Johnson quick release shroud lever

[MaxinCalgary]

Anyone install one of these on their 260. Forestay.
With the back stays tensioned it's really hard to attach the cdi furler . I worry I am putting to much strain on the furler to attach the forestay. Do most back off the forestay every time you raise the mast and re-tension.
I wondered if anybody is using quick release lever on the forestay as do many McGregor owners.

 

[cephius (Dave)]

I leave the shrouds set. Most of the time I am on the trailer when I raise the mast. I put a small harness on the furler drum that has leads that drop down on both sides of the bow. I hook these to the trailer cable. The drum and handle have enough leverage to align the fore stay without putting undue force on the gin pole.

 

[Kermit]

Maybe I'm reading your question and Dave's reply wrong wrong but here goes. The spinnaker halyard attaches to the upper part of the gin pole. I attach the mainsheet to the lower side with the block attached at the bow. The mainsheet goes back to the starboard winch on the cabin top. No pressure is applied the the forestay until the mast is up and in position. The previous owner instructed me to loosen the shrouds when dropping the mast but I don't think it's necessary.

To answer your question, I do not use a quick release lever.

 

[BobSail]

Any pics of your cup harness in action Dave?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Really there is no need for a forestay tension adjuster. Simply pull on the mainsheet block until the forestay with or without the furler is attached. then place your shoe on the line to push down to free that line from the cam cleat and not with your hand. You could loose a finger as that is under tension.

If your mast is over curved back too far, you will need to retune. Never use a tension adjuster.

 

[MaxinCalgary]

This does look like an elegant solution.

Another question . Does anybody know the correct length on the support stays for the mast on a 260 they adjust and may stop the mast from sitting correctly or add compression if set wrong..

 

[cephius (Dave)]

BobSail, sorry no pictures. Being old school, I just use a length of line and two bowlines.

MaxinCalgary, are you asking about the bars or the shrouds?

I tune my rig using a Loose gage, (mast up, all stays in place).

When raising the mast. and with the mast fully up, the shaclke on the bottom of the CDI drum is about an inch above the hole it pins to on the bow.

Rather then put additional force on the main sheet/gin pole/haulyard, and since I raise the mast single handed, I use the method I descriped in my first post to close that 1" gap.

 

[sailorjeff]

H23. The best I've come up with so far is to use 2 10' EMT 3/4" clipped together. I put rubber feet on the bottoms, stuck them next to the stanchions, then attached the jib sheet and winch strap to the quick clip. I steady the mast side to side while my 11 year old son cranks on the trailer winch. We get enough pull to (barely) get the pin of the forestay connected.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The photo that MaxinCalgary posted is good thinking. What has been done is to shorten the forstay for the added two tangs in order to raise the furler higher off the deck to get the jib from being affected by the bow rail. Great idea but might take a little more effort to attach. I would attach to the rear hole of the forestay chain plate. Otherwise, I use to raise the jib on the furler and have a long downhaul to the bottom drum.

 

[203]

Max asked in the original post if folks back off the tension on the forestay every time the mast is raised, then re-tension. One way or another, if the rig is properly tensioned, the answer to this is always yes.

I back off the front turnbuckle about 6 turns, which is not enough for me to be able to get the pin out by hand. Then I back off the rear turnbuckle ( back stay ) about 5 turns, and then I can remove the front pin by hand.

The tension levers are neat ideas, but they are absolutely the most dangerous thing I've seen on a sailboat, even worse than the boom in an accidental gybe IMO .. One unsnapped at a Highlander regatta a few years ago and it broke the owner's finger in two places.. one on each side of the lever handle.. ouch.

If I were going to use one, and I was already happy with where the furler drum was on my boat, I'd put it on the rear stay. I can't see how you could get to one under the drum in a safe manner.. it's pretty close quarters there, no room for my foot (c: ..

 

[isaksp00]

On my H23 I 1) loosen the rear stay turnbuckles and 2) unlock the drum and locking washer on my Harken furler and loosen it. I then use a block and tackle (much like the use of the main sheet, except the PO made a dedicated one from 4-1 blocks) to pull the mast forward and then unpin the lower end of the furler from the chain plate (to be precise, the lower end of the stainless tangs attached to the bottom of the drum).

When raising the mast: I remove my furler drum each season, but whether you do or not, it would start out in the mostly loose setting. It is quite easy to use the gin pole to pull the mast forward enough to pin the tangs to the chain plate. I then crank the furler drum to tighten the forestay and then tighten the rear stays (I am leaving out all the sidestay adjustments). To me, the extra time to tighten up the furler drum "turnbuckle" is more than compensated by the ease of pinning the forestay.

 

[jwilcoxon78]

Really there is no need for a forestay tension adjuster. Simply pull on the mainsheet block until the forestay with or without the furler is attached. then place your shoe on the line to push down to free that line from the cam cleat and not with your hand. You could loose a finger as that is under tension.

If your mast is over curved back too far, you will need to retune. Never use a tension adjuster.

Dave - good point i.e. fingers. I've found that loosening the jib halyard is best. Have to walk back to do so but it's easier than fighting with the mainsheet in the locker.

 

[MaxinCalgary]

Thanks for all the good info.
Am trying to leave everything set. But that does not seem to be the case.
I am only raising and lowering the mast 1 or 2 times a season . Thats probably the main problem.And every time it seems to be a struggle with something twisting or hanging up . This time moving the mast back to line up with the mast pin I bent the starboard side stay bolt ( I'm not that strong and just swung the mast back on its stays. Got it repaired)
Just seems to be a real jungle on the deck with the mast down. Standing rigging shrouds seem to have a life of their own.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Maxin;

I think it is time we spoke about mast raising and lowering sir. I am the one who helped with this system and advised Hunter with the original 23.5 Send me your telephone and location so not to call too early or late via this forum.

 

[MaxinCalgary]

Hi Dave ,
Will do am out of the country at the moment.