Have I got two fore-stays?

[WestWittering]

Sorry for yet another question. I have a roller-furling jib, which obviously is tensioned and a fore-stay forward of the furler on a bow spirit...




According to the rigger last year, it wasn't necessary. I thought we should keep it as two is always better than one..

Any thoughts as to why it is rigged like this?

Di

 

[sailorman]

to fly a larger hanked-on genoa than yr furling sail, on those balmy windless sunny daze

 

[Ludd]

As Sailor boy says,but maybe the previous owner was paranoid about forestay failure,like me! I rig my inner forestay whenever the wind threarens to be above a 4.

 

[ChrisE]

On the assumprion that it is forestay and not a baby stay then it's there to fly a storm jib which is probably what sailorman was saying ....

 

[VicS]

A bit close to the roller to set another sail at least if you expect to be able to tack or gybe it.

Its there I would therefore keep it rather than remove it unless it, or the bowsprit causes any problems.

 

[WestWittering]

Well I do have a storm jib, so maybe I need to work out how to rig that, but my inner seems to be outer or do you mean I should use the stay that the furler is on...

And I have a Number I Jib...

Di

 

[sailorman]

a baby stay would be aft of the furler

On the assumprion that it is forestay and not a baby stay then it's there to fly a storm jib which is probably what sailorman was saying ....

 

[Salty John]

It looks like you have a babystay to help support the mast; you can't hank anything onto that. Then you have another stay on a bowsprit, which can only be for flying a light wind drifter from.
You don't seem to have the facility to hoist a storm jib.

 

[WestWittering]

Slightly better photo.

This is taken from Flora's Wiki

45 Sails
Storm Jib
Hanks onto inner forester. Balances well with double reefed main. Combination works well even in 25 knot wind. Use stack pack end cover to cover mast cleats to avoid jib sheets catching when tacking.
No 1 Jib 15knot to 20knot wind.
Rig in place of Genoa if forecast 4+ winds. Use head extension to ensure head is high enough to furl without halyard winding around foil.
Cruising chute (see How to article)
Mainly for broad reaching in force 2 to 3. Sheets in chute sail bag.
Reaching
Use two sheet rig
Running
Pole up haul and down haul
Use quick release on end of chute Main Reefing system
Two slab reefs

Di

 

[rob2]

I would guess that the extra stay on the bowsprit is fur a lightweight sail and it is normal to drag it around the front when tacking or gybing.

Rob.

 

[theoldsalt]

One problem having two masthead forestays when originally only one was fitted (as per design) is that each will have only half the tension in them (compared to a single stay) unless you over load the back stay. This means that any sail set on those stays will sag to leeward.

 

[rob2]

Yes, twin forestays do give you tension problems, although commonly most tension will be on one with the other a little slack - it's very difficult to get them both the same. I guess with one forward of the other you'd have to consider how to tension the one in use. If you had hanked on sails, then halyard tension on the genoa could be cranked up to stop the luff from sagging - but that sort of tension will stop a roller gear from working. I suppose that the genoa gear should be set up at maximum working tension and as the forward stay is only going to be used in light airs you should be able to get enough halyard tension for those conditions.

Rob.

 

[LadyInBed]

What utter rubbish!
It's there to stop the bowsprit getting Brewers Droop

 

[sailorman]

conventional twin forestays would have a triangular plate that takes the stays down to the chain plate, this will allow for slight differences in tension

Yes, twin forestays do give you tension problems, although commonly most tension will be on one with the other a little slack - it's very difficult to get them both the same. I guess with one forward of the other you'd have to consider how to tension the one in use. If you had hanked on sails, then halyard tension on the genoa could be cranked up to stop the luff from sagging - but that sort of tension will stop a roller gear from working. I suppose that the genoa gear should be set up at maximum working tension and as the forward stay is only going to be used in light airs you should be able to get enough halyard tension for those conditions.

Rob.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Just a hypothesis, but was the roller jib original, or a later upgrade? In which case I suspect the outer forestay is the original (that bowsprit and bob-stay look as if they're meant to be there), and whoever fitted the roller jib decided to retain it.

I agree with those who say it will give problems tensioning the luff of the jib. I could only see it being useful if you set twin head-sails for downwind sailing.

 

[VicS]

Just a hypothesis, but was the roller jib original, or a later upgrade? In which case I suspect the outer forestay is the original (that bowsprit and bob-stay look as if they're meant to be there), and whoever fitted the roller jib decided to retain it.

I agree with those who say it will give problems tensioning the luff of the jib. I could only see it being useful if you set twin head-sails for downwind sailing.

I think you will find the Centaur was not originally/normally fitted with a bowsprit and bob stay. So that has almost ceratinly been added. The furler may have been fitted as a optional extra, or may have become standard on later boats, but I am pretty sure would not have been part of original equipment on the early boats.
The WOA could no doubt clarify that.

Ketch rigged Centaurs had a bowsprit.... possibly that has been copied. The forestay went to the end of the bowsprit ( as it does on ketch rigged Berwicks, Pentlands etc)
A photo from the WOA website of a Centaur Ketch

 

[wolf]

Two fore sails for downwind sailing to save chaff on main.

 

[WestWittering]

I think the bow spirit was factory fitted as it was the '77 boat show model and has a couple of other extras on it. Cant remember the make of the roller, but it is a good one.....

All I have used the bow-spirit & anchor for is wedging in the metal emergency ladder by my berth. Suppose it saves running around with lines.....


Very nice picture, BTW


Di

 

[Chalker]

I've seen several French W. Centaurs with bowsprits, typically a 'flat plank' arrangement.

 

[VicS]

I think the bow spirit was factory fitted as it was the '77 boat show model and has a couple of other extras on it. Cant remember the make of the roller, but it is a good one.....

All I have used the bow-spirit & anchor for is wedging in the metal emergency ladder by my berth. Suppose it saves running around with lines.....


Very nice picture, BTW


Di

Thats interesting. The Berwick I crewed was an ex-demonstration model ( not boat show model AFAIK) That had bowsprit, like the ketch, but no bobstay, despite being a sloop and having the forestay rigged to the stem head. IMO the bowsprit on that was real pain because ( I guess like your Centaur) the anchor had to be lifted round the forestay onto the bow roller at the end of the bowsprit. The standard Chichester harbour mooring chain had the be extended as well. .
The pulpit rail was also different to that normally fitted to the sloops. Difficult to describe but it left big gaps either side of the bow that I was always afraid I could fall through when handing the anchor or the mooring. It was also so wobbly that the owner made an extra support down to the anchor roller assembly..... adding to the difficulty of lifting the anchor onto the roller ... bigger anchor than the Centaur too!

It also made it longer although when asked for the length we always said 9 metres !