inner forestay wichard wheel tensioner

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BlueSkyNick

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just been chatting to Ocean Rigging in Lymington about getting an inner fitted to carry a smaller jib when the need arises.

they recommend a wichard (sp?) wheel to tension it rather than a highfield lever. my concern is that it would clutter the side deck when stored.

anybody using one?
 
We're using a highfield lever type for inner stay, but think the Wichard one is far better as it allows easier tension adjustment. There is a wheel model which is a little bulky to store, but also a handle version which would stow better
 
Nick

Where are you proposing fitting the eye on the foredeck - and how do you propose to reinforce this fitting?

Donald
 
That would be good. I had thought doing the same myself - except that it would go to a 'U'-bolt on the aft end of the anchor locker, or even a s/s strip the depth of the anchor locker with through bolts to the cabin.

My roller reefing drum would foul anything going to the stem head fitting.

Donald
 
You may be able to get away with a block and tackle system if you have a hanked on Jib with a wire luff. This doesn't require a huge amount of tension in the stay as all the tension is provided by the halyard and the wire luff. The stay is there as a guide only. Obviusly the anchoring point on the deck still needs to sufficiently strong.

The advantage of this system is that the length of the stay has more adjustment and can be more easily stowed at the shrouds.

The large wheel you mention is more usually used on permanently fixed baby stays and backstays where only a small amount of adjustment is required.
 
My wheel adjuster lives down below and I attach it to the stay when I need it. Make it easier to stow the stay (around a curve and back up the mast) and it works much better than the Ifield I had on the last boat. Nice piece of kit and I am pleased with it. Cheaper than the ones with levers. FWIW. Best of luck.
 
I've got a highfield and find that I can't get quite enough tension in it. If I was doing again, I would go for the Wichard. They are more expensive however.

By the way, regarding the attachment point, I basically got another tang welded to the forestay fitting about 15 cm behind the forestay itself. No messing about drilling holes in the deck and arranging bracing etc.. Think it cost me about £40.

Richard
 
I have used the ratchet type Winchard before for a removable forestay. When the forestay was removed, it located on a U bolt just forward of the starboard rigging. The ratchet setup was very easy to use. This was on a 36' if that makes a difference depending on what space you have available. As for space, the ratchet type doesn't take up any space whatsoever.
 
We had a very substantial SS chain plate made up with a big deck pad. The chain plate was angled to the anchor locker aft bulkhead and through bolted - all on the advice of Holman & Pye

I've seen less substantial fittings which have a short rigging strop to the bow to brace them. They seem to work well and I think this is what your rigger has in mind
 
I just cannot understand the gist of this thread. The forestay is there to guide the sail when you put it up, to distinguish it from a flying jib. It needs NO tension, as the tension is applied to the saill through the halyard. You only need a parking spot down amongst the side stays, and probably a short pennant on the foredeck fitting, plus a highfield lever to put SLIGHT tension into the stay, then you pull the sail up and wind up as much tension as you feel is necessary.

I have sailed with an inner forestay for about 6 years, and originally discussed how to set it up with Chris Owen at Rustler Yachts, and this is how he told me to do it. It now seems self-evident. One does NOT need a tensioner like a backstay, which is tensioning up the rig, and bending the mast.

In my first year of sailing, the swaged end of the stay failed at deck level, and I was able to secure it with a piece of cord and a rolling hitch - some indication of how important the stay is. I repeat, it is no more than a guide for getting the sail up and down.

Anyone who has raced a Wayfarer would recognise what I am talking about, it si the same situation as a W genoa.
 
Have to disagree. The inner stay, when used in anger, is no different from the forestay. If there's any excessive sag we cannot take it out with halyard tension.

If you did, you'd have hanks banging on a loose stay, a recipe for disaster in any blow

With respect, the forces are a little different in a Wayfarer
 
Sadler 32s have no sweep back in their spreaders so a babystay is fitted to stop mast inversion..
The stay is simply bolted to the deck...
A friend of mine ( I have one or two) made up a fitting which in effect transferred the load thro the deck and down to the keel in the forepeak.. I spent a happy fortnight in there in the Baltic with him... Oh Oh you can read that two ways!!
I'm also looking at doing the same but with a adjuster and pelican hook above decks and a pelican hook below decks....This would allow single pole gybing and room for the forepeak crew at night.... I'm about to call Proboat for the price of their 7-8 mm Handle adjuster...
I agree with all your statments on forestay sag Gotta be real straight to be of any use in a blow..
Although not for an inner forestay the parameters seem almost the same..
I'll be lurking...
Cheers Bob E...
 
Well, the forestay is a main contributor to longitudinal stability of the mast, hence it needs tension. The inner stay does not do this, it might be a problem if it does, as its only contibution would be in the direction of inverting the mast. The tension at the top of the mast from the halyard should be no more than that which would otherwise be coming from the genoa - rolled is negligible in comparison the fully out. You can't avoid any tension due to the SAIL, but you can avoid tension due to the stay.

Anyway, I am happy if you agree to differ - anyone wondering who is right can do a bit of research and find out ! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

PS there are some boats, like Sonata, which like to be sailed most of the time with sloppy genoa, they would be b**g**d with a tight forestay, but that is not really relevant to this thread, as it is a v special case.
 
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