A standing rigging questions.

[donncha]

Modeste is a ketch rigged boat with 2 backstays(in total) from her main that go back either side of the mizzen mast. Her main forestay is the gibb furler track, I intend on fitting a second removable one next winter for safety. She has a standard outer shroud with one set of spreaders and two inners on either side. The problem at the moment is getting any sort of tension in the backstays is proving very difficult. I have tried loosening off all the shrouds and setting the furler track further down(there is a pin which can be adjusted in different holes), but even with three people helping me I couldn't bring the mast forward enough to make much of a difference. The backstays are still pretty slack, even with the bottle screws fully tightened. Does anyone know why I wasn't able to bring the mast forward to tension the backstays? The mainsheet was off of course.

I shall be replacing the standing rigging piece by piece and there are some adjustments to be made, for example the shrouds are too short and there are far too many shackles between the bottle screws and chain plates. I can't afford to do it all in one big go as a wooden boat is like a chasm into which money is poured and I would need to stagger the cost. Would I be all right in ordering new shorter backstays, and longer shrouds, or would I have to get a rigger to have a look?

 

[VicS]

Are you saying that you cannot tension the backstays because you have run out of adjustment on the bottle screws.

If so slacken them well off also the shrouds a bit and the aft lowers in particular (I take it you meant lowers when you said inners).

Make sure there is no tension on the mainsheet and topping lift if still fitted.

Take a halyard, extended if necessary, to a strong point (mooring cleat) on the foredeck then tension it ,with the winch if needs be, to pull the mast head forward so that you can make the adjustment to the forestay (I take it you have a Plastimo or similar gear without a bottle screw)

Then with the forestay anchorage repositioned release the halyard and adjust the backstays evenly to tension the forestay. finally readjust the cap shrouds and lowers.

Now if you cannot do it like that something is stopping the mast going forward.
Is it in a tabernacle that is stopping it?
Is there a stay from mainmast head to mizzen masthead (forget what its called!)?

You really need to determine whether the mast should be raked forward of its present position or not before ordering rigging of a different length.

 

[donncha]

Thanks for the advice. Yes I have run out of thread on the bottle screw. It's a furlex and I did mean to say lower not inner. We don't have a triadic stay(if that is how you spell it) or a tabernacle. Both topping lift an mainsheet were slack. I forgot to mention that I did use a a halyard off the windlass. The only problem is that I don't think it made much difference, the halyard is going through a sleeve in the mast and out the other side, when I tensioned the halyard it didn't bring the mast forward. If It was on a block at the front of the mast head it might work better.

 

[Niander]

as a wooden boat is like a chasm into which money is poured

arnt all boats like this?