Inner forestay

[gunnarsilins]

On my Moody 42 ketch I plan to add a removable inner forestay for using with a storm jib.
I do not want to add the hassle of having runners so the question is, how far from the masthead can I safely attach the forestay?
In my case the ideal would be about 70 cm, then the stay will be parallell with the headsail roller and there would be no risk of them two to interfere.

 

[AndrewB]

If you use your inner forestay in earnest in a gale with a storm jib (or more correctly, stay-sail) set and no runners, it is very likely going to bend the mast. This may not do much for the resale value, but is unlikely to seriously compromise the mast's strength. Its certainly no worse than any normal fractionally rigged yacht.

The closer to the forestay, the less the problem. However, if you put in the forestay further back then (i) it will be easier and safer working on it in bad conditions; (ii) the yacht will heave-to better - its best to have the CE just a little forward of the CG; (iii) you may find the ability to set a stay-sail is quite useful in some conditions, though I wouldn't count on this if you use a conventional genoa.

 

[Guest]

Another point is that the further the inner forestay is from the permanent forestay, the greater the sag in the inner f'stay when the wind puts pressure on it. That will of course affect pointing ability and give a baggier staysail/storm jib, which is not what you want.

My inner forestay is attached I think about 25/30cm below the permanent forestay and to the deck a couple of foot back from the stemhead, and that seems an acceptable compromise.

That means however that the inner forestay is not parallel to the permanent forestay, which in turn dramatically affects the sheeting angle of the staysail. On my boat, the sheeting angle for the staysail is just right if I sheet it directly back to the spinnaker blocks right at the stern, which works fine but means the sheets have to be long.

 

[steve]

Simon

My roller furling genoa is cut to be sheeted back to the spinnaker blocks as well. My question to you is-- When you come about in a bit of wind, do your sheets whip around and bash you in the face like mine do or am I doing something wrong? I find this incredibly annoying, especially with guests in the cockpit and am thinking of re-rigging to solve the problem.

 

[johnsomerhausen]

Putting the top of the inner for4estay close to the top of the main forestay does indeed avoid the nuisance of having runners. But the tack point of it should, IMHO, be set quite a bit back to bring the centere of effort of the sail closer to the mast. You probably have an anchor well at the bow. Putting a chaainplate there, fastned to the bulkhead with a backing plate will give you enough strength. You might want to consider a sliphook with a rigging screw at the bottom, so that you can adjust the tension of the stay exactly and also, by taking these two off, reduce the length of the stay so that you can fasten it toan eye on the deck, just forward of the lower shrouds when not in use. Your sail maker sought to be able to cut you a sail so that it leads fair to the deck blocjs. As far as Steve's question goes, by keeping the sheet cleated until the boat has passed through the eye of the wind, you reduce the flaping of the sail and the snaking of the sheets, but you losee a little bit of speed in the turn.
john