Retrofitting adjustable backstay on 192/222

[Brian S]

I can't remember if I asked this before or not, so, since I am planning projects as part of my winter stir crazy, I'll ask again...

Has anyone retrofitted an adjustable backstay to a 192 or 222? If so, what parts did you use?

Now for the backstory. From what I can gather, O'day made some 192s with a 3 part, non-adjustable backstay. Long wire from masthead, to triangular mounting plate for mainsheet, and then a short length of wire to the chainplate. Other 192s had an adjustable 3x1 rope purchase between the triangular plate and the chainplate.

Mine has the non-adjustable backstay, and I'd like to add a 3x1 or better still 4x1 tackle to mine. I had considered using a Harken H245 double block with becket and v-jam and an H226 double block to make a 4x1 purchase. However, I have had recommendations to use a similar breaking strength on the blocks to that of the wire. The 1x19 wire on a backstay probably has a breaking strength of 1700 pounds or so, but the Harken blocks only 1200 pounds. I might be able to step up to a Harken Bullet Block, because they have a 2000 pound breaking strength, but they only appear to make a cam cleat triple block, not a double. And also they are very pricy.

Any thoughts from you guys?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Joe11688]

I think that what I would do is change the sheet arrangement by installing a small rope and pulley traveler in front of the companionway. You would need to mount it on a beam of some kind or copy mine.
Then you could eliminate that triangular plate altogether and install a single sheave at the end of the backstay for a single rope or cable to run through from the backstay chainplate on your transom.
Then you could make up a block & tackle with a built in cam cleat and attach it to something strong on the starboard side of your transom. Perhaps you could mount a stainless steel tang for block & tackle, similar to your backstay chain plate.
I'm using a Johnson Handy-Lock on my backstay but I just looked at the price of those things in Defender Marine and they're asking somewhere around $130.00. I bought mine used at Rig-Rite in Warwick RI many years ago.

 

[Brian S]

Joe, do you have the 3-1 adjustable backstay? From your description, it sounds as if you've removed the end-boom sheeting, and gone to a mid-boom traveller (nice to have, a traveller.) I appreciate having seen the pics of your traveller. This implies that you now have one long wire backstay (with Johnson Handy-Lock) running from masthead to chainplate.

While I am not opposed to mid-boom sheeting, especially with a traveller, I'm not completely wiling to give up the cockpit seating just yet. I'd be ok keeping the end boom sheeting for at least my first full season with the boat coming up, and the triangular plate, but my biggest quandary is replacing the wire strop from triangular plate to chainplate with appropriate blocks and line to get my 3-1 or 4-1 adjustable. (It's easier on a Precision 18. Replace the stock swaged yoke with a longer one, and add a backstay adjuster and rope purchase that pulls down on adjuster, squeezing the V.) Surely I don't NEED an adjustable backstay, but I know I'll get bored cruising around if I don't have enough lines to pull on

Brian

I think that what I would do is change the sheet arrangement by installing a small rope and pulley traveler in front of the companionway. You would need to mount it on a beam of some kind or copy mine.
Then you could eliminate that triangular plate altogether and install a single sheave for a single rope or cable to run through from the chainplate.
Then you could make up a block & tackle and attach it to something strong on the starboard transom. Perhaps you could mount a take for it similar to you backstay chain plate.
I'm using a Johnson Handy-Lock on my backstay but I just looked at the price of those things in Defender Marine and they asking somewhere around $130.00. I bought mine used at Rig-Rite years ago.

 

[Joe11688]

All I have on my backstay is the Johnson Handy-Lock and the open turnbuckle just above the Handy-Lock. I really have never used the HL for a backstay adjuster. I don't see why you can't do what you want to do to make it work. One of the guys in my YC has a Catalina 22 with an adjustable backstay. You may be able to find some pictures of that type of adjustable back stay set up on the Catalina web site.