Removeable Inner Forestay size

[geem]

I need to fit an inner forestay to my boat to fly a storm jib. The main forestay is 12mm. Conventional wisdom says drop one size for the removable inner forestay. Having a 10mm inner forestay tied back to the mast when not in use would be a pain. 10mm s/s is so stiff I am thinking of using 8mm instead as it should be less unwieldy. My storm jib is 150 sqft. Would 8mm s/s wire be up to the job on this size storm jib? I plan to install it about a foot back from the existing forestay so it wont see any rig load but it will see the load imposed by the sail area in storm force winds (but I hope not)

 

[GrahamM376]

Our forestay (38ft boat) is 10mm and the emergency stay is 8mm, it doesn't tie back to the mast though. When bringing it back, it's too long so the normal way is to shorten it so the Highfield/SeaSure lever attaches it to either the toe rail or a deck "U" bolt, clear of the mast to stop it slapping. In use, it's clipped to a permanently fitted 8mm strop, attached to the deck fitting.

Fitting ours was a waste of money. In anything but smooth water, I find it impossible to attach it single handed as 47 ft of 8mm wire won't stay still while I get the pin in. It's possible to temporarily lash it to get the pin in if only a chop but, when the weather has already kicked up, no use whatsoever unless rigged beforehand. Maybe others have a better system, I know some use a dyneema forestay but not sure about sail size.

 

[PlankWalker]

I would think 10mm would be a minimum for 150 sqft storm jib.

I would also strongly advise not parking it at the mast, as it gets in the way.

Instead park it on a dedicated U bolt for'ard of a cap shroud making the inner forestay length correct for its parked position. A short strop, or if you are as lucky as me a long shackle, can be fitted permanently at its working position.

For any passage of more than a day or two I keep mine permanently rigged, but for most of the time its parked neatly out of the way.