Running Back Stays

[Shiver Metimbers]

My boat has running back stays and the leeward stay has to be off whilst undersail. I have heard talk of a bungee that takes the stay and block forward and away from the boom when slackened off? Can anyone explain this in more detail or have a photo of this set up? Thanks in advance.

 

[oldsaltoz]

If memory is still working it's just that, at the stay end a short length of rope fixed to a pulley, the shock cord is run forward and fixed to or run thru' another pulley to the other stay,that the same set up on the stay end, you will have to play with the distance to the fixed point or pulley to get it right.

Some had the shock cord fixed to the stay, the trick is to make sure the sheet is not pulled off the leeward winch.

Lets hope someone comes along and fills in the gaps.

We raced a Masrum with set up and later modified the mast to run with swept back spreaders and beat all but two boats still using runners.

Hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[Rum_Pirate]

What type and size boat do you have?

KATE below has running back stays.
She is 60'0" on deck with a 40'0" boom.

When under sail we ease the leeward one until it does not touch (well barely) the mainsail.

You may be able to have a look at them in these

 

[dur]

On my last boat we rigged a shock cord to do this. It hooked to the block on the bottom of the runner and went forward, around a small block fixed to the forward chainplate and then tied off further aft. The turning block is just to give the elastic more length to work over. Some rig a tricing line back to the cockpit to haul the runner clear but it is yet more line. There was a discussion on such matters on the CB forum recently.

PS. Aren't pulleys something to do with washing lines? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[William_H]

It would be a question of high far you can let the leeward runner loose so how far foirward it can reasonably go.
I doubt you could pull the runner right forward to the shroud but any distance pulled forward would reduce chafe and keep it still and tidy.
(but will need to be pulled in on the next tack)
The amount you need to pull it will dictate whether a shock cord just tied to the shroud or even gooseneck will pull it far enough or as said you will need to run the shock cord through a pulley (block) back to some suitable place to make the shock cord longer.

A good opportunity for for fiddling and testing. good luck olewill

 

[michael_w]

Tie a length of shock cord from one runner to the other round the front of the mast at spreader height,

Plus another length between the runner blocks via a block well up the topmast backstay.

This will have the affect of pulling the slack upper section forward and keep the slack blocks out of the way and above head height.

Take a look at a good race boat with in-line spreaders to get the idea.

 

[michael11]

Michael_w
i too have runners, daughter cracked on the head first time out , and i need to sort it out .
sounds like a good solution, i just cant quite visulize what you describe, if the block is attached by shock cord to the back stay, what happens when the sail goes out

this forum has been a fantasic source of information , i have learnt so much over a short time .

michael 11

 

[bbg]

Depending on the size of the runner blocks, you can also put a tennis ball over the blocks. Punch a hole in one side of the ball (for the wire above the block), slice a slit in the other side of the ball so it slides down over the block. Obviously you have to take the block off so you can slide the ball onto the wire.

 

[gardenshed]

keep it simple
key decision: do you want the slack runner to go above the boom or below?
lifting the slack runner above the boom is usually the most practical way on a modern boat. On an older classic like the one pictured, pulling them forward would be better.

High up on the backstay, fit a small block with shockcord goin form one runner block, up to the backstay block and down to the other runner block. Function: to lift the slack runner block high enough that the runners don't catch the boom and to have enough slack to allow the leech of the main to be let out on a reach / run without distortion, hence the nned to be high.
second, at the spreaders upper spreaders if two sets, a second piece of shockcord goes from one runner around the mast and then onto the second runner. Function: to pull the slack runner forward and ensure that it doesn't accidentally loop around a spreader end so that when you wind it in, you don't pull your spreader off the mast .... and have to worry about crash helmets.

Very common on old IOR boats with in line spreaders and spindly light section masts

Key for success: VERY high position of the block on the backstay and good quality shockcord.
A decent rigger should be able to advise

 

[Shiver Metimbers]

I found this with a Google search, scroll to the 4th subject down. I think this is worth a go, it says it takes the lazy backstay automatically forward towards the shrouds.

http://209.85.229.132:80/search?q=cache:...=clnk&gl=uk