Inner stay tension

[NFCN]

I had a fantastic broad reach sail last weekend in the strong SW wind - Lymington to Gosport in a couple of hours - but noticed that the inner stay which is not under tension was wobbling around - probably 3 or 4 inches of play left or right. While I know a certain amount of play is normal, I'd appreciate views on how much is acceptable. ..and whether it would be safe to tighten the inner stays myself by a couple of turns. The outer stays were both firm.

Nick

 

[VicS]

Not sure if you mean an inner forestay. also confused by your reference to outer stays. Cap shrouds? if so does your question refer to the lower shrouds. (or do you have an emergency forestay?) Perhaps you should describe your rig.

Masthead, fractional, (or some other)? Aft lowers and an inner forestay? foreward and aft lowers? Single or multiple spreaders? ETC ETC.

You may find the Hints and advice manual on the Selden masts website useful.
See here
Or go directly to it at http://www.seldenmast.com/page.cfm?id=6740&download=9445082&filename=595-540-E Hints & Advice.pdf I hope!

If you mean the inner forestay visible in this pic between the hatch and the liferaft then no it should not be slack, it should be tensioned to pull a little bend in the mast but then the (aft) lowers tensioned to match. But read the manual

 

[NFCN]

Thanks for that. I should have been more specific. She has a masthead rig, and I was referring to the lower shrouds (ie those which come down from halfway up the mast, either side), not the cap shrouds, which seem to be the right tension.

 

[VicS]

The lowers certainly should not be slack except that the leeward ones, like the leeward cap shrouds will go slack once you are sailing to windward above a certain wind strength
Your best bet is I think to download and read the Selden manual. A conventional masthead rig will not be difficult to adjust.

The lowers should be as tight as the caps but you have to balance the tensions in the foreward ones (or in your case the inner forestay) with the aft ones. The lowers do a lot more work than you probably realise

 

[William_H]

Yes the inner stays are critical. Especially in a strong wind the inner forestay should be tight and will provide a pull forward of the mast middle when the backstay is tightened up to produce a little mast bend. (middle forward) Assuming you have an adjustable backstay.

Yes you can tighten the inner forestay. Many boats around here have an adjustable inner forestay that can be hauled on when the wind comes stronger to give this mast bend.

If you don't have these adjustments then the lower shrouds and the inner forestay should be adjusted fairly tight. With tension in relation to one another such that the mast has a barely perceptable bend in the middle forward. good luick olewill