P42 FORE STAY REMOVAL

[PAUL FOSTER]

I have a passage 42 and want to take down the mast to allow navigation of the inland waterways of France.The shrouds and back stay look ok as they are on simple bottle screws.The fore stay however seems to present a problem,the fastening is tight up to the bow with a connecting bolt facing forwards which is impossible to access.Can anybody help with information on disconnecting the bottom end of the fore stay to enable the mast to be lowered.thank you Paul

 

[Terry]

Hi Paul, last year I watched as my rigger ...

cursed trying to get the forestay attached to the stem chain plate. He finally got it, but with some difficulty. It can be done. Cursing seems to help.Terry

 

[carisea]

backstay release

I have a problem having my boat hauled at the marina P-42 (50 Ton crane). I can not get boat in far enough to get slings at proper lift points before forestay hits the cross arm of the travel lift. It was suggested to back the boat in and release the backstay since the furler on the forestay is such a bear to reinstall. Can I do this or will the mast fall forward.

 

[Terry]

Hi Carisea, I had the same problem...

when I hauled the boat last summer. The yard had to unhook the backstay and back the boat in for it to fit on the travel lift. The mast did not fall down.Terry

 

[Bill Sheehy]

Backstay

FOur years ago the yard dropped my boat. The backstay hit the cross piece of the travel lift. I always have to back in to the travel lift. The backstay was broke and the mast didn't fall. Just don't lose the forestay or you will have problems.

 

[Alan]

Removal

I just removed the forestay on my boat. It's easy, but you do it from the mast first. Loosen the backstay, if you have one. Using the genoa halyards attached to the bow cleats, crank tension into the halyards. The mast will be pulled forward removing all the tension on the forestay. Now the pin can be released at the top and the forestay can be lowered with the spinnaker halyard. It took me all of 20 minutes. Now I'm having a new forestay made and installing in reverse order. The swept back spreaders prevent the mast from falling forward.

 

[Derek]

Alan did you remove

the forestay from the eye at the masthead. This seems extreme on a P42. I lift the drive unit and release the pin on the chainplate. Takes between 10 and 20 minutes.

 

[Alan]

Forestay

No, I did this on my L35.5. It's easier to lower the forestay from above, besides it has to come down anyway. It doesn't matter what model, the procedure is the same so long as you have swept spreaders.