Running backstays

Hi all,

I am installing a stay sail in Star Swan, which means will be a cutter rig. For that I am installing an below front deck a stay connected to the hull ojn a chain plate. To avoid the stay sail push the deck up.

Although my mast is (as all swans) very robust is also quite short. I believe i still need to install running back stays. So I have to questions:

1. Can I attach the running back stay to the genoa block on the aft?

2. What is the prefered system as attachment fixing on the mast? How can i do the treads. Aluminium mast stainless steel stays.

3. Do you recomend to use dynemma for the stays?

Would appreciate anyone with similar experience. 

P.S. Swan 40 is not cutter rigged originally but i belive is a good setting for off shore making the sailes closer to the center of the boat in heavy conditions.

Best, Duarte

Star Swan (40/47)

Dear Duarte,

1 . yes, you can definetly attach the running backstay on the genoa blocks

2 . be sure there is tefgel in between alluminum mast and stainless steel plates, and I would add (I did on all my stainless steel plates) a plastic film (e.g. protect tape) under the stainless steel plates, so the only contact of stainless steel/alluminum is the screw threads (plenty of tefgel

3 . yes

Please keep us posted!

matteo (47/069 Vanessa)

Dear Duarte,

I fully agree with Matteo. So this post is nothing new, just a few additional remarks.

1) attachment point: the running backstays are intended to stabilize the mast rather than take the full load like the main backstay. On our 48, they are attached to padeyes on the side deck (per S&S design), bolted through the deck -- btw, as is the genoa block. Definitely strong enough ...

2) material / corrosion protection: in addition to Tefgel and plastic separators, there is also Duralac, a nonconductive paste. While Tefgel is supreme in protecting the threaded holes in the mast that take the inox bolts, I have made very good experiences with Duracal for larger areas.

3) Dyneema: absolutely yes! Not only does the material have a similar or even higher breaking load than a comparable wire, you will also find that your running backstays will mostly be in a parking position while not in use, and here there will probably touch either the spreaders ("bang!" "clang") or indent the sail while sailing before the wind. While in use, after a tack or gybe the sail often pushes the backstays out of the way. While that is fully normal, it takes its toll on the sailcloth. I found Dyneema much more friendly to the sail. Besides, it is much easier to install (two Brummel splices you can easily do yourself), to check and to replace.

Finally, our masts are incredibly sturdy. We found that the running backstays are needed only with the combination of high winds and choppy water, even if we use them more often just for the fun of it.

Fair winds,
Martin (Vellamo, 48/039)

Hi Duarte

Can only recommend Dynema running backstays, as the others already mentioned

While we are trying to keep as much as we can on Kairos as original as possible, the old wire backstays were very difficult to store when not in use in a fashion that was secure, and they were a bit of a liability when in use, as the metal shekel between the wire and the shèet was very much at head-height for most of the crew ...

Hence we changed to Dynema running backstays about 5 years ago and never looked back.

We made the Dynema part of the running backstay the same lenght as the old wire one, then use a soft shekel to connect the sheets to it when in use. We find that sticking to having two parts works well as the running backstays are easier to store when not in use, and the sheets can be of a thicker material so they are easier to handle/fit in the winches better. Plus should the wear you only need to replace the sheet part.

On Kairos, the running backstays are run through shekels on top of the genoa blocks and then to the winches, which we believe is the original S&S design.

Fair winds,

Stefan

SY Kairos (57/043)