rigging and mast support

[Brian Hofler]

Tom Lochhaas asked about backstays. The one you describe was
standard, Tom, as far as I know. An inverted Y with a simple
turnbuckle above the junction. Mine (no. 1492) and all the others I
have seen, had that. Are you in Maine, maryland, or Mass.?

Steve Wallace asked if anybody actually had problems with the mast
pushing down the deck. I did, very early in ownership, without doubt
because I over-tightened the rigging. The door had trouble opening,
and being ignorant, I cut off part of the door to fix it. Later
after reading the Vega newsletter I strengthened the beam. Also
left the rigging more slack.

John Sprague, Salt Spring Island, B.C.

 

[reefmagnet]

Thanks, John. I live in Mass. most of the time, but we have a small
summer cabin on the water in downeast Maine and, since we prefer sailing
there rather than here in Mass, we leave our Vega in Maine.

It does sound like I have the standard split backstay, but others have
reported something I do not have: a tackle arrangement on the triangle
that pulls the two lower sections toward each other in order to increase
backstay tension. If that was originally on my Vega, some previous
owner removed it -- once I get the rig tuned, the backstay keeps the
same tension. But I am aware of the benefit of being able to adjust
backstay tension for different points of sail.
Tom

"John B. Sprague" wrote:

 

[reefmagnet]

For my part, I would not anticipate any real value in a block and tackle
backstay tensioner. I raced Solings for a long time. They have a fractional
rig (forestay terminating 7/8 or so up the mast, so backstay tension would
put a big bend in the slender mast. The sails were cut for this and bending
the mast flattened the draft and spilled air from the top of the main,
reducing heel in breezy conditions. But the Vega, which we have sailed for 3
seasons, has a masthead rig - forestay going to the masthead - and a very
beefy mast section for the size of the boat. There is no bend, or shouldn't
be. The whole rig reminds me of a conservatively rigged ocean racer circa
early 1960's, well stayed and with a quite rigid mast. The only result of of
lots of backstay tension would be increasing forestay tension. Given that
rig I don't see much value in setting up the rig bar tight, specially with
the mast stepped on a beam that by history doesn't take a heavy load too
well. Easing the forestay tension can help in light conditions and the
opposite is true when beating in a breeze but you've got to have the hull to
take the tension. Too much rig tension can abuse a hull, sometimes in ways
that are not obvious for a while.

We set up our rig to the specs given in the Vega manual and find the
boat sails fine.\

Journeyman, no. 1171