running back stays

[irish]

Can anyone advise on the procedure for letting off and retensioning running back stays on a bermudan sloop rig yacht - ie under what wind conditions and points of sailing is this carried out.

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[boatless]

Depends, to a certain extent, on the boat. Can you give a bit more info?

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[Mirelle]

Yes, it depends on the boat. But as a first principle, the runners should be set up unless there is a very good reason for casting them off. They have two jobs - to oppose a headstay and to stop the mast from pitching out of the boat.

It is often possible (depends on the boat) to turn to windward with both runners set up. Once the boom starts to go out you need the lee runner off, and if gybing frequently in flat water and light conditions (eg running up a river) it can be convenient to let both go - again, depends on tbe boat.

To tack, set up the lee runner before you go about.

To gybe, get the mainsheet in hard, set up the lee runner, gybe, cast off the new lee runner, pay out the mainsheet

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[irish]

Thanks for responses. The boat is a Sigma 36.

So what you seem to be saying Mirelle is that the lee backstay should normally be off, irrespective of point of sailing. I can appreciate that when close-hauled/reaching that the lee backstay is not carrying any load, however I'd have thought that when broad reaching/running both backstays are taking load.

What's the implication of failing to take off the lee backstay? Probably less severe than failing to tension the windward backstay ?

irish

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[Mirelle]

The lee backstay has to be off because it is in the way of the boom, except when close hauled (and that depends, also - a full mainsail may still foul it).



<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[capt_courageous]

The only time I have used running back-stays was on a yacht with a keel stepped mast so letting both off would not be instantly deadly. It was an old heavy boat and really needed one person on each lever when tacking and they had to get coordinated at lee-ho time. We always kept the windward stay in tension. I dont do gybes if at all possible because they frighten me.

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[qsiv]

Also depends on shroud config ... We have swept spreaders and a permanent backstay. The permanent backstay goes on downwind (unless very light) to hold the masthead kite, and on upwind in a breeze to bend mast. With swept spreaders the only real purpose of the runners is to give luff tension to the jibs, and the checks are there to control bend (from backstay), and prevent the middle of the rig pumping in a seaway. Downwind runners and checks are taped to shrouds, unless seas/wind are encouraging pumping in the middle of the rig.

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[doris]

With your aft swept spreaders the runners are not critical for the stick. They help the forestay tension when hard on the wind and are worthy anti-panting devices when in a large seaway. Leave any significant tension on the leeward runner and you will quickly damage the main. Put too much tension on the windward runner when on the wind and you can twist the mast as it is kept up by the swept runners. Unload the windward shroud by excessive runner tension and you will distort the mast load. Nip up the runner is all you need to do. If they are 5mm they are only antipanters, to be serious the need to be 7 mm. I expect they are 6mm.

<hr width=100% size=1>Real men do it 2handed.

 

[snowleopard]

on a fractional rig like yours the sole job of the runners is to provide forestay tension so the windward runner is set up when beating. off the wind it may also be set up in strong winds to protect the mast.

i once sailed on an X99 which had no backstay so if you let go of both runners the mast would come down. be thankful you don't have that problem!

your biggest danger is when gybing - if the boom hits the runner one or the other may break.

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