' (1981 CD33 sloop No. 38) to support a storm headsail. The new stay will be attached at the mast ~ 1/2 the distance between the spreaders and the masthead (a welded fitting is currently installed w/ a pair of tangs thru-bolted.) The bottom of the stay will be detachable with a pelican hook fitting and anchored on deck (when in use) with a substantial chainplate bolted to the anchor rode locker aft bulkhead (aka v-berth forward bulkhead.) The common method of support for the mast in this area would be running backstays or after intermediate shrouds (as used on the CD31C, 32C, 33C, and 36C, and possibly the 40s.) The top of which ever would be attached to the currently installed tangs mentioned above. The lower end would depend on which of the two support options were installed. Has anyone done (or have knowledge of) this conversion to a sloop? Fair Winds, Leo MacDonald Evening Light CD33 No.38 Pine Isl. Bay, Groton, CT

 

[Jim]

Did the same on a Freeport

I did the same thing a while back. It makes a good place for a Storm jib or storm staysail. Does not sail too good as a cutter with 2 headsails though.I made running backs from wire with the last 4 feet or so made from vang tackles which secured to sliding pad eyes on the genoa tracks. It worked out very well.Since the inner forestay is too long to bring back to the mast and secure when not in use, i had a pennant under the quick release. That shortened it enough to swing it back to the mast and secure it. I did not like that set up in the long run. If I were to do it again I would fasten a shoe to the mast for the wire to bend around and secure it to a pad eye somewhere on the deck.

 

[Ron2533]

Inner forestay

Your idea for an inner forestay makes great sense. Many boats in this area have made the conversion for sailing the Bahamas, and swear by the rig. I put one on a Morgan 38 many years ago, and it was copied numerous times sucessfully. However the rig is somewhat different from what you plan. Your plan essentially converts the boat to a cutter rig which is OK if you want to deal with running backstays. Another method is to run the the inner stay to a point on the mast a foot or two from the top. The lower end is fastened with a Hifield lever to a point on deck a foot or two behind the regular forestay, with the innerstay running parrell to the outer stay.  It works very well carrying a small jib all rigged and bagged on the inner stay at the mast, or forward. When needed the jib is raised and the genoa rolled up. When conditions ease, the genoa can be deployed and the jib dropped, or back and forth. For short handed offshore, the rig is a lifesaver. Everything can easily be done from the cockpit. To tack the genoa with the rig in place, just roll it up a and redeploy. Talk to more than one rigger for advise. Both methods have merit, it depends on how complicated you want to get, and what results you need to get. Good sailing RON B