I have a 21 ft mac. The ( P ) = on the mainsail is 21.8 everything on the mast hieght and foot all looks right as far as measurment but the backstay hits the roach real bad. I guess i,m going to have to have a long chicken head made?? I bought this boat in febuary 09 and i didnt check that out well enough. I love the boat but im a little confused as to why this mainsail hits backstay. The guy i bought it from said they never used/had a backstay on the boat which sounded odd to me. This boat needs a backstay right ?? Im thinking they might have raced this boat and had a sail made that has a large roach maybe ??? Could someone shed a little light on this please. Can i have the roach trimmed??
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Mark
I have not really looked at the rig on your boat model, so I have some questions. Do the wires from the spreaders go all the way to the top of the mast? Or do they go 7/8s or so of the way up?
The reason I ask, is that the mast could be correctly stayed without a backstay, but I would imagine that it would require sidewires that go all the way up. Just for example, the Mac 26M does not have a backstay.
The large roach sail may be a great sail, how does it look? Some sails are cut so it is necessary to help the sail past the backstay, the performance outweighs the aggravation.
If you decide to install a chickenhead, you may be able to buy one off the shelf from someone like Bluewater Yachts.
Please post pics if possible John S
I have not really looked at the rig on your boat model, so I have some questions. Do the wires from the spreaders go all the way to the top of the mast? Or do they go 7/8s or so of the way up?
The reason I ask, is that the mast could be correctly stayed without a backstay, but I would imagine that it would require sidewires that go all the way up. Just for example, the Mac 26M does not have a backstay.
The large roach sail may be a great sail, how does it look? Some sails are cut so it is necessary to help the sail past the backstay, the performance outweighs the aggravation.
If you decide to install a chickenhead, you may be able to buy one off the shelf from someone like Bluewater Yachts.
Please post pics if possible John S
I thought all Macs except the 26M had backstays. If that's so, then it sounds like your main was built for another boat. Does the main have mulitple battens? If so, it may have been built for a multihull.
If your boat was designed to have a backstay, then 1. you may want to look into having the main recut, and 2. you definitely don't want to sail without the backstay, despite the PO's claims that he did.
If your boat was designed to have a backstay, then 1. you may want to look into having the main recut, and 2. you definitely don't want to sail without the backstay, despite the PO's claims that he did.
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My boat does not have spreaders. The main has 4 battens. It has 2 side stays that go all the way to top of mast then it also has 2 additional side stays that connect half way up the mast.
the roach of the sail has aprox 6 inches at the worst point that hists the back stay.
My boat does not have spreaders. The main has 4 battens. It has 2 side stays that go all the way to top of mast then it also has 2 additional side stays that connect half way up the mast.
the roach of the sail has aprox 6 inches at the worst point that hists the back stay.
Mark, go to the "Boat Info" section of this site (see Menu Bar at the top of this page) and check out the posts listed about the M 21. One of them,
MG 21, Jib & Sails Dimensions , talks about a configuration of some of the 21s that did NOT have a back stay. This may help you understand what you may have. -Paul
MG 21, Jib & Sails Dimensions , talks about a configuration of some of the 21s that did NOT have a back stay. This may help you understand what you may have. -Paul
Backstay
The Venture/Mac 21 were all designed to have a backstay, whether they had the backstay was the original purchaser option. It he opt for the genoa or spinnaker he got a back stay if he did not, the manufacturer did not give him a back stay. I think the additional stays were built into the pricing structure for the genoa and spinnaker
I sailed my V-21 for years with the original three stay arrangement before I had the dealer upgraded the rigging to six stays with spreaders.
If the main is hitting the back stay then the main was probably not designed for the boat. In the 1970 original main, there were four battens, the lowest and highest were shorter than the two in the middle.
The Venture/Mac 21 were all designed to have a backstay, whether they had the backstay was the original purchaser option. It he opt for the genoa or spinnaker he got a back stay if he did not, the manufacturer did not give him a back stay. I think the additional stays were built into the pricing structure for the genoa and spinnaker
I sailed my V-21 for years with the original three stay arrangement before I had the dealer upgraded the rigging to six stays with spreaders.
If the main is hitting the back stay then the main was probably not designed for the boat. In the 1970 original main, there were four battens, the lowest and highest were shorter than the two in the middle.
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I am learning more,,,this is great but im still confused as to wether i need my backstay or not. I do not fly a spinniker or a large headsail. The headsial that came with the boat is cut high at the foot. But i have chainplates for 4 side stays. There is a metal loop mounted on the starbard side of the top of the transome. I made the backstay myself and attatched a turnbuckle to that. I would rather sail without the backstay because that would solve my high roach problem but i dont want to break my mast either. The boat only came with the small headsail and this main.
I am learning more,,,this is great but im still confused as to wether i need my backstay or not. I do not fly a spinniker or a large headsail. The headsial that came with the boat is cut high at the foot. But i have chainplates for 4 side stays. There is a metal loop mounted on the starbard side of the top of the transome. I made the backstay myself and attatched a turnbuckle to that. I would rather sail without the backstay because that would solve my high roach problem but i dont want to break my mast either. The boat only came with the small headsail and this main.
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I also forgot to tell you that there is a metal loop mounted on the deck a foot or two behind the forstay that looks original. It looks like it was set up to run a jib closer to the mast and not hanked onto the forstay. I look at the old brochures and they show the jib set up this way. except my mast shows no sign of a block being attatched further down the front of the mast.
I also forgot to tell you that there is a metal loop mounted on the deck a foot or two behind the forstay that looks original. It looks like it was set up to run a jib closer to the mast and not hanked onto the forstay. I look at the old brochures and they show the jib set up this way. except my mast shows no sign of a block being attatched further down the front of the mast.
mainsail
The 2 battens on the mainsail are smaller on top and bottom and larger in the middle and there is four. There is a big "V" stitched onto the sail.
The 2 battens on the mainsail are smaller on top and bottom and larger in the middle and there is four. There is a big "V" stitched onto the sail.
What model year are you dealing with? I've never seen one without a backstay, so I'm curious how it works...
What you are seeing is the remanents of the standard rigging on the original V-21. The base rigging was a three stay arrangement. The forstay fastened to the metal loop about 2 feet from the bow. If there are no holes about 2/3 of the way up the mast the mast may have been replaced. That is where the three stays attached to the mast.
The original factory installed genoa or spinnaker options contained the for and aft stay and associated blocks and running rigging.
I had mine upgraded by the dealer. He installed spreaders and four additional stay on my boat.
It's not uncommon for the roach of the main to brush the backstay while tacking. Definately use a backstay it helps control your headstay sag and strengthens the rig.
I guess that could be very possible. Im going to take the backstay off anyways and i will check that first. Thank you ,,i didnt think of that.
If you have a weight hang it from your main halyard snap shackle, lower the weight to just above the boom you should have about 3-4" of aft rake from the halyard to the track on the mast. Boat needs to be in the water with all your gear in it.
I have a picture of my boat at rest at the dock showing how she sits on her lines.
I can duplicate that on the trailer using a level on the companion way thresh hold and another hanging from the stantions.
Doing this allows me to adjust the mast rigging close on the hard.
It also helps when trying to build things level and plumb inside too.
I can duplicate that on the trailer using a level on the companion way thresh hold and another hanging from the stantions.
Doing this allows me to adjust the mast rigging close on the hard.
It also helps when trying to build things level and plumb inside too.
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