Running backstays

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tbennett

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Does anyone have experience of, or opinions on, running backstays running on a wire span on the deck? We have recently acquired a 22ft wooden pocket cruiser with such an arrangement. The span is attached, with very little play, to two eye bolts bolted through the beamshelf (I think that's what it is called) and is tensioned with a tackle arrangement which draws a block back along the span. However, after a short season's sailing the eye bolts have started moving. It seems, as John Leather says 'an inefficient fitting' and that the shear forces pulling the bolts together must be immense when the backstay is tensioned and the upward force of the backstay is translated into lateral force on the eye bolts.
<ul type="square">[*]Should we keep this system and reinforce the eye bolts or go for another backstay system?
[*]The boat is a gaff rigged Deben 4-tonner, does anyone know what the original arrangement was?
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We had this set up on Lassiette. The wire span had a 'shoe' that you could flick on - i.e. a sharp pull on a rope attached to the aft end of the shoe slid the shoe back aft on the wire and was cleated off. To release - just leant forward and gave the shoe a push.

It was quite effective, but as you have found both the fixing points for the wire (which was under some tension) in our case tended to leak with the existing toungue and groove decking.

We replaced this set up when Lassiette was re-decked some 10 years ago and fitted a single s/s eye with suitable backing pad with two double blocks to tension the runner.

The downside to the block and tackle set up is that you have a lot more string in the cockpit and it is not as slick letting the runner off. We also had to shorten the runners.

Hope this is of value.

Donald
 
A block and tackle with a Highfield lever is said to be the best and quickest, but expensive. There is also some clever arrangement using an open-sided block. Once it is loosened, you can cast off the rope from the block. I think John Leather has a picture.
 
Yes, I had this system on an 18ft dayboat 36, years ago.

I don't recommend it, and would change it for Highfield levers. You can sometimes find a pair at a boat jumble - mine cost me a tenner!
 
To my knowledge Deben 4 Tonners did not have backstays when new. My fathers built in the 1950's,certainly did not, even though the mast was in a tabernacle. The chainplates were set reasonably well aft. I've also just checked the original Whisstocks details and they show no backstays. We have a similar arangement to the one you describe on an 18ft Open Walton and Frinton OD. It has a bronze rod instead of the wire span you have. A shackle slides along the rod. A single line attaches just above the shackle and is simply cleated off. There is very little load on it when set. When set the backstay shroud is set most of the force comes to the aft fitting and therefore the pull is taken by that fitting and the resultant force is upwards. Look at the triangle of forces. You must have a very good well supported aft fitting.
 
This is my setup. I swop the jib winch for a backstay, at least you don't leave one on when going about!

Aeolus5.jpg
 
Had just scrubbed it! All the wood is teak so once in a while I give it a scrub. Deck looks grey but it's the photo.
 
Fantastic!She really dose look wonderful! Normaly its only the Italians that manage such splender.

I congratulate you on the result of your hard work its trully beutiful i wish you pleasure and contentment sailing her!

And many happy hours in port with many admiring her

my boat shown on this post i copie the url from scuttelbut post

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1274227/an/0/page/0#1274227


Im tempted to add push and pull pit but they look so awful and only offer reassurance not safty comeing up to the knee as they do
 
Thank you for your kind comments. You have a pretty boat too.
My first boat,with a cabin, was an H-Boat. Not much room below---but my first born was conceived there /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif---but a very pretty boat. 26 years ago, where is "Hay Fever" now?
BUT this is a thread about Running Backstays, so apologies to all for the thread drift!
 
Hi ,just renovating sarah a 1938 deben,i have highfield levers ,i have taken the tabernackle off and added a few feet to the mast to step it on the keel,i have noticed that several bermudan rigged debens had a bumkin with backstays fitted,do you know wether this is instead of or as well as the highfields ,kind regards steve
 
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