Inner Forestay

[Jim Miller]

I have seen ODay 34's with inner forestays. Was this a factory option? Can someone tell me where I can obtain information on the parts required and their installation?

 

[david lewis]

O'Day 34 inner forestay

Jim, I have the original manual for the 35 and the sales brochure and it doesn't mention it as an option. You can have a boatyard do just about anything you want though.Some things to be concerned with, The Isomat mast does not have a place for an extra headstay (uses stemball fittings with spherical cups in spherical holes). So to add a headstay you will need some major mast surgery. Secondly this should not be supported only by the deck, Rigging loads are high and should be carried by the hull itself or as in our boats by the liner bonded to the hull and the main structural bulkhead. To do this in you v berth will certainly mess up your berth. Plus directly under where you want the support is your holding tank. So you could remove that, bond in an attachment point for a rod, run a rod up through the v-berth to dech level then as on your shrouds drill for a u-bolt through the deck.I really like cutter rigs and wish I had one but this modification looks pretty extreme. I would leave it alone anf if you really want a cutter, seel the O'day and get a cape dory or maybe an island packet or pacific seacraft ( i think those have cutter tigs but not sure), get out your wallet for any of the above.if you find out more let me know.dave

 

[Russell Marcks]

I've read several articles & 'letter to the editor' on this very topic. In short, the 'experts' do not recommend this.Other than the expense & major surgery of adding it, you also must be concerned about the sail plan. Most boats are designed with a particular sail plan in mind and changing it to a cutter rig may actually make the boat handle worse. You almost need a naval architect to ensure it's going to work properly.Russ

 

[Neil Scoltock]

The original owner of my boat, commisioned a naval archetect to design an inner forestay, then installed acording to plans. some comprimise was due to the location of anchor well,so deck attachment is only a foot or so from the headstay and runs about 2/3rds up mast.Running backstays are also incorporated into this design.After the first 5yrs of ownership,I removed the whole setup, because I was not using/versus tending to the rigging and having to silence at anchor.