Inner forestay

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Andrew_B

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I want to fit an inner forestay to carry a storm jib and possibly a stay sail but if possible I dont want to have to fit running backstays.If the inner forestay attaches to the masthead is it still possible to fly 2 foresails at once?
Also if both forestays attach to the mast at roughly the same point, how much would the inner forestay get in the way when tacking the original jib?
Is the only way around this to fit a removable inner forestay?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

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point one, the shock loads on a storm jib forestay will be high so you must have something to counter them, either swept back spreaders or runners.

a fixed inner forestay with a genoa will be an incredible pain in the butt so i would make it removeable. if you attach it a little way below the genoa halliard exit and secure it by the shrouds for normal use it won't get in the way. a strong eye plate on the foredeck and a hook with highfield lever on the stay completes the kit and works well. you'll need an extra halliard exit below the new stay and i'd suggest a wire tack strop of a metre or so to lift the tack well above any heavy water. with the sail being further aft, the genoa tracks will give too wide a sheeting angle so a pair of removeable blocks or fairleads will be needed

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I don't think this is feasible and I guess I would argue it's not desireable to have an inner stay from the masthead. In a way an inner stay from the masthead isn't really an inner stay if you follow my drift. The first problem when you have both headsails up is when you come to tack. This can be a bit of a nuisance on a cutter rig with a parallel innerstay as the jib has got to go through the gap between the two stays. If you have a masthead innerstay and the jib is really a jib, it will probably do without too much hassle, if it's really a genoa, there'a lot of sail to get through the gap.

The next think is that your slot between the two sails will be a bit naff. Cutters get a lot of power from that slot which I understand works at its best with two nicely matched sails. I had this problem when I fitted a roller on the forestay. I didn't want to have the foredeck cut with another stay which would have caused a lot of inconvienence with anchor work. Having inherited a storm jib with the boat - inherited is probably the right word, it's the origianl 1964 heavy cotton storm jib, I tried flying it without a stay. This may not look too modern but it seems to work. I fitted a swivel block on the from of the mast where the inner stay would have been and have an eye bolt through the deck. It needs another old fashioned bit of kit - a downhaul but this gives all the tension I need (I've never understood why it's easier to tension with a downhaul than pulling up on a halliard).

The arrangement is cheap, the downhaul has other uses and I don't have the hassle of the inner stay in the way of foredeck work. I have used it in anger but must confess only with the wind aft of the beam. The storm jib has a wired luff which I guess is pretty important to the tension and therefore the shape I get. The alternate which I think a lot of people have is an inner stay permanently fixed at the right height down from the masthead which is removable at the bottom and stows against the mast.

I think another thing about the masthead set of an innerstay is that the object when getting down to a storm jib, is to bring the sail area in towards the mast. The masthead attachment would work against this principle.

As to running backstays, I can't add anything. I think this wouild depend on your existing rig.

Hope this helps.

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Re: Flying storm jib

I must admit a stay would be handyin that respect but I set it up with very little slack on the downhaul and there is no friction to fight hauling it up. So all in all it's very quick to hoist and the 4 to 1 downhaul tackle is powerful. It's only 87 sq ft so pretty small as befits a storm jib.

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I have fitted an removable inner forestay but just for a storm jib - it's actually a spare wire genoa halliard, fitted to an eye bolt which replaced one of the bolts for the mooring bollard. There is an eye fitted under the deck to this, with a wire strop and turnbuckle going to a 'U' bolt through the stem, all in line. The halliard for the storm jib is the spinnaker halliard. Although not strictly all in line, because the storm jib is so small, it is not a problem. I also have a permanent strop on the tack with a snap shackle. The other way to fit a storm jib without extra backstays is approx 300mm below the mast head with a special fitting - sailmakers sell a kit for this. But not sutable for a flying 2 headsails as there would not be enough room for tacking with the outer jib - unless you roll it away each time.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... :-) /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
 
I have fitted an inner forestay to a modern moody 36. Seldon masts stated that it did not require runners if we fitted it a certain distance from the masthead. (approx 2 feet).

According to the owner, the system worked very well. It has been used as a cutter though I doubt its windward preformance under this rig.

My advice to you is to check with the rig manufacturer. They will give you a definitive answer.

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