Advice on backstay tension for in mast furling

[aquaholic]

Obviously the mast has to be straight in order for the furling to work efficiently, but my question is once the main is out and genoa set is there any thing to be gained in applying backstay tension and what would be the best way to apply it as I have to back stays, one to each corner of the stern, someone did mention having a line between the two and tensioning it?
Three years in and I am still trying to work out how to sail........



1996 benny Oceanis 381

 

[Long John Silver]

Obviously the mast has to be straight in order for the furling to work efficiently, but my question is once the main is out and genoa set is there any thing to be gained in applying backstay tension and what would be the best way to apply it as I have to back stays, one to each corner of the stern, someone did mention having a line between the two and tensioning it?
Three years in and I am still trying to work out how to sail........



1996 benny Oceanis 381

With in mast furling you are presumably not racing (not too seriously anyway). The back stay tension is mainly to help set the genoa correctly. With this set up I would leave it as is if I were you.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202350

 

[Tranona]

No need to adjust the backstay. Make sure the rigging is tight and the mast is straight. It is the mandrel inside that the sail rolls round that has to be straight. I have never touched the tensioner on my Bavaria in the 10 years I have had it. The backstay on a fractional rig does very litle apart from flatten the main, which you can't do with roller furling anuway - adjust thd raught by using the outhaul.

You wwill find some useful tips on setting up the rig on the Selden website. Don't think your rig is a Selden, but thee principles are the same.