Tensioning an inner forestay

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blackdogsailing

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www.blackdogsailing.com
hi all,
I have just had the mast of the boat out and new standing rigging fitted. At the same time I have had the attachments put on to the mast to fit an inner forestay to take the No. 3, 4 and storm jib.
The problem is I cannot decide on the best way to attach the new stay to get it correctly tensioned. The rigger is reccomending an adjustable tensioner. The problem is the price (£300). Or I go with a block and tackle arrangement or just a straight pelican hook and then get the tension by cranking down on the backstay. The boat is masthead rig with hydraulic backstay, runners and an adjustable babystay. Anyone done this or got any good ideas ?
Cheers,
Chris
 
Done it twice and bit the bullet both times with a tensioner.

Block and tackle won't get anywhere near the tension. Whether running backstays would work would depend on positioning and whether tensioning them might cause a mast inversion.
 
I would think it depends how near the masthead the inner forestay is attached.
Is the rig designed for a lot of tension to be applied at this point?
The storm jib probably will not be too fussy, but if you want the No3 to work well, it probably needs a firm stay.

You may be able to slack the backstay right off, attach forestay then retension backstay, but you will not want to do this at sea in F7 when you suddenly want your storm jib.

In these circumstances, proper gear that is easy to use suddenly seems worth the price. £300 sounds quite a lot for the equivalent of a bottlescrew with folding handles though.
 
blackdogsailing said:
hi all,
or just a straight pelican hook and then get the tension by cranking down on the backstay. The boat is masthead rig with hydraulic backstay, runners and an adjustable babystay.
Click to expand...

No way Chris! You risk grossly overtensioning the forestay if you go that way, not to mention the backstay too.

In an ideal world you would keep the baby stay up all the time and re-set both backstay and forestay since the tensions in the three stays in the new set up should balance ie the forces pulling forwards from the two stays balances the forces pulling back from the backstay and the masthead stays where it was. So the forestay is slacker than it was before.

If you want to remove the baby stay some of the time then it needs to be fitted with a tensioner. Tighetn up on that and then tweek the backstay just as much as you normally would. use the runners too
 
blackdogsailing said:
hi all,
I have just had the mast of the boat out and new standing rigging fitted. At the same time I have had the attachments put on to the mast to fit an inner forestay to take the No. 3, 4 and storm jib.
The problem is I cannot decide on the best way to attach the new stay to get it correctly tensioned. The rigger is reccomending an adjustable tensioner. The problem is the price (£300). Or I go with a block and tackle arrangement or just a straight pelican hook and then get the tension by cranking down on the backstay. The boat is masthead rig with hydraulic backstay, runners and an adjustable babystay. Anyone done this or got any good ideas ?
Cheers,
Chris
Click to expand...

I made a tensioner up from a fork/fork rigging screw (Hasslefors 1/2 inch cost about 60 quid) Basically, I use a clip-type pin in the clevis pin at the bottom which is held captive by a short length of light (2/3mm) ss. wire crimped around the screw of the fork. The top fork has a short ss. bar welded across it to grip. I find I can get enough tension by hand but it would be no big deal to use a spanner. Cost me under 80 quid for the welding and crimping the wire.
 
I agree you need to use some sort of tensioner. Need not be that expensive, though. I use an ordinary Hasselfors turnbuckle with folding handles. To adjust the stay from slack to the right tension takes 12 full turns – done in little more than 30 seconds.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif

For attaching to the deck fitting (a Wichard double folding padeye in my case) I had a special toggle made for me. It has an "inverted keyhole" to take the head of a long clevis pin. (A little difficult to explain how it is held captive, hopefully I will manage to attach a couple of pictures).

http://www.ybw.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif
 
I am unable to post a photo. I use a fitting Similar to a "chain binder" I am sorry I do not know the name. This way I can remove or attach the staysail stay very easy. I have adjustment under that with lashings and Colligo fittings. Basically dead eyes have replaced my turnbuckles. No more corrosion or fatigue worries. I have a friend who had "wings" welded on his turnbuckle to make it a bit easier to add or relieve tension.
Pics of my set up on the upper URL below.
 
I use a highfield lever on my inner forestay. It is very quick to attach and gets a fairly good tension in the stay.
 
We have used a highfield lever also on our Dehler 37. It is possible to leave it tensioned to suit the weakest crew member and complete the tensioning with the adjustment nut and a spanner - it only takes a minute - much less than hanking on the sail.
 
ahhh...YEA!

YES! Highfield lever. Thank you for getting that is my noggin! I just "cleaned up my photobucket of rigging and sailing my boat. Hope anyone who checks it out will find pleasure and something new! In the URl below.
 
Slight thread drift, but if you do decide to buy an expensive tensioner device, a rigger showed me a good trick to prevent it getting nicked ( they do, apparently, and at £300 a pop....)

With the tensioner attached to the new forestay, get the local engineers to spot weld a blob onto the side of the upper pin instead of relying on a clevis pin, then rig the stay and use it.

It is now impossible for anyone to remove the tensioner without actually cutting the stay, and they still have to grind off your weld etc before turning up at a boatjumble to sell it...
 
Blueboatman said:
Slight thread drift, but if you do decide to buy an expensive tensioner device, a rigger showed me a good trick to prevent it getting nicked ( they do, apparently, and at £300 a pop....)

With the tensioner attached to the new forestay, get the local engineers to spot weld a blob onto the side of the upper pin instead of relying on a clevis pin, then rig the stay and use it.

It is now impossible for anyone to remove the tensioner without actually cutting the stay, and they still have to grind off your weld etc before turning up at a boatjumble to sell it...
Click to expand...

Brilliant. :) Just finished a successful weekend charter so have some spare pennies. Will make the descision this week. Would like it fitted before our last X channel end of October. Thanks again,

Chris
 
I have a bottle screw with a wheel around the centre that i found on my boat.
I thought it was for the inner forestay but i have found a highfield lever in a locker too.
I don't need the Bottle screw now so if that would work I'll happily swap it for something.

Its hard to describe but think of a stainless steel hoop around attached by four arms to a bottle screw.

Rob
 
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