How Do You Attach Your Working / Storm Jib ?

[mrohr]

Storm jib free flying? Only thing that sounds scarier is trying to get up that gale sail in a real blow......but there are a lot of smart and experienced sailors here so maybe there are other solutions.
FWIW I use the solent rig on my Contesa 32 and set it up as necessary (hank on storm jib with roller furled genoa).

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Paul--

This is very interesting information. How do you set the stay up (Highfield Lever?) and can you give us a bit more info on the "Soft Hanks" with which I am not acquainted.

I use dynex dux stay with lashings at the base, along with an oversized snapshackle for removal. The soft hanks come from Colligo. Take a look at their website to see some cool stuff you can do with soft standing rigging.

[santa clara]

Hi all, can I just nip in and ask...what does the deck attachment for a Solent stay usually look like. I only ask as I have a mysterious eye bolt in the foredeck and was wondering if this would be sufficient (it's well backed with a good pad).
Cheers Martin

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by santa clara

Hi all, can I just nip in and ask...what does the deck attachment for a Solent stay usually look like. I only ask as I have a mysterious eye bolt in the foredeck and was wondering if this would be sufficient (it's well backed with a good pad).
Cheers Martin

G'Day Martin,

If the eye bolt is just stuck in the middle of the foredeck (not supported immediately below with a bulkhead or such) then even though there is a backing plate, it is not likely strong enough to support an active stay. While perhaps the bolt won't pull out, it will flex the deck and in time cause serious problems.

The commonest approach is to have a chain plate that penetrates the deck and is bolted to a sturdy bulkhead... one that is well tabbed into the deck and hull. Another approach, and one that you might be able to use, is to have a bit of rigging from an eye attached to your backing plate. This includes a rigging screw and goes to some sturdy bit of the hull structure, say a stringer or a floor, and transfers the loads from the stay to the hull. We did this on our previous boat... went through the chain locker and worked well without bothering us in the v-berth.

Cheers,

Jim

[santa clara]

Thanks jim, I feared as much. Unfortunately the eye bolt is far from the bulkhead into the anchor locker and is right over our feet (it's only a 32 footer) any rigging screw type set up would be in the way when we're sleeping. Back to the drawing board!

Cheers Martin

[Vamonos]

Martin,

That padeye is most likely for a spinnaker pole downhaul (foreguy). It is meant to keep the spin pole from rising while running a symmetrical spinnaker. Not strong enough for a stay. Sorry. I have the same issue.

Richard

[akio.kanemoto]

For those who want a padeye or something more substantial on deck, but wish to tie it to the hull with a tie rod etc, but are not doing this due to the tie rod going through a living space (usually a bunk right forward)...

Why not break the problem up?

Firstly, describing the system I have: I have a "proper" chainplate-sized tang on deck made of 1/2" plate, about 1.2m aft of the forestay fitting. Easy to fabricate, or alternatively, just go buy a huge padeye.

Underneath, I have a similar fitting, but upside-down, so the bolts that come in from the deck side, go through the bottom fitting. (again, as somebody else suggested, you can just have a padeye on the inside as well).

I then have an attachment point inside to transfer the loads to the hull - a 1/4" "strap" through bolted through a bulkhead - but this attachment point is almost 60cm below the underside of the deck.. so I need a tie rod.

Normally, this tie rod would go through the berth.. But it doesn't always have to be there.

Break the problem up. If coastal sailing/day hopping, you won't need the inner forestay/storm jib up. So don't tie it to the hull. (normally I'll be using the deck fitting to hang blocks off for a spin downhaul and preventers)

When about to head off on a passage, then tie the deck fitting to the hull. In my case, I have a LONG 1/2" turnbuckle which I can use. Attach with shackles, tension and voila. Simple.

Most people don't like to sleep forward on passage anyway, so it works and causes no issues. It doesn't even matter if you need to move bedding/cushions around to access the tie point - this is only on passage.

So remember, it's not just the stay on deck that can be removable, you can treat the inside as removable as well.

[barnakiel]

We have:
- an outer furling sail (too heavy) that the ex wrongly moved full two feet out onto the bowsprit,
- an inner removable stay for the jibs (hanks).

However, I am working towards a better arrangement:
- a lighter furling sail on the outer stay (mast top to stem NOT to bowsprit),
- a heavier preferably furling sail on the inner stay (about 80% J in),
- kites to be flown from the bowsprit.

b.

[santa clara]

Hi,

Richard: you're absolutely right of course many thanks for pointing this out. I took the spinnaker off the boat when we moved on to save space and haven't given it a thought since.

Akio: many thanks for a great description of a very good idea. I'm either going to have to either drill a new hole in the deck which could be over the bulkhead or replace the padeye in which case I will certainly go with what you have described. I guess it'll depend on how far forward i want the deck end of the stay to be. But I'll leave that for another thread...sorry to hog this one for so long.

It's just fantastic being able to get such great information and ideas from such a helpful bunch.

Many thanks
Martin

[Paul L]

Here's a confusing picture of how I did the under-deck attachment to my inner stay - looking both up and down. The aluminum backing plate was put in for the windlass. The lashings are amsteel.

[geko]

We have a removable inner forestay for the storm jib, however any real tensioning causes the mast to bow.I wonder if a reefed main would take the bend out.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by geko

We have a removable inner forestay for the storm jib, however any real tensioning causes the mast to bow.I wonder if a reefed main would take the bend out.

Do you have running backs or check stays?

[vtcapo]

Just posted what's below on another thread (monohulls). Looking for more opinions.

Still up in the air on whether or not to change my current rig. Right now on my 37' Slocum I have a Pro-Furl NC-42 for my 150 genoa, and another NC-42 for an over lapping staysail. Everything is lead to winches in the cockpit. In light airs I use the 150 and main. That throws up 900+ sq. feet of sail and she moves right along. No need for the staysail. If I had a 135% genny I would use the staysail.

Looking from a single handling point of view would any of you change this rig to a boomed staysail. I have a Furlex main extension that allows me to reef the main down to a handkerchief. With a self tacking boomed staysail (boom being attached to the stay, sail NOT loose footed but on a track for reefing) and main I am thinking this would be ideal for heavy weather particularly if I am short handed.

Any thoughts....

RT

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I use dynex dux stay with lashings at the base, along with an oversized snapshackle for removal. The soft hanks come from Colligo. Take a look at their website to see some cool stuff you can do with soft standing rigging.

Paul,

Do you run any other sails on this stay besides a storm jib? I installed a mast tang this year for a solent stay and purchased Dynex Dux, but now I'm thinking I may want to occasionally run something on this stay besides just my storm jib.... maybe a drifter or something for light air. Not sure if the DUX and soft hanks are up to constant use that a long downwind passage may bring. I may just use extra 1/4" stainless wire that I have in storage and good old bronze hanks.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by geko

We have a removable inner forestay for the storm jib, however any real tensioning causes the mast to bow.I wonder if a reefed main would take the bend out.

You'll need running backstays to counter the force of the inner forestay.