loose backstay

[Jim]

When I rigged my H23 for the season I noticed my shrouds, forestay, and backstay were slack. I was successful in tighting down the shrouds, forestay, and backstay and they seem fine. Sailing yesterday the backstay seemed excessively loose (especially when riding waves from a speeding powerboat). I can't tighten the backstay anymore from the deck. Is there an easy way to take out some of the slack on the back stay from the top of the mast? I just wanted to ask before step down the mast to try and figure it out.

 

[Jim Honeyman]

Check fore stay

Your fore stay may not be tight enouf. The back stay should not go slack. The tension should be equalized between the fore and aft stay. If your aft stay is to long you will have to drop the mast and cut the back stay to the proper lenth. Have you sailed this boat before? Has any think changed in your riging? Are your stays pulling out of there end conecters?Look close before you do anything.Good luckJim

 

[Jim]

I got the boat last summer in Florida. The back stay was a little loose, but not like now. I moved up to DC and re-rigged everything and that is when I noticed it was so loose. I tightened everything I could, the forestay and shouds are fine. The stays are not pulling out of their connectors, but everything is as tight as I can get them, that is why I started wondering about the other end of the back stay and if it has loosened up some how and how hard it will be to take some slack out of the top. I just want to make sure I am not missing something obvious before I cut anything.

 

[mmsailor]

loose back stay

Not sure what you mean by loose, is it possible that you are missing some sort of back stay adjuster, or that such an item might solve the problem, hope this helps Mike Bacome

 

[Wanderer138]

Possible answer

This is a long shot but your upper shrouds may be too short. If you look at the rig, you will notice that the forestay and the upper shrouds all meet at about the same height on the mast. These three wires support the mast just like the guy wires on a radio tower. The backstay doesn't really do much to support this mast. If you tighten the uppers while the lowers are loose, the mast bows quite a bit in the middle and the masthead moves back. You can crank the uppers until the turnbuckles are all the way in and still not get enough tension because the mast offers very little resistance to bending while the lower shrouds are slack.The first thing you need to do check the prebend in the mast. Shackle the main halyard to the gooseneck and pull it tight, then lie on the deck and sight up the mast. The prebend in the mast should now be obvious. Most people think 1 to 2 inches of prebend is enough. If you have more, you need to readjust your rig. Let me know if that's the problem and I'll tell you how.PeterH23 "Raven"