BlueSkyNick
Active member
As much as it pains me to say this, tome was correct in a recent post when he said I would not be able to get a spare halyard wire sufficiently tight to use as a forestay for the storm jib.
We tested it a couple of weeks ago in a gusting Force 1 off the west coast of Portugal having winched the halyard bar tight. The storm jib is standard size for the boat, and it was obvious from the amount of lateral movement, that the forestay will bend like a Beckham free kick in any sort of blow.
So now I am back to planning a temporary inner forestay once again. We have a very solid deck fitting in place, so that's not an issue.
I know about Wichard wheels (favoured) or a Highfield lever, so happy there too.
What I have not yet grasped is the need for some form of additional backstay. If I am flying a small jib instead of a furled genoa, the existing backstay still works - dunnit?
So when is additional back stay required?
We tested it a couple of weeks ago in a gusting Force 1 off the west coast of Portugal having winched the halyard bar tight. The storm jib is standard size for the boat, and it was obvious from the amount of lateral movement, that the forestay will bend like a Beckham free kick in any sort of blow.
So now I am back to planning a temporary inner forestay once again. We have a very solid deck fitting in place, so that's not an issue.
I know about Wichard wheels (favoured) or a Highfield lever, so happy there too.
What I have not yet grasped is the need for some form of additional backstay. If I am flying a small jib instead of a furled genoa, the existing backstay still works - dunnit?
So when is additional back stay required?