Removing Baby Stays during winter lay-up

[captcoho]

Any thoughts about removing the baby stays while on the hard during winter storage.
It would make covering the boat a little easier. The fore, back and side stays should be more than adequate IMHO. However, interested in reading opinons from others. Or what you may have done around the area of the mast to keep the snow off.
Thanks........

 

[jrowan]

A baby stay is normally an inner stay that is installed between the forestay & the mast,
of which cutter rigs use to support an inner staysail. The inner shrouds that I think you a referring to as baby stays are still necessary to support the mast evenly. You have to account for potential high wind loads on the mast over the winter. I would not remove them, as the mast will not be supported evenly. The inner shrouds help to support the mast loads at the spreader connections, which helps keep the mast column straight. You could run the risk of creating curvature of the mast column by removing them. Also, Catalina being a fairly frugal boat builder, did not install too many "extras" in the standing & running rigging. They are installed because they are necessary to evenly support the mast.

 

[Lost Parent]

Any thoughts about removing the baby stays while on the hard during winter storage.
It would make covering the boat a little easier. The fore, back and side stays should be more than adequate IMHO. However, interested in reading opinons from others. Or what you may have done around the area of the mast to keep the snow off.
Thanks........

Here you go

 

[PirateLisa]

Here you go

It's beautiful. Where did you get that marvelous cover?!