removable inner forestay

[mjb]

I'm considering installing a removable inner forestay for a storm jiband heavy weather sailing on my B473. Any thoughts or recommendations? Beneteauoffers to install the chainplate as an option. Does this includethe hardware on the mast for a halyard and the forestay? How do youstore the forestay when not in use? Do you use the existing lead cartracks? What size jib is appropriate?

 

[Beneteau 473 owner]

Beneteau 473 inner forestay

I ordered my 2005 Beneteau 473 with the inner forestay option. This amounts to a chainplate in the partition from the forward cabin to the anchor locker, and a stay, with pelican hook and turnbuckle. The stay/turnbuckle/pelican hook joins the chain plate to the mast a foot below the masthead. the pelican is just a 5 lb version of what is at the lifeline gate, and seems robust.I found, however, that I could not tack the genoa with the stay in place. The stay joins the mast very near the mast head and leaves very little room to clear the genoa near the masthead. Normally an inner forestay joins the mast parallel to the forestay, i.e. maybe near the upper spreaders. This one almost intersects the forestay.So, I am trying to find some alternative fixes.I do not have the smallforesail yet.Things I am considering (and will discuss with US spars), are1- an attachment point near the upper spreaders and a shorter inner forestay. I need to discuss this with US Spars to see whether this is feasible with this mast for a furling main.2- a heavy, but flexible wire halyard running through the backup genoa halyard, tied off on a cleat on the mastnear the mast step. This would then be used to hoist the innerforestay when needed, and tighten the assembly with the turnbuckle. The I would hoist the storm sail, with hanks, using the spinnaker pole topping lift. I need to discuss this with US Spars to see whether the pulleys are strong enough and whether the whole arrangement would be stiff enough.The dealer recommended just dropping the genoa and running a storm sail up the main forestay rail. Personally I think this is a copout, plus I spent a load of money on an innerforestay that is impractical.For now, the stay is tied off at the mast.Hope this helps.

 

[Dale]

B473 Innerstay

We ordered our 2004 B473 in 2003. At that time the factory didn't offer an innerforestay option. We hired the local US Spars Rigger to install an inner stay and Banks sails to build the sail. The deck chainplate is reinforced at the chainlocker bulkhead, while the mast has a fitting screwed just above the upper spreaders. We installed a dedicated halyard because the innerstay is well below the spinnaker pole lift. Banks built the hank on sail to use the most forward position on the existing geneoa track, saving considerable ugliness inside the cabin drilling new track holes into the molded cabin headliner.This system stinks!!! It is difficult and dangerous to go forward in heavy weather to hank on the staysail. The staysail covers the forward hatch if you leave it hanked on and two sets of jib sheets always creates a tangle.Our innerstay is fixed in place with HD wire, turnbuckles and padeyes suitable for heavy weather. (This Pelican Hook better be very heavy duty.) We roll up the geneoa, tack then unroll the geneoa on the new tack. If I had it to do over again.....I would move the way too small Stock Basic Profurl B35M to the innerstay and install a Classic NC42 Profurl at the geneoa. The B40CC is stock rigged with two furlers. Take a look at the Saga 43's rigging for another idea.The single track without prefeeder on the B35M Profurl is impossible to change sails at the dock, let alone offshore, so the dealership's suggestion of changing to a stormjib on the forestay doesn't sound at all reasonable. Hope this helps!