Stay quick release ?

[MrBee]

Good morning,
I have a cutter rig irwin 10/4. The inner stay is not needed as part of the standing rigging, only for the Inner sail and I don't use it very often. Because of the narrow slot between the Forestay and the Inner stay, Someone always has to go forward to help the Genoa through the slot. Tomorrow I will be disconnecting the inner stay and secure it out of the way, for now. What I want to do is attach a Quick release I'm just not sure about what is the best way. Is this one from WestM. what I would need ?

Brian

 

[sailingdog]

What diameter is the stay?? The type of lever you need will depend on the thickness of the stay.

 

[Ed Schenck]

The unit pictured looks light-weight for the potential loads. Here are some load specs for the foresail from one of your Irwin compadres: http://www.slooporion.com/specs.html . A staysail load would depend upon sail area compared to these.

My cutter has no problem tacking a very large genoa(yankee) through the slot. So I wonder if it is technique? But if you are not using it why not just convert to a sloop?

I like the cutter-rig for the stronger rig with the mid-stay. With winds over 25 I can leave the yankee furled and go to a nice self-tacking rig with the staysail. And it is a good place to hank on a storm jib.

 

[higgs]

i think you need to see what the breaking strength of your stay is and try to match something pretty close to that.

The problem comes from running a genoa on a cutter rig. The cutter is really designed for a yankee which has a lot less sail area and will pass easily through the slot between the two stays. To further complicate the problem, your winches are probably sized to handle a yankee and not a genoa. At any rate, once that genoa works through the slot, it is so full of air that trimming it can be pretty tough.

The PO on my cutter put a genoa on and I experience the same tacking problems. There is not much you can do about it except have a yankee made, but then you will loose the benefit of having a light air sail. Once I tack, I luff up a bit so the grinder can trim w/o having a heart attack. I know others who furl before they tack.

One thing I am experimenting with is a line that goes from the clew forward to the stem fitting where a block redirects the line aft to the coclpit. When tacking, one hauls this line to get the clew through the slot faster. I think it helps, but it is still hard to do. your solution, provided you get a heavy enough piece, is probably a good one.

 

[Joe]

comment to higgs

One thing I am experimenting with is a line that goes from the clew forward to the stem fitting where a block redirects the line aft to the coclpit. When tacking, one hauls this line to get the clew through the slot faster. I think it helps, but it is still hard to do. your solution, provided you get a heavy enough piece, is probably a good one.

Higgs... instead of connecting the line to the clew.... try connecting it to a cringle on the foot, midway between the tack and clew. Once you get the mid point through the slot the wind will do the rest.

 

[Joe]

comment to MrBee

That device looks more like a dinghy shroud quick release.... Not really heavy enough for an inner forestay on a 30 ft + boat. They make quick release hardware but it's very pricey. The new connector should be as heavy as the existing one.

Read my post to higgs and consider modifying your genoa so you can help it through the slot.

 

[MrBee]

Sailingdog,
It looks like what I have pictured won't work, just looked up my specs and the stay is 3/16 so the item i have pictured would be to small and to light. Thanks

Ed, the Genoa is, it think, about 130%. It's nice size but the slot is only about 2 feet wide. By using a quick release for when I don't want to use both sails I would be making it a Sloop rig but always have the option of the self tending jib, thats on it's own boom. I have tried different technics but nothing helps. I can measure the slot tomorrow when we go to the boat but it want realy matter. The slot is to small. The PO said they hardly ever used the Genoa because of this issue, except on long tacks. The self tending jib makes things easy but I don't want to compromise "Down" in speed.

Higgs,
My winches handle the genoa just fine.they are sized for it. MOST owners of these boats did NOT take the inner stay option, it was a factory OPTION.
The Genoa and the self tending jib work fine on there own and the winch can handle the geny with out problem, most of the time I don't even need the handle. The ONLY issue is the narrow slot. I would not use both sails at the same time very often so the only thing I want to do is install a quick release.

Joe,
could you point me to a place that sells the heavier type quick release ? Thats what I'm looking for. I would rather pay the price for a quick release set-up than buy other sails, have mine modified or what ever else you guys have suggested.

I use both sails but not at the same time so the best option for me is to just get the inner stay out of the way when not using that sail, Most of the time i don't even keep that sail hanked on. Only when i think i'll need it due to heavier winds.

Thanks for all your replys, the one thing i didn't think about much was the Load on the Stay and there for the Release that I put on.

Thanks
Brian

 

[caguy]

MrBee, try here:

http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MPS&Category_Code=JOHQRL

Specs say that they have a max load of 2500 lbs. I have one on my boat and they are made pretty sturdy.

 

[Joe]

You should not be looking for quick release shroud adjusters... You have to remove a clevis pin to adjust tension. Those are for small boats. Look at some of the following products, then you'll understand why those clevis pin adjusters are inadequate.

(I googled "Inner forestay quick release systems" to get a few links)

http://www.riggingonly.com/innerforestay04.htm

http://www.seateach.com/RIFK.asp

http://www.wichard-usa.com/catalog/moreequipment.htm#Inner Forestay

Here's a picture of the Wichard quick release lever... nice boat, huh.
http://www.wichard-usa.com/catalog/moreequipment.htm#Inner Forestay

 

[sailingdog]

The ABI levers are probably what you want, but it looks like they've gone out of business. I'd recommend calling riggingonly.com and asking if they've got any in backstock.

 

[HEINZIR]

MrBee, try here:

http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MPS&Category_Code=JOHQRL

Specs say that they have a max load of 2500 lbs. I have one on my boat and they are made pretty sturdy.

The 2500 lb "ultimate strength" appears to be boiler-plate text used to describe every model. I believe it actually applies only to the smaller units with 1/4" pins made for 1/8" wire. The heavier ones have 5/16" pins and are made for use with 5/32" or 3/16" wire. They have a breaking load of 4000 lb with a SWL of 1600 lb.

I use these on both the outer and inner forestays on my (admittedly) much smaller cutter. They appear to be much more robust than the corresponding size turnbuckle. Just the thing for trailerable boats that need to disconnect the forestay frequently.

 

[higgs]

Thanks Joe

Sounds like a terrific solution.

 

[Ross]

Re: Thanks Joe

Deadeyes are another solution. Let the lanyard go and pull the shackle pin.

 

[MrBee]

Well, while at the boat yesterday I disconnected the Stay. I found it was not so tight that I couldn't pull the pin so for now I think I'll just get a quick release pin for it. Latter when I can save some $$ up for this lower priority item I'll get a nice release.
Looks like the MauriProSailing has what I need.

Thanks